Mrs. Lincoln As the Nation's First Ladvj

8 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, T>. C., APRIL 12, 7*TT. the Mrs. Lincoln as Nation’s First LadvJ BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. He was interested in the war and after the killing of Gen. Edward D. Baker at Balls, £ L TT ~W~ T"HILE her sister- women 1861, M M / scraped lint, sewed bandages Her in 11kite House Was Accompanied October 21, wrote and asked the National Life Republican to print a poem which he had writ- M/m/ and put on nurses - caps and ten, paper print on gave their all country and and which that did Novem- m' B' to ber 4, saying: to death, the wife of its by Sorrozvs, Though Misunderstood by Many President spent her time in rolling to and "Little Willie Lincoln, son of President Lin- fro between WashinjLcn York, in- coln, has sent us the following verses, which and New are tent on extravagant purchases for herself and quite creditable, as a first effort for one so young. We insert them with pleasure and hope the White House Mrs. Lincoln seemed to Who Wrote About Her—Deaths that have nothing to do but to ‘shop,’ and the of Willie's desire, as expressed in the last reports of her lavish bargains in the verse, will meet with a ready response by the news- whole country.” papers were vulgar and sensational in the And then follow the verses: extreme. The wives and daughters of other Relatives Added to Burdens War. of “Lines On the Presidents had managed to dress as elegant Death of Col. Edward Baker. women without the process of so doing becom- ing prominent or public. But not a new dress Sympathetic Recalled. "There was no patriot like Baker, or jewel was bought by Mrs. Lincoln that did Qualities So noble and so true: not find its way into the newspapers.” He fell as a soldier on the field. How unjust Were these remarks, made 57 His face to the sky of blue. years ago, and at a time, too, when Mrs. Lincoln was mentally unable to reply had she "His voice is sil:nt in the hall wished to have done so. "Man's inhumanity Which oft his presence grac’d: to man!” —and that also means, of course, No more he’ll hear the loud acclaim woman's inhumanity to woman! Which rang from place to place. It does seem that when a fellow is down someone is always eager to push him just a "No squeamish notions filled his breast, little bit farther. Perhaps, if his heart is rent The Union was his theme. ’No compromise.’ with anguish, to open just a little wider the surrender and no gaping wound of an already dying soul. His day thought and night’s dream. How can we account for such words, and spoken, too, of the wife of the greatest Amer- "His country has her part to play, ican this counry has had since the passing of To’rds those he left behind; George Washington. Even were it true—and His widow and his children all those who were personally acquainted with She must always keep in mind.” the facts say it was not—would it not have been more charitable to have left them unsaid? w How much regard could the wielder of this , * ’’ • ' s LINCOLN was human, and she wept Hi f s J as any other affectionate mother would poison pen have had for even Mrs. Lincoln's 'yf , . *•; • ~ig£ ~ , Christian name—one of the most inspiring and have done under like conditions when her son sacred in biblical history! Willie died. Her grief knew no bounds. Mrs. Lincoln never Mrs. Lincoln had her enemies. Mrs. Lincoln entered again the guest's room died, nor green had her friends. But the former, for all the In which he the room, where mean and uncharitable things they cared to his body lay while awaiting burial. unfortunately gained the larger amount This was not ail of Mrs. Lincoln's sorrows by say, any publicity; just as the stripping of character means. But let us go back and look at of ¦¦¦ iPfXft, , , ***"**--'• >»i, ~ .. tn. ’3 early might is seized upon today by some publications. '%K her life that we better pass judg- ment on the Mrs. Lincoln as she was known in Washington during wartime. man ever went into the White House Robert Smith Todd, her father, was for many x under such trying and adverse conditions years clerk of the Kentucky State House of Representatives; as did Abraham Lincoln —actually stealing his was a State Senator and pres- the Lexington way into the Capital of the Nation for the ident of Branch of the Bank of Kentucky its establishment, inaugural ceremonies. No accom- from in 1836, until woman ever his death, 1849, was in city panied husband the highest office in and it that he her into married parents' home, within the gift of the people and suffered more Eliza Ann Parker at her in Short street. Prom this union there in so doing than did Mrs. Lincoln. If almost v mS' x at* • emm were m/LWRt Jr -g)! seven children: Levi, Elizabeth, Prances. Mary continuous anguish from 1861 to 1865, result- ¦*.' ~ m (born tWm MSf d- - December 13. 1818, and who became Mrs. ing in- a broken, bleeding heart for her loved -¦f r - t, \ Fj# v Ip Lincoln), Ann, Robert Parker and George. ones who died from disease and in battle, Jm m \ *\VI SH with the her husband, can Mrs. Todd died when her son George was climaxed murder of * \ % born, and in due of time her be said to be some of the frivolities and diver- W Jr Jf m mm course husband Jw m ||s *• % £ took unto himself another wife, Elizabeth Hum. sions she enjoyed during the Civil War. then phreys, who will admit that her stay in the White House bore him nine additional children; we so Mary Todd was not lonesome for brothers was careless and free. But with a knowledge during those and sisters during her childhood, though this of what Mrs. Lincoln endured fact contributed largely four years, safe say to her sorrow during little over it is to that there the great States, which, today a woman in States strife between the for is not sane the United however, people were not change places her to blame—at least who would with her even for not primarily. of the Land, These brothers and sisters of the honor of being the First Lady the half blood included Robert Smith, change possible. Samuel, were such a at this time David, Alexander, Martha, Lincoln Southern woman, and, Margaret, Emilie, Mrs. was a Elodie and like her great husband, was born in Kentucky. Katherine. From early childhood was loved her Southland, where there were so Mrs. Lincoln am- She bitious, and this, Indeed, is one of the many ties of blood; but she loved above all else few cause her husband truthful statements made by her defamers. the Union and the lor which • Where can we find a man or a woman in the She was true, loyal, patriotic. She was stood. United States today interested in the affairs to Josephine was to Napoleon—- Lincoln what of his country and wishing for its success who life, blood, very being, but Lincoln his his his is not so constituted? appreciated her worth more than the Corsican did Josephine’s. During the darkest days of lost, she Tk/tRS. LINCOLN early acquired a liking for the war, when to so many all seemed politics. leave her husband, as Maria Louisa Like her distinguiAed husband, did not she was originally a Whig and was especially would have done, and go to her relations, many fond of Henry Clay. She hoped day of whom were fighting on the other side, but some to Mary Todd Lincoln. Reproduced a White House portrait painted by see her father President, and when she mar- remained steadfast as the great French empress, from con- Katherine Helm. ried Lincoln, she did all she could to inspiro cared for her children and comforted and him in reaching the soled the President as she had always done in goal that it should be every American’s ambition to reach, to be his adversities. And yet we are told Mrs. and the Secretary—the official gentleman took a certain tincture of fun; and it was in this or of some higher service at least. Lincoln had nothing else to do but shop and off his hat, and the Napoleon party did the mingling of qualities that he so faithfully re- How dismal would not and fro between Washington and New same, making a his father.” be our lives if we did roll to all the young prince President sembled have a desire to better conditions, easy people sometimes to staggered our to make York. How It Is for ceremonious salute. Not a bit with something more of ourselves, Viisjudge the other fellow’s job. the homage, Willie drew himself up to his full IUST passed 12 years of age when he died, to elevate our minds and morals, to better equip ourselves height, took off his little cap with grateful Willie had been of a our serious and studious for and the public's good. Indeed, self-possession and bowed down formallj* Indeed, it so our own am- to nature. has been said that bition has for Lincoln had not the confidence of the the ground, like a little ambasador. They “systematic was he that he accustomed of centuries been the guiding star RS.

Load more