martial law is severe, and, doubtless, not without reason. desertion in time of war is a capital offence, and many a poor fellow suffered the penalty during the terrible four years of the civil war. many more would have suffered but for the humane interposition of the president, who was glad to find the slightest excuse for saving the life of the unfortunate offender. as dr. holland observes, he had the deepest sympathy for the soldiers who were fighting the battles of their country. he knew something of their trials and privations, their longing for home, and the strength of the temptation which sometimes led them to lapse from duty. there was