The Project Gutenberg eBook, Recollections of Abraham Lincoln 1847-1865, by Ward Hill Lamon, Edited by Dorothy Lamon Teillard

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Title: Recollections of Abraham Lincoln 1847-1865

Author: Ward Hill Lamon

Editor: Dorothy Lamon Teillard

Release Date: May 5, 2012 [eBook #39630]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RECOLLECTIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN 1847-1865***

 

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RECOLLECTIONS
of
ABRAHAM LINCOLN

1847-1865

By

WARD HILL LAMON

EDITED BY DOROTHY LAMON TEILLARD







WASHINGTON, D. C.

PUBLISHED BY THE EDITOR

1911

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Copyright

By Dorothy Lamon

A.D. 1895

Copyright, 1911

By Dorothy Lamon Teillard

All rights reserved



THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.

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PREFACE.

The reason for thinking that the public may be interested in my father's recollections of Mr. Lincoln, will be found in the following letter from Hon. J. P. Usher, Secretary of the Interior during the war:—

Lawrence, Kansas, May 20, 1885.

Ward H. Lamon, Esq., Denver, Col.

Dear Sir, — There are now but few left who were intimately acquainted with Mr. Lincoln. I do not call to mind any one who was so much with him as yourself. You were his partner for years in the practice of law, his confidential friend during the time he was President. I venture to say there is now none living other than yourself in whom he so much confided, and to whom he gave free expression of his feeling towards others, his trials and troubles in conducting his great office. You were with him, I know, more than any other one. I think, in view of all the circumstances and of the growing interest which the rising generation takes in all that he did and said, you ought to take the time, if you can, to commit to writing your recollections of him, his sayings and doings, which were not necessarily committed to writing and made public. Won't you do it? Can you not, through a series of articles to be published in some of the magazines, lay before the public a history of his inner life, so that the multitude may read and know much more of that wonderful man? Although I knew him quite well for many years, yet I am deeply interested in all that he said and did, and I am persuaded that the multitude of the people feel a like interest.

Truly and sincerely yours,
(Signed) J. P. Usher.

In compiling this little volume, I have taken as a foundation some anecdotal reminiscences already published in newspapers by my father, and have added to them from letters and manuscript left by him.

If the production seems fragmentary and lacking in purpose, the fault is due to the variety of sources from which I have selected the material. Some of it has been taken from serious manuscript which my father intended for a work of history, some from articles written in a lighter vein; much has been gleaned from copies of letters which he wrote to friends, but most has been gathered from notes jotted down on a multitude of scraps scattered through a mass of miscellaneous material.

D. L.

Washington, D. C.,
March, 1895.

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PREFACE

TO THE SECOND EDITION.

In deciding to bring out this book I have had in mind the many letters to my father from men of war times urging him to put in writing his recollections of Lincoln. Among them is one from Mr. Lincoln's friend, confidant, and adviser, A. K. McClure, one of the most eminent of American journalists, founder and late editor of "The Philadelphia Times," of whom Mr. Lincoln said in 1864 that he had more brain power than any man he had ever known. Quoted by Leonard Swett, in the "North American Review," the letter is as follows:—

Philadelphia, Sept. 1, 1891.

Hon. Ward H. Lamon, Carlsbad, Bohemia:

My dear old Friend, — ....I think it a great misfortune that you did not write the history of Lincoln's administration. It is much more needed from your pen than the volume you published some years ago, giving the history of his life. That straw has been thrashed over and over again and you were not needed in that work; but there are so few who had any knowledge of the inner workings of Mr. Lincoln's administration that I think you owe it to the proof of history to finish the work you began. —— and —— never knew anything about Mr. Lincoln. They knew the President in his routine duties and in his official ways, but the man Lincoln and his plans and methods were all Greek to them. They have made a history that is quite correct so far as data is concerned, but beyond that it is full of gross imperfections, especially when they attempt to speak of Mr. Lincoln's individual qualities and movements. Won't you consider the matter of writing another volume on Lincoln? I sincerely hope that you will do so. Herndon covered about everything that is needed outside of confidential official circles in Washington. That he could not write as he knew nothing about it, and there is no one living who can perform that task but yourself....

