1 Rice, Allen Thorndike. Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln
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Rice, Allen Thorndike. Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln by Distinguished Men of His Time. New York: North American Review, 1889. I. GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. Too much Tail— The Dutch Gap Canal— I will make a Fizzle, anyhow 1-4 II. HON. ELIHU B. WASHBURNE, EX-MINISTER TO FRANCE. Early Life of Abraham Lincoln— In the Black Hawk War (1837) — His First Political Success — Early Contemporaries — Popularity as a Story- Teller — Brilliancy as a Stump-Speaker — A Strong Partisan of Clay — Personal Appearance of Old Abe — At the Presidential Inauguration Ball— On the Missouri Compromise (1854) — Lincoln Defeated for the Senate (1858)— President of the United States (1861)— Gloomy Misgivings on the Situation — Conspiracy to Assassinate the President-elect — Precautions against Assassination — "How are you, Lincoln?" Mr. Blaine's Error — Would not Decline a Second Term (1863)— The Fall of Richmond—" Mr. Lincoln has been Assassinated " 5~45 III. HON. GEORGE W. JULIAN, EX-MEMBER OF CONGRESS. The Famous Rail-Splitter — The Tremendous Rush for Office — Anger against McClellan — An Inveterate Story-Teller — Why John C. Fremont was not Ap- pointed — Relations with Secretary Stanton — A Characteristic Anecdote — Unpopular with People and Congress in 1863 — How Music Affected Lincoln—His Great Respect for Horace Greeley — A Man of no Resentments — Opposed to the Proclamation of Emancipation — Issued the Proclamation Reluctantly — The Demand for the Proclamation Irresistible — Father Abraham his Proper Title 47-65 IV. HON. R. E. FENTON, EX-GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. Dissatisfaction of Thurlow Weed — Not a Successful Impromptu Speaker — Did not know where Sherman would come out — " The Governor has a Pretty Good Case " — " On to Richmond " — Providence and General McClellan — A Grasp on Truth and Justice 67-75 V. HON. J. P. USHER, EX-SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. Lincoln believed in Protection — A Distinction and a Difference — Douglas Faithful to the Union — Deserving Davis — The Tribune Assails Lincoln — The Union before Everything — Horace Greeley's Advice — Overlooking the Deity — Not to be Bullied by Congress — Cabinet Differences — He Never did Despair of the Union — His Faith in Grant 77-100 VI. HON. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL, EX-SECRETARV OF THE TREASURY. Lincoln, next to Washington, the Greatest American — An Early Career of Vicissitudes — He owed Little of his Success to Education — Interpreting the Will of the People by Intuition— Letter to Mrs. Bixby, of Boston — Ideas on Race Amalgamation — Campaign against Douglas — Logical Argument against Slavery — Not an Agitator — Hostility to Slavery in 1831 — Democrats or Abolitionists — Effect of Public Opinion — Emancipation, the Last Card — The Proclamation to Follow a Victory — The Unyielding Secretary Stanton — Why Meade was Appointed to Succeed Hooker — Capital the Offspring of Labor — A Competitor for Fame with the Greatest Orators — The Oration at Gettysburg — Lincoln a Staunch Partisan — None but Partisans should Attain Places — A Great Historical Character 101-138 VII. GENERAL BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, EX-GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS. First Recollections of Lincoln — Organizing the War Democrats — " That's Right ; God be with you " — Strong Measures to Prevent Desertions — Giving the President a Guard — Playing Billiards with a War Prisoner — Intending to Hang Jeff. Davis — The Commander-in-Chief 1 must be Brave — " I Think I can beat Butler " — As Merciful as he was Brave — Recommending Negro Colonization — Fearing Negro Guerrillas — How the Panama-Canal Plan was obstructed — Presidential Aspirations of Mr. Chase — Declining the Vice-Presidential Nomination — A Second Declination — A Matter of History 139-160 VIII. CHARLES CARLTON COFFIN, WAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE " BOSTON JOURNAL." The White Handkerchief — Notified of his Nomination — "All Quiet on the Potomac" — Hearing of his Friend's Death — Before the Denouement — Five Forks — "Glory! Glory! Glory!" 161-184 IX. FREDERICK DOUGLASS, EX-UNITED STATES MARSHAL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. The Difficulty Regarding Colored Troops — Horace Greeley's Criticism on the War — A Presentiment of Lincoln's Death — Andrew Johnson — A Peep into his Soul — A Wonderful Address — A Sea of Beauty and Elegance — The first great American that drew no Race Distinctions — A few more Inches to his Tail— In the Presence of a big Brother 185-195 X. JUDGE LAWRENCE WELDON, U. S. COURT OF CLAIMS. " There Goes Old Mr. Lincoln " — He Likes the Atmosphere of a Court-house — Lawyer Lincoln and "Captain " McClellan — A Dramatic Scene — " Do you see that Gun ? "—A Touch of Sarcasm 197-215 XI. BENJAMIN PERLEY POORE, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT OF THE " BOSTON JOURNAL." Mustered in by Jeff. Davis — That Settled his Hash — Lincoln and Webster — The Mislaid Gripsack — Revenon a nos Mautons” — Bull Run Russell 217-231 XII. TITIAN J. COFFEY, UNITED STATES ASSISTANT ATTORNEY-GENERAL. A Skunk Story — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — A Mast-Fed Lawyer — The Master-Mind 233-246 XIII REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER. A Dangerous Animal — " Is Thy Servant a Dog ? " — Every Way for Sunday — " You will Pass Bearer through Lines" — "Come Along" — Broken and Despondent — Somewhere to Blow Off 247-253 XIV. HON. WILLIAM D. KELLEY, MEMBER OF CONGRESS. " Pray, Governor, how tall may you be?" — Big Judge Davis and Little Judge Davis — A Change of Opinion — Shakespeare — A Startling Contingency — They could not Appreciate Humor — Goldwin Smith's Impressions 255-291 XV. HON. CASSIUS M. CLAY, EX-MINISTER TO RUSSIA. The Rectitude of Lincoln — Wit Wins the Case — An Excellent Listener — Cassius M. Clay Offered the War Secretaryship — Hungry Harpies — Mercenary Camp Followers — A Great Relief — Cassius M. Clay Saves Washington — Talk about Emancipation — For Rea- sons of State only — Unanswerable Logic — " Bless the Lord " 293-306 XVI COL. ROBERT G. INGERSOLL. Lincoln not a Type — A Unique Man without Ancestor or Successor— A Profound Observer of Human Nature — Polishing Pebbles and Dimming Diamonds— His Candor deceived the Deceitful — Greatest Statues need least Drapery — Lincoln the Liberator 307-314 2 XVII. H. MARKLAND, EX-THIRD- ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL. Bombardment of Fort Sumter— Kentucky the Key to the Situation — Beginning of Friendship for Grant — Grant's Paducah Proclamation — God Bless Sherman and his Army— Lincoln's Inflexible Integrity. 315-3-9 XVIII. HON. SCHUYLER COLFAX, EX-VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Mental Idiosyncrasies — That Awfully Wicked City of Chicago— How he Hid his Sad Heart— A Cowardly Pair of Legs — " Older than Methuselah " — One War at a Time — " Lyons, Go Thou and do Likewise " — Taking Down a Marquis — A Great Orator 331-349 XIX. HON. DANIEL W. VOORHEES, UNITED STATES SENATOR FOR INDIANA. " No Hanging in this Case " — The President's Clemency 351-362 XX. HON. CHARLES A. DANA, EDITOR " NEW YORK SUN." First Sight of Lincoln — How he Received Political Friends— No Lack of Dignity in the Man — An Inflexible Public Servant — Sincerity toward his Cabinet — Down in the Wilderness — Profound Sagacity of the President — The Jacob Thompson Episode . 363-376 XXI. HON. JOHN A. KASSON, EX-MINISTER TO AUSTRIA. First Blood — Conscientious in Appointing — " I haven't much Influence with this Administration " — Lincoln Afraid of Stanton — Lcttrcs de Cachet — The Last Act 377-385 XXII GENERAL JAMES B. FRY. A Man without Bad Habits — The Gnawing for a Second Term — Something in a Name — Stanton Overmatched —Story of a Big Log— My God ! Is that All ?—Well Done, Good and Faithful Servants 387-404 XXIII. HON. HUGH McCulloch, EX-SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. Lincoln versus Douglas — The Time for Rebellion had Come — A Man of Strong Religious Convictions — Lincoln and Everett — Sublime Faith in Republican Institutions , 405-425 XXIV. HON. CHAUNCEY M. DEPEW, PRESIDENT NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD. Virtue of Broad Illustration — Feeling of Intense Responsibility — " The Soldiers' Vote " — A Complete Metamorphosis — " Ganson, how Clean you Shave " — Lincoln Snubs the New York Millionaires — Stopping the Machinery of a Reception to Listen to a Story — " To all Whom it may Concern " — Horace Greeley's Attacks — A Supremely Great Man 427-438 XXV. DAVID R. LOCKE. (Petroleum v. Nasby.) A Great and Good Man — Giving his Feet a Chance to Breathe — A Sad-faced Man — Lincoln's Humor — Douglas a Demagogue — Glimmering of the Future — Offers Nasby a Place — A Hater of Bloodshed — The Face of Death 439-453 XXVI. LEONARD SWETT. (Lincoln's story of his own life.) Lincoln in 1849 — David Davis's Court — What Lincoln Remembered of his Youth — Six Weeks of Schooling — What he Read — From Indiana to Illinois — Railsplitting — Flat- boating — Nearly Killed by a Negro — " The Greatest Obstacle of my Life " — One of the " Long Nine " — Lincoln's Youth was Happy. 455-468 XXVII. WALT WHITMAN. Lincoln on Horseback — A Characteristic Likeness — How to Estimate Lincoln's Character — Lincoln Compared with Washington — With Shakespeare .... 469-475 XXVIIIDONN PIATT. A Huge Skeleton in Clothes — President Lincoln a Sceptic—" Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be Proud ? " — Was Lincoln Forgiving? — "Squealing like Pigs" — The Owls in Epaulets — Lincoln no Abolitionist. 477-500 3 XXIX. E. W. ANDREWS. A Touching Anecdote — Hon. Secretary Stanton — The Kindness of a Brother — A Sure Cure for Boils — " Floweth for the President " — Tribute to Horatio Seymour — A Just Decision 501-518 XXX. JAMES C. WELLING. " The Great Divide " — Military Action and Slavery — Hesitating to Issue the Proclamation — The Famous Greeley Letter — The Greeley Faction