Mr. Lincoln took from his pocket a paper he had prepared in the
case, which comprized eleven reasons why he should be appointed
commissioner of the General Land Office. Among other things,
Mr. Lincoln presented the fact that he had been a member of
Congress from Illinois two years; that his location was in the
West, where the Government lands were; that he was a native of
the West, and had been reared under Western influences. He gave
reasons why the appointment should be given to Illinois, and
particularly to the southern part of the State. Major Wilcox
says that he was forcibly struck by the clear, convincing, and
methodical statement of Mr. Lincoln as contained in these eleven
reasons why he should have the appointment. But it was given
to his competitor, Mr. Justin Butterfield. After Mr. Lincoln
became President, a member of Congress asked for an appointment
in the army in behalf of a son of the same Justin Butterfield.
When the application was presented, the President paused, and,
after a moment’s silence, said: “Mr. Justin Butterfield once
obtained an appointment I very much wanted, and to which my
friends thought I was fairly entitled; and I hardly ever felt so
bad at any failure in my life. But I am glad of an opportunity
of doing a service to his son.” And he made an order for the
commission. The son was General Dan Butterfield, afterward the
dashing and efficient chief of staff of the Army of the Potomac.
(Text.)--BROWNE, “Everyday Life of Lincoln.”
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