Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1884 — An Anecdote of Lincoln. [ARTICLE]

An Anecdote of Lincoln.

“The last time I saw him was about two weeks before his assassination. He sent me word by my brother James, then in his Cabinet, that he desired to see me before I went home. I went into his office about 11 o’clock. He looked jaded and weary. I stayed in the room until his hour for callers was over. He ordered the d!oor closed, and looking over to where I was sitting, asked me to draw up my chair. But instead of being alone, as he supposed, in the opposite direction from where I sat. and across the fire-place from him, sat two humble-looking women. Seeing them there seemed to provoke him, and he ‘Well, ladies, what can Ido for you?’ One was an old woman, the other young. They both commenced talking at once. The President soon comprehended them. ‘I suppose,’ said he, ‘that your son and your husband is in prison for resisting the draft in Western Pennsylvania. Where is your petition?’ The old lady replied: ‘Mr. Lincoln, I’ve got no petition; I went to a lawyer to get one drawn, and I, had not the money to pay him and come here too, so I thought I would just come and ask you to let me have my boy.’ ‘And it’s your husband you want ?’ said he, turning to the young woman. ‘Yes,’ said she. He rung his bell and called his servant, and bade him go and tell General Dana to bring him the list of prisoners for resisting the draft in Western Pennsylvania. The Genera! soon came, bringing a package of papers. The President openedrtund, counting the name, said: ‘General, there are twenty-seven of these men. Is there any difference m the degree of their guilt ?’ ‘No,’ said the General; ‘it is a bad case and a merciful finding.’ ‘Well,’ said the President, looking out of the window and seeming talking to himself, ‘those poor fellows have, I think, suffered enough; they have been iu prison fifteen months. I have been thinking so for some time, and have so said to Stanton, and he always thereatens to resign if they are released. But he has said so about other matters, and never did. Se now, while I have the papers in my hand, I will turn out the flock.’ So he wrote: Let the prisoners named in the within paper be discharged,’ and signed it. The General made liis bow and left. Then turning to the ladies he said: ‘Now’, ladies, you can go. Your son, Madame, and your husband, Madame, is free.’

The young woman ran across to him and began to kueel. He took her by the elbow and said, impatiently: ‘Get up, get up; none of this.’ But the old woman walked to him, wiping with her apron the tears that were coursing down her cheeks. She gave him her baud, and looking into his face, said: ‘Good-bye, Mr. Lincoln, we may never meet again till we meet in Heaven.’ A change came over his sad and weary face. He clasped her hand in both of his, and followed her to the door, saying as he went: ‘With all that I have to cross me here, I am afraid that I will never get there; bnt your wish thnt we will meet there has fully paid for all I have done for you.’ ” —'Extract from a sketch of Joshua F. Speed.