Yours truly,
(Signed) A. K. McClure.

I have been influenced also by a friend who is a great Lincoln scholar and who, impressed with the injustice done my father, has urged me for several years to reissue the book of "Recollections," add a sketch of his life and publish letters that show his standing during Lincoln's administration. I hesitated to do this, remembering the following words of Mr. Lincoln at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on his way to Washington: "It is well known that the more a man speaks the less he is

class="x-ebookmaker-pageno" title="[ix]"/> understood—the more he says one thing, the more his adversaries contend he meant something else." I am now yielding to these influences with the hope that however much the book may suggest a "patchwork quilt" and be permeated with Lamon as well as Lincoln, it will yet appeal to those readers who care for documentary evidence in matters historical.

Dorothy Lamon Teillard.

Washington, D. C.,
April, 1911.

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CONTENTS.

Inaugural Address 35 At Philadelphia—Detective and alleged Conspiracy to murder Mr. Lincoln 38 Plans for Safety 40 At Harrisburg 40 Col. Sumner's Opinion of the Plan to thwart Conspiracy 41 Selection of One Person to accompany Mr. Lincoln 42 At West Philadelphia—Careful Arrangements to avoid Discovery 43 At Baltimore—"It's Four O'clock" 45 At Washington 45 Arrival at Hotel 46   CHAPTER III.   INAUGURATION.   Formation of Cabinet and Administration Policy 48 Opposition to Mr. Chase 49 Alternative List of Cabinet Members 50 Politicians realize for the First Time the Indomitable Will of Mr. Lincoln 51 Mr. Seward and Mr. Chase, Men of Opposite Principles 51 Mr. Seward not to be the real Head of the Administration 52 Preparations for Inauguration 53 Introduction by Senator Baker 53 Impression made by Inaugural Address 54 Oath of Office Administered 54 The Call of the New York Delegation on the President 55   CHAPTER IV.   GLOOMY FOREBODINGS OF COMING CONFLICT.   Geographical Lines distinctly drawn 56 Behavior of the 36th Congress 57 Letter of Hon. Joseph Holt on the "Impending Tragedy" 58 South Carolina formally adopts the Ordinance of Secession 62 Southern Men's Opinion of Slavery 62 Mr. Lincoln imagines Himself in the Place of the Slave-Holder 65 Judge J. S. Black on Slavery as regarded by the Southern Man 66 Emancipation a Question of Figures as well as Feeling 66 Mission to Charleston 68 "Bring back a Palmetto, if you can't bring Good News" 70 Why

General Stephen A. Hurlbut went to Charleston 70 Visit to Mr. James L. Pettigrew—Peaceable Secession or War Inevitable 71 "A great Goliath from the North"—"A Yankee Lincoln-Hireling" 72 Initiated into the great "Unpleasantness" 73 Interview with Governor Pickens—No Way out of Existing Difficulties but to fight out 74 Passes written by Governor Pickens 75,78 Interview with Major Anderson 75 Rope strong enough to hang a Lincoln-Hireling 76 Timely Presence of Hon. Lawrence Keith 77 Extremes of Southern Character exemplified 77 Interview with the Postmaster of Charleston 78 Experience of General Hurlbut in Charleston 79   CHAPTER V.   HIS SIMPLICITY.   The Ease with which Mr. Lincoln could be reached 80 Visit of a Committee from Missouri 81 A Missouri "Orphan" in Trouble 82 Protection Paper for Betsy Ann Dougherty 83 Case of Young Man convicted of Sleeping at his Post 86 Reprieve given to a Man whom a "little Hanging would not hurt" 87 An Appeal for Mercy that failed 88 An Appeal for the Release of a Church in Alexandria 89 "Reason" why Sentence of Death should not be passed upon a Parricide 90 The Tennessee Rebel Prisoner who was Religious 90 The Lord on our Side or We on the Side of the Lord 91 Clergymen at the White House 91 Number of Rebels in the Field 92 Mr. Lincoln dismisses Committee of Fault-Finding Clergymen 93 Mistaken Identity and the Sequel 94 Desire to be like as well as of and for the People 96 Hat Reform 97 Mr. Lincoln and his Gloves 97 Bearing a Title should not injure the Austrian Count 99   CHAPTER VI.

