The Hon. Robert Dale Owen was associated in a very interesting
interview with Mr. Lincoln, which took place a few weeks prior to the
issue of the President’s Message for 1863, to which was appended the
Proclamation of Amnesty. It had been understood in certain quarters
that such a step was at this period in contemplation by the Executive.
Being in Washington, Mr. Owen called upon the President on a Saturday
morning, and said that he had a matter upon which he had expended
considerable thought, which he wished to lay before him. Knowing
nothing of the object, Mr. Lincoln replied: “You see how it is this
morning; there are many visitors waiting; can’t you come up to-morrow
morning? I shall be alone then; and, if you have no scruples upon the
subject, I can give you as much time as you wish.” Mr. Owen assured him
of his readiness to come at any hour most convenient, and ten o’clock
was named. Punctual to the appointment, the hour found him at the
house. A repeated summons at the bell brought no response, and he at
length pushed open the door and walked leisurely up the stairs to the
reception-room. Neither servant or secretary was to be seen. Presently
Mr. Lincoln passed through the hall to his office, and all was still
again. Looking vainly for a servant to announce his name, Mr. Owen
finally went to the office-door, and knocked.
“Really,” said he, “Mr. President, I owe you an apology for coming
in upon you in this unceremonious way; but I have for some time been
waiting the appearance of a servant.”
“Oh,” was the good-natured reply, “the boys are all out this morning. I
have been expecting you; come in and sit down.”
Proceeding directly to the subject he had in hand, at the same time
unfolding a manuscript of large proportions, Mr. Owen said:
“I have a paper, here, Mr. President, that I have prepared with some
care, which I wish to read to you.”
Mr. Lincoln glanced at the formidable document, (really much less
voluminous than it appeared, being very coarsely written,) and then,
half unconsciously relapsing into an attitude and expression of
resignation to what he evidently considered an infliction which could
not well be avoided, signified his readiness to listen. The article was
a very carefully prepared digest of historical precedents in relation
to the subject of amnesty, in connection with treason and rebellion.
It analyzed English and continental history, and reviewed elaborately
the action of President Washington in reference to Shay’s and the
subsequent whiskey rebellion.
“I had read but two or three pages,” said Mr. Owen, in giving me this
account, “when Mr. Lincoln assumed an erect posture, and, fixing his
eyes intently upon me, seemed wholly absorbed in the contents of the
manuscript. Frequently he would break in with: ‘Was that so?’ ‘Please
read that paragraph again,’ etc. When at length I came to Washington’s
proclamation to those engaged in the whiskey rebellion, he interrupted
me with: ‘What! did Washington issue a proclamation of amnesty?’ ‘Here
it is, sir,’ was the reply. ‘Well, I never knew that,’ he rejoined; and
so on through.”
Upon the conclusion of the manuscript, Mr. Lincoln said: “Mr. Owen, is
that for me?”
“Certainly, sir,” said Mr. O., handing him the roll. “I understood that
you were considering this subject, and thought a review of this kind
might be interesting to you.”
“There is a good deal of hard work in that document,” continued Mr.
Lincoln; “may I ask how long you were preparing it?”
“About three months; but then I have more leisure for such a work than
you, Mr. President.”
Mr. Lincoln took the manuscript, and, folding it up carefully, arose,
and laid it away in the pigeon-hole marked “O,” in his desk. Returning
to his chair, he said: “Mr. Owen, it is due to you that I should say
that you have conferred a very essential service, both upon me and the
country, by the preparation of this paper. It contains that which
it was exceedingly important that I should know, but which, if left
to myself, I never should have known, because I have not the time
necessary for such an examination of authorities as a review of this
kind involves. And I want to say, secondly, if I had _had_ the time, I
could not have done the work so well as you have done it.”
This frank and generous avowal--so unlike what might be expected,
under similar circumstances, from most public men--was exceedingly
characteristic of Mr. Lincoln.