Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1870 — New Anecdotes about the Martyred President. [ARTICLE]

New Anecdotes about the Martyred President.

Washington Cor. Springfield (Mass.) Republican. Now that the religious convictions of fr. L’ncoln are being so generally dis cursed, everybody seems disposed to bring up every tntle in evidence pro or con Having my mite to offer in preof that he was not an unbeliever in Christianity, I take this opportunity of doing so, though, as will be seen, it is only a mite. Soon after the war began, while calling on Mrs. Speed, of Louisville, Ky., mother of Mr. James Speed, ex-Attorney-Gener al, I noticed a cabinet sized photograph of Mr. Lincoln hanging in the parlor. Be neath the photograph was written, “To Mrs. Martha Speed, from whom I received an Oxford Bible thirty years ago." It was signed “ Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States," and on inquiry Mrs Speed told me it was sent to her almost immediately after his inauguration. This shows that Mr, Lincoln not only consid ered the present one of value, but one deserving of being suitably acknowledged at a time when his mind was deeply dis turbed by the distracted condition of the country following his first election, and when his remembering a gift bestowed so many years back was in itself a remarka ble circumstance.

Writing of this suggests many little an ecdotes connected with this great and good man which I heard at the time of their occurrence from intimate friends ol his own, some, if not all, of which, so far as I can learn, have never been published. One of Mr. Lincoln’s Kentucky friends, for whom he cherished a warm attachment, used frequently to give notes of introduction to deserving persons who wished to see the President, whether on business or simply to pay their respects to him in a visit of courtesy. To notes of this friend he always paid special attention. On one occasion two ladies were thus introduced. "‘Bo you know B ,” said the President, after shaking hands with them; “did he ever tell you I helped him to his wife?” The ladies knew nothing of it, so the match maker, proceeded to give a detailed account of the affair in his liveliest manner. "You see,” said he, “B never could get a chance to pop the question because the lady’s father was always in the room; so at last I told Kim I’d manage it for him, and the next time he called I went with him. I knew that the old man and often talked politics with him, but as both of us were Whigs the talk was never very lively. That time, to help B , 1 turned Democrat, and the bld man got so excited that B and the daughter managed to slip out on the backporch and do the thing up at once." This story, reJa'ing an occurrence dating back some twenty odd years, the teller seemed to enjoy as muqh as at the time when his V inporary change of politics hastened what has proved an exceedingly happy marriage.

. Once during the second year of the war it was said that a certain foreign minister complained to the President of a man with a hand-organ who disturbed’ him at all hours by grinding music in front of his residence. “ I’ll tell you what to do,’.’ said Mr. Lincoln, “ speak to Stanton about it, and tell him to send Baker after the man. Baker will steal the organ and throw its owner into the Old Capitol and you'll never be troubled with his noise again.’’ This referred jestingly to the many complaints of arbitrary arrests being made in this city, and the Baker mentioned was the well-known chief of the corps of detectives.

Mr. Lincoln gave the following account of the first announcement of the emancipation proclamation in the Cabinet meeting. He said he read it through, and t here was a dead silence. Presently Mr. Chase spoke. He said he liked all but so and so, instancing a clause, then spmeone else made an objection, and then another, until all had said something. Then the President said: “ Gentlemen, this reminds an of the story of the man who had been nway from homeland when he was coming back was met by one of his farm hands who greeted him after this fashion: •.Master, the little pigs are dead, and the old sow’s dead too, but I didn’t like to tell you all at once.”’ In answer to some rein aks which were made to him when Mr. htwe was proposed gs a candidate for the

Presidency, In opposition to himself, he observed Jocosely, “ Oh. It don’t disturb me in the least. I think I shall run the better for it. I never knock a horse fly off one of mv horses; I And he goes faster for the bite.” The kindness of heart of Mr. Lincoln is well known, and his intense abhorrence of approving a death has been frequently discussed. His Kentucky friend, who has been mentioned above as “B,” a man of undoubted loyalty throughout the war, used frequently to come to Washington to make representations to the President in regard to court martial or other decisions where mercy for the condemned man conld be obtained only by the chiefmagistrate, and where he thought such clemency deserved. He rarely failed to obtain a reprieve, and the following gives an outline of one es the cases where he interfered successfully: A very young man living in one of the southern counties of Kentucky was enticed into the rebel army. After remaining with it in Tennessee a few months he became disgusted or weaty, and managed to make his way back to his home. Soon after his arrival some of the military stationed in the town heard of his return and arrested hinr as a rebel spy, and after a military trial he was condemned to be hung. His family were overwhelmed by distress and horror. A sister of the young man knew Mrs. 8., and concluded

to go to her with the sad story and ask that her husband should make a representation of the case to his powerful friend in Washington. Mrs. B. promised to do all she could, convinced that the awful death decreed the young man was undeserved. When her husband came home from his business she told him he must go to Washington at once to attend to this case. He said it was impossible, as his business required his immediate and constant attendance. “Yes,” she answered, “ but not when a life is to be saved,” and in the next train Mr. B. started. When he saw Mr. Lincoln, and explained hiserrand, the latter said; “Ob, yes, I understand; some one has been crying to your good wife, and worked upon her feelings, and you have come here to work on mine.” Mr. B. then went more into detail, and assured the President oi his belief in the truth of the story. After some deliberation, Mr. Lincoln evidently scarcely more than half convinced, but still preferring to err on the side of mercy, replied: “If a man had more than one life I think a little hanging would not hurt tins one; but after he is once dead we cannot bring him back, no matter how sorry we may be, so he shall be pardoned;” and a reprieve was given on the spot ‘ Many are the like instances which could be given of similar cases, many of which, it must bo admitted, really demanded, in the name not only of justice, but also to secure public safety, that a man proven a spy should be shot or hung, when the same tenderness of heart interfered to save life. The story sometimes went that the life of the one had been saved at the expense of the loss of the lives of many. It was said that it was a spy pardoned by Mr. Lincoln who gave the information which led to the horrible death of Col. Ulric Dahlgren. But the sympathetic nature which sometimes erred through the weakness produced by its own truth and intensity, was well understood and never condemned by those who knew the man best. Here in Washington it was not an affair of hearsay; the pitying heart made itself/eft, and its influence was potent even when silent. Here Mr. Lincoln was truly mourned, not simply as a martyr in a just cause, but as a beloved friend. None who had ever come in contact with him could fail to be convinced of his integrity or remain unimpressed by his fentle characteristics. Many had been inebted to him for some kindness, all had recognized his willingness to mitigate, so far as possible, the horrors of war. The cry which went up from the city on that sad 15th of April was for a man deeply and earnestly loved and honored.