  HIS TENDERNESS.   Mr. Lincoln's Tenderness toward Animals 101 Mr. Lincoln refuses to sign Death Warrants for Deserters—Kind Words better than Cold Lead 102 How Mr. Lincoln shared the Sufferings of the Wounded Soldiers 103 Letters of Condolence 106-108   CHAPTER VII.   DREAMS AND PRESENTIMENTS.   Superstition—A Rent in the Veil which hides from Mortal View what the Future holds 111 The Day of Mr. Lincoln's Renomination at Baltimore 112 Double Image in Looking-Glass—Premonition of Impending Doom 112 Mr. Lincoln relates a Dream which he had a Few Days before his Assassination 114 A Dream that always portended an Event of National Importance 118 Mr. Lincoln's Last Drive 119 Mr. Lincoln's Philosophy concerning Presentiments and Dreams 121   CHAPTER VIII.   THE HUMOROUS SIDE OF HIS CHARACTER.   Mr. Lincoln calls himself "Only a Retail Story-Dealer" 123 The Purpose of Mr. Lincoln's Stories 124 Mr. Lincoln shocks the Public Printer 124 A General who had formed an Intimate Acquaintance with himself 125 Charles I. held up as a Model for Mr. Lincoln's Guidance in Dealing with Insurgents—Had no Head to Spare 127 Question of whether Slaves would starve if Emancipated 127 Mr. Lincoln expresses his Opinion of Rebel Leaders to Confederate Commissioners at the Peace Conference 128 Impression made upon Mr. Lincoln by Alex. H. Stephens 129 Heading a Barrel 129 A Fight, its Serious Outcome, and Mr. Lincoln's Kindly View of the Affair 130 Not always easy for Presidents to have Special Trains furnished them 132 Mr. Lincoln's Reason for not being in a Hurry to Catch the Train 133 "Something must be done in the Interest of the Dutch" 134 San Domingo Affair 134 Cabinet had shrunk up North 135 Ill Health of Candidates for the Position of Commissioner of the Sandwich Islands 135 Encouragement to Young Lawyer who lost his Case 136 Settle the Difficulty without Reference to Who commenced the Fuss

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39630@[email protected]#Page_137" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">137 "Doubts about the Abutment on the Other Side" 138 Mr. Anthony J. Bleeker tells his Experience in Applying for a Position—Believed in Punishment after Death 138 Mr. Lincoln points out a Marked Trait in one of the Northern Governors 140 "Ploughed around him" 142 Revenge on Enemy 143   CHAPTER IX.   THE ANTIETAM EPISODE.—LINCOLN'S LOVE OF SONG.   If a Cause of Action is Good it needs no Vindication 144 Letter from A. J. Perkins 145 Mr. Lincoln's Own Statement of the Antietam Affair 147 One "Little Sad Song" 150 Well Timed Rudeness of Kind Intent 151 Favorite Songs 152 Adam and Eve's Wedding Day 152 Favorite Poem: "O Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be Proud?" 153   CHAPTER X.   HIS LOVE OF CHILDREN.   The Incident which led Mr. Lincoln to wear a Beard 158 The Knife that fairly belonged to Mr. Lincoln 159 Mr. Lincoln is introduced to the Painter of his "Beautiful Portrait" 160 Death of Mr. Lincoln's Favorite Child 161 Measures taken to break the Force of Mr. Lincoln's Grief 162 The Invasion of Tad's Theatre 164 Tad introduces some Kentucky Gentlemen 166   CHAPTER XI.   THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE GETTYSBURG SPEECH.   The Gettysburg Speech 169 A Modesty which scorned Eulogy for Achievements not his Own 170 Mr. Lincoln's Regret that he had not prepared the Gettysburg Speech with Greater Care 173 Mr. Everett's and Secretary Seward's Opinion of the Speech 174 The Reported Opinion of Mr. Everett 174 Had unconsciously risen to a Height above the Cultured Thought of the Period 176 Intrinsic Excellence of the Speech first discovered by European Journals 176 How the News of Mr. Lincoln's Death was received by Other Nations 176

