After Mr. Lincoln’s nomination for the Presidency, the Executive
Chamber, a large, fine room in the State House at Springfield, was set
apart for him, where he met the public until after his election.
As illustrative of the nature of many of his calls, the following
incident was related by Mr. Holland, an eye-witness: “Mr. Lincoln being
in conversation with a gentleman one day, two raw, plainly-dressed young
‘Suckers’ entered the room, and bashfully lingered near the door. As
soon as he observed them, and saw their embarrassment, he rose and
walked to them, saying: ‘How do you do, my good fellows? What can I do
for you? Will you sit down?’ The spokesman of the pair, the shorter of
the two, declined to sit, and explained the object of the call thus:
He had had a talk about the relative height of Mr. Lincoln and his
companion, and had asserted his belief that they were of exactly the
same height. He had come in to verify his judgment. Mr. Lincoln smiled,
went and got his cane, and, placing the end of it upon the wall, said”
‘Here, young man, come under here.’ “The young man came under the
cane as Mr. Lincoln held it, and when it was perfectly adjusted to his
height, Mr. Lincoln said:
“‘Now, come out, and hold the cane.’
“This he did, while Mr. Lincoln stood under. Rubbing his head back and
forth to see that it worked easily under the measurement, he stepped
out, and declared to the sagacious fellow who was curiously looking on,
that he had guessed with remarkable accuracy--that he and the young man
were exactly the same height. Then he shook hands with them and sent
them on their way. Mr. Lincoln would just as soon have thought of
cutting off his right hand as he would have thought of turning those
boys away with the impression that they had in any way insulted his
dignity.”
“AND YOU DON’T WEAR HOOPSKIRTS.”
An Ohio Senator had an appointment with President Lincoln at six
o’clock, and as he entered the vestibule of the White House his
attention was attracted toward a poorly clad young woman, who was
violently sobbing. He asked her the cause of her distress. She said she
had been ordered away by the servants, after vainly waiting many hours
to see the President about her only brother, who had been condemned to
death. Her story was this:
She and her brother were foreigners, and orphans. They had been in this
country several years. Her brother enlisted in the army, but, through
bad influences, was induced to desert. He was captured, tried and
sentenced to be shot--the old story.
The poor girl had obtained the signatures of some persons who had
formerly known him, to a petition for a pardon, and alone had come
to Washington to lay the case before the President. Thronged as the
waiting-rooms always were, she had passed the long hours of two days
trying in vain to get an audience, and had at length been ordered away.
The gentleman’s feelings were touched. He said to her that he had come
to see the President, but did not know as he should succeed. He told
her, however, to follow him upstairs, and he would see what could be
done for her.
Just before reaching the door, Mr. Lincoln came out, and, meeting his
friend, said good-humoredly, “Are you not ahead of time?” The gentleman
showed him his watch, with the hand upon the hour of six.
“Well,” returned Mr. Lincoln, “I have been so busy to-day that I
have not had time to get a lunch. Go in and sit down; I will be back
directly.”
The gentleman made the young woman accompany him into the office, and
when they were seated, said to her: “Now, my good girl, I want you to
muster all the courage you have in the world. When the President comes
back, he will sit down in that armchair. I shall get up to speak to him,
and as I do so you must force yourself between us, and insist upon his
examination of your papers, telling him it is a case of life and death,
and admits of no delay.” These instructions were carried out to the
letter. Mr. Lincoln was at first somewhat surprised at the apparent
forwardness of the young woman, but observing her distressed appearance,
he ceased conversation with his friend, and commenced an examination of
the document she had placed in his hands.
Glancing from it to the face of the petitioner, whose tears had broken
forth afresh, he studied its expression for a moment, and then his eye
fell upon her scanty but neat dress. Instantly his face lighted up.
“My poor girl,” said he, “you have come here with no Governor, or
Senator, or member of Congress to plead your cause. You seem honest and
truthful; and you don’t wear hoopskirts--and I will be whipped but I
will pardon your brother.” And he did.