It was the Pennsylvania governor, Curtin, who brought the bad news from
Fredericksburg battle-field, where Burnside was repulsed in December,
1862.
"It was a terrible slaughter--the scene a veritable slaughter-pen."
This blunt trope stirred up Lincoln, who had been a pig-slaughterer in
his day, remember. He groaned, wrung his hands, and "took on" with
terrible agony of spirit.
"I remember his saying over and over again," says the governor: "'What
has God put me in this place for?'"
* * * * *
"CABINET" TALK.
Like all persons whose early life was passed in seclusion from the
exhibitions common in society eager for anything to animate jaded
nerves, Mr. Lincoln at Washington sought distractions in his brief
intervals for them. One of the _shows_ he tolerated--he called all
sights so--was the séances of Charles E. Shockle--"Phoebus! what a
name!" This medium came to the capital in 1863, under eminent auspices,
and the President and his wife, members of the Cabinet, and other first
citizens were induced to patronize the illusions. The spirits were
irreverent, "pinching Stanton's and plucking Welles' beard." As for the
President, a rapping at his feet announced an Indian eager "to
communicate."
"Well, sir," said the President, "happy to hear what his Indian majesty
has to say. We have recently had a deputation of the red Indians, and
it was the only deputation, black, white, or red, which did not
volunteer advice about the conduct of the war!"
The writing-under-cover trick was played. A paper covered with Mr.
Stanton's handkerchief was found before the President, scrawled with
marks interpreted as advice for action, by Henry Knox--no one knew
him--but the lecturer said he was the first secretary of war in the
Revolution. The recipient said it was not Indian talk!
He transferred it to Mr. Stanton as concerning his province. He asked
for General Knox's forecast as to when the rebellion would be put down.
The reply was a jumble of wild truisms purporting to be from great
spirits, from Washington to Wilberforce.
"Well," exclaimed the President, "opinions differ as much among the
saints as among the--ahem--sinners!" He glanced at the _cabinet_ whence
the materialized specters were to emerge if called upon, and added:
"The celestials' talk and advice sound very much like the talk of _my_
Cabinet!"
He called for Stephen A. Douglas, as his dearest friend, [Footnote:
Stephen Arnold Douglas was so patriotic at the Rebellion's outbreak
that Lincoln forgave him all the politically, hostile past. Douglas
held his new silk hat--Lincoln's abhorrence--at the first inauguration.
Douglas left the field for home, where he assisted in raising the first
volunteer levy by his eloquence.] to speak, if not appear. The reporter
affirms that a voice like the lamented "Little Giant's" was heard and
if others thought they recognized it the President must have been more
affected than he allowed. But the eloquent statesman also breathed
platitudes in which the illustrious auditor said he believed, "whether
it comes from spirit or human."
Here Mr. Shockle became prostrated, and Mrs. Lincoln compassionately
suggested an adjournment. The Spiritualists did not see the sarcasm in
Mr. Lincoln's remarks, and claim that he was not only a convert, but
that he was himself a medium. [Footnote: There is serious evidence for
this fact; he was, at all events, a Spiritualist. See _Was Lincoln a
Spiritualist?_ By Mrs. Nettie Colburn Maynard (1891).]
* * * * *