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
The morning of the last day of April, Mr. Wilkeson, the head of the New
York “Tribune” bureau of correspondence in Washington at that period,
called upon me with his sister-in-law, Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
well known for her radical views on political and social questions, who
wished an introduction to the President. Later in the day, after the
accustomed pressure of visitors had subsided, I knocked at the door of
the President’s study, and asked if I might bring up two or three New
York friends. Mr. Lincoln fortunately was alone, and at once accorded
the desired permission. Laying aside his papers, as we entered, he
turned around in his chair for a leisurely conversation. One of the
party took occasion shortly to endorse very decidedly the Amnesty
Proclamation, which had been severely censured by many friends of the
Administration. This approval appeared to touch Mr. Lincoln deeply.
He said, with a great deal of emphasis, and with an expression of
countenance I shall never forget, “When a man is sincerely _penitent_
for his misdeeds, and gives satisfactory evidence of the same, he can
safely be pardoned, and there is no exception to the rule.”
Soon afterward he mentioned having received a visit the night before
from Colonel Moody, “the fighting Methodist parson,” as he was called
in Tennessee, who had come on to attend the Philadelphia Conference.
“He told me,” said he, “this story of Andy Johnson and General Buel,
which interested me intensely. The Colonel happened to be in Nashville
the day it was reported that Buel had decided to evacuate the city.
The Rebels, strongly reënforced, were said to be within two days’
march of the capital. Of course, the city was greatly excited. Moody
said he went in search of Johnson, at the edge of the evening, and
found him at his office, closeted with two gentlemen, who were walking
the floor with him, one on each side. As he entered, they retired,
leaving him alone with Johnson, who came up to him, manifesting intense
feeling, and said, ‘Moody, we are sold out! Buel is a traitor! He is
going to evacuate the city, and in forty-eight hours we shall all be
in the hands of the Rebels!’ Then he commenced pacing the floor again,
twisting his hands, and chafing like a caged tiger, utterly insensible
to his friend’s entreaties to become calm. Suddenly he turned and
said, ‘Moody, can you pray?’ ‘That is my business, sir, as a minister
of the Gospel,’ returned the Colonel. ‘Well, Moody, I wish you would
pray,’ said Johnson; and instantly both went down upon their knees, at
opposite sides of the room. As the prayer waxed fervent, Johnson began
to respond in true Methodist style. Presently he crawled over on his
hands and knees to Moody’s side, and put his arm over him, manifesting
the deepest emotion. Closing the prayer with a hearty ‘Amen’ from
each, they arose. Johnson took a long breath, and said, with emphasis,
‘Moody, I feel better!’ Shortly afterwards he asked, ‘Will you stand
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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