Origin of Phrase "Government of the People, by the People, and for the People" 177   CHAPTER XII.   HIS UNSWERVING FIDELITY TO PURPOSE.   An Intrigue to appoint a Dictator 180 "Power, Plunder, and Extended Rule" 181 Feared Nothing except to commit an Involuntary Wrong 182 President of One Part of a Divided Country—Not a Bed of Roses 182 Mr. Lincoln asserts himself 184 Demands for General Grant's Removal 184 Distance from the White House to the Capitol 185 Stoical Firmness of Mr. Lincoln in standing by General Grant 185 Letter from Mr. Lincoln to General Grant 186 The Only Occasion of a Misunderstanding between the President and General Grant 187 Special Order Relative to Trade-Permits 188 Extract from Wendell Phillips's Speech 189 Willing to abide the Decision of Time 190 Unworthy Ambition of Politicians and the Jealousies in the Army 191 Resignation of General Burnside—Appointment of Successor 192 War conducted at the Dictation of Political Bureaucracy 193 Letter to General Hooker 194 Mr. Lincoln's Treatment of the Subject of Dictatorship 195 Symphony of Bull-Frogs 196 "A Little More Light and a Little Less Noise" 198   CHAPTER XIII.   HIS TRUE RELATIONS WITH McCLELLAN.   Mr. Lincoln not a Creature of Circumstances 199 Subordination of High Officials to Mr. Lincoln 200 The Condition of the Army at Beginning and Close of General McClellan's Command 201 Mr. Lincoln wanted to "borrow" the Army if General McClellan did not want to use it 202 Mr. Lincoln's Opinion of General McClellan. A Protest denouncing the Conduct of McClellan 203 Mr. Lincoln alone Responsible to the Country for General McClellan's Appointment as Commander of the Forces at Washington 204 Confidential Relationship between Francis P. Blair and Mr. Lincoln 205 Mr. Blair's Message to General McClellan 206 General McClellan repudiates the

