OF

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

BY

DISTINGUISHED MEN OF HIS TIME

COLLECTED AND EDITED BY

ALLEN THORNDIKE RICE

EDITOR OF THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW

NEW YORK

PUBLISHED BY THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW

3 EAST FOURTEENTH STREET

1888
Fe

224095

COPYRIGHT, 1885,

BY ALLEN THORNDIKE RICE.

COPYRIGHT, 1888,

BY ALLEN THORNDIKE RICE.

Burr Printing House, Frankfort and Jacob Sts., N. Y.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

ALLEN THORNDIKE RICE.

Design of this Book-Review of Lincoln's Life-His

Political Services-Lincoln as a Story-Teller-

General Sherman and Lincoln-Thurlow Weed-

McClellan's Views-McClellan and Lincoln—“ I

can trust Phil."-Emancipation-Lincoln's Cab-

inet-The Dispatch to Minister Adams......

I.

GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT.

Too much Tail-The Dutch Gap Canal—I will make a

Fizzle, anyhow.....

PAGES

xvii-xl

I-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-A Strong Partisan of Clay-At

the Inauguration Ball-On the Missouri Com-

promise (1854)-Lincoln Defeated for the Senate

(1858)-President of the United States (1861)-

Precautions against Assassination-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 Lin-

coln-His Great Respect for Horace Greeley-A

Man of no Resentments-Opposed to the Proclama-

tion of Emancipation-Issued the Proclamation Re-

luctantly-The Demand for the Proclamation Irre-

sistible-Father Abraham his Proper Title .....

IV.

HON. R. E. FENTON,

EX-GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK.

Dissatisfaction of Thurlow Weed-Not a Successful Im-

promptu 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....

PAGES

47-65

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-De-

serving 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 De-

spair of the Union-His Faith in Grant.....

77-100

VI.

HON. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL,

EX-SECRETARY 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 Opin-

ion-Emancipation, the Last Card-The Proclama-

tion to Follow a Victory-The Unyielding Secretary

Stanton-Why Meade was Appointed to Succeed.

Hooker-Capital the Offspring of Labor-A Com-

petitor for Fame with the Greatest Orators-The

Oration at Gettysburg-Lincoln a Staunch Partisan

-None but Partisans should Attain Places-A

Great Historical Character...

VII.

GENERAL BENJAMIN F. BUTLER,

EX-GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PAGES

101-138

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 Com-

mander-in-Chief must be Brave-"I Think I can

beat Butler "-As Merciful as he was Brave-Rec-

ommending Negro Colonization-Fearing Negro

Guerrillas-How the Panama-Canal Plan was ob-

structed-Presidential Aspirations of Mr. Chase-

Declining the Vice-Presidential Nomination-A

Second Declination-A Matter of History........ 139-163