The inner life of Abraham Lincoln : $b Six months at the White HouseCarpenter, F. B. (Francis Bicknell)
History
The inner life of Abraham Lincoln : $b Six months at the White House
Carpenter, F. B. (Francis Bicknell)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes; Presidents -- United States -- Anecdotes
“By the way, Garfield,” said Mr. Lincoln, “you never heard, did you,
that Chase, Stanton, and I, had a campaign of our own? We went down to
Fortress Monroe in Chase’s revenue cutter, and consulted with Admiral
Goldsborough as to the feasibility of taking Norfolk by landing on
the north shore and making a march of eight miles. The Admiral said,
very positively, there was no landing on that shore, and we should
have to double the cape and approach the place from the south side,
which would be a long and difficult journey. I thereupon asked him if
he had ever tried to find a landing, and he replied that he had not.
‘Now,’ said I, ‘Admiral, that reminds me of a chap out West who had
studied law, but had never tried a case. Being sued, and not having
confidence in his ability to manage his own case, he employed a
fellow-lawyer to manage it for him. He had only a confused idea of the
meaning of law terms, but was anxious to make a display of learning,
and on the trial constantly made suggestions to his lawyer, who paid
no attention to him. At last, fearing that his lawyer was not handling
the opposing counsel very well, he lost all patience, and springing
to his feet cried out, “Why don’t you go at him with a _capias_, or a
_surre-butter_, or something, and not stand there like a confounded old
_nudum-pactum_?”’”
An officer of the Government called one day at the White House, and
introduced a clerical friend. “Mr. President,” said he, “allow me
to present to you my friend, the Rev. Mr. F., of ----. Mr. F. has
expressed a desire to see you and have some conversation with you, and
I am happy to be the means of introducing him.” The President shook
hands with Mr. F., and desiring him to be seated took a seat himself.
Then, his countenance having assumed an air of patient waiting, he
said: “I am now ready to hear what you have to say.” “Oh, bless you,
sir,” said Mr. F., “I have nothing special to say; I merely called to
pay my respects to you, and, as one of the million, to assure you of my
hearty sympathy and support.” “My dear sir,” said the President, rising
promptly, his face showing instant relief, and with both hands grasping
that of his visitor, “I am very glad to see you, indeed. _I thought you
had come to preach to me!_”
On the way to the cemetery dedication at Gettysburg, Mr. Lincoln said
to his friend, McVeagh, of Pennsylvania, speaking of Governor Gamble
and the administration troubles in Missouri:--“I do not understand the
spirit of those men who, in such a time as this, because they cannot
have a whole loaf will take no bread. For my part, I am willing to
receive any man, or class of men, who will help us even a _little_.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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