Obvious Meaning of the Democratic Platform 207 Mr. Lincoln hopes to be "Dumped on the Right Side of the Stream" 208 Last Appeal to General McClellan's Patriotism 208 Proposition Declined 210   CHAPTER XIV.   HIS MAGNANIMITY.   Public Offices in no Sense a Fund upon which to draw for the Payment of Private Accounts 212 Busy letting Rooms while the House was on Fire 214 Peremptory Order to General Meade 214 Conditions of Proposition to renounce all Claims to Presidency and throw Entire Influence in Behalf of Horatio Seymour 215 Mr. Thurlow Weed to effect Negotiation 216 Mr. Lincoln deterred from making the Magnanimous Self-Sacrifice 217 How Mr. Lincoln thought the Currency was made 217 Mr. Chase explains the System of Checks—The President impressed with Danger from this Source 218 First Proposition to Mr. Lincoln to issue Interest-Bearing Notes as Currency—The Interview between David Taylor and Secretary Chase 220 Mr. Lincoln's Honesty—Some Legal Rights and Moral Wrongs 222 Mr. Lincoln annuls the Proceedings of Court-Martial in Case of Franklin W. Smith and Brother 222 Senator Sherman omits Criticism of Lincoln 223 Release of Roger A. Pryor 224   CHAPTER XV.   CABINET COUNSELS.   The "Trent" Affair 227 Spirit of Forgiveness (?) toward England 229 The Interview which led to the Appointment of Mr. Stanton as Secretary of War 230 Correspondence with Hon. William A. Wheeler 231 The Appointment of Mr. Stanton a Surprise to the Country 232 Mr. Stanton's Rudeness to Mr. Lincoln in 1858 236 Mr. Lincoln abandons a Message to Congress in Deference to the Opinion of his Cabinet—Proposed Appropriation of $3,000,000 as Compensation to Owners of Liberated Slaves 237 Mr. Stanton's Refusal of Permits to go through the Lines into Insurgent Districts 239 Not Much Influence with this Administration 239 Mr. Stanton's Resignation not accepted 239 The Seven Words added by Mr. Chase to the Proclamation of Emancipation 240 Difference between "Qualified Voters" and "Citizens of the State"

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39630@[email protected]#Page_240" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">240 Letter of Governor Hahn 241 Universal Suffrage One of Doubtful Propriety 242 Not in Favor of Unlimited Social Equality 242 The Conditions under which Mr. Lincoln wanted the War to Terminate 243 The Rights and Duties of the Gentleman and of the Vagrant are the Same in Time of War 245 What was to be the Disposition of the Leaders of the Rebellion 246 Mr. Lincoln and Jefferson Davis on an Imaginary Island 247 Disposition of Jefferson Davis discussed at a Cabinet Meeting 248 Principal Events of Life of Mr. Davis after the War 249 Discussing the Military Situation—Terms of Peace must emanate from Mr. Lincoln 250 Telegram to General Grant 251 Dignified Reply of General Grant 252   CHAPTER XVI.   CONFLICT BETWEEN CIVIL AND MILITARY AUTHORITY.   Difficulties attending the Execution of the Fugitive Slave Law 254 Civil Authority outranked the Military 255 District Jail an Objective Point 257 Resignation of Marshal 258 Marshal's Office made a Subject of Legislation in Congress 259 A Result of Blundering Legislation 259 Mr. Lincoln's Existence embittered by Personal and Political Attacks 260 Rev. Robert Collyer and the Rustic Employee 261   CHAPTER XVII.   PLOTS AND ASSASSINATION.   Conspiracy to kidnap Mr. Buchanan 264 Second Scheme of Abduction 265 Mr. Lincoln relates the Details of a Dangerous Ride 265 A Search for Mr. Lincoln 271 Mr. Lincoln's Peril during Ceremonies of his Second Inauguration—Booth's Phenomenal Audacity 271 The Polish Exile from whom Mr. Lincoln feared Assault 273 An Impatient Letter appealing to Mr. Lincoln's Prudence 274 Mr. Lincoln's high Administrative Qualities 276 But Few Persons apprehended Danger to Mr. Lincoln 276 General Grant

receives the News of the Assassination of Mr. Lincoln—A Narrow Escape 278 Last Passport written by Mr. Lincoln 280 Mr. Lincoln requested to make a Promise 280 Mr. Lincoln's Farewell to his Marshal 281 Lincoln's Last Laugh 282 Willing to concede Much to Democrats 286 Eastern Shore Maryland 287 Honesty in Massachusetts and Georgia 287 McClellan seems to be Lost 288 Battle of Antietam, Turning-point in Lincoln's Career 289 Motto for the Greenback 289 "Niggers will never be higher" 290 Lincoln in a Law Case 291 Lincoln's Views of the American or Know-Nothing Party 299 Account of Arrangement for Cooper Institute Speech 300 "Rail Splitter" 303 Temperance 305 Shrewdness 309 Religion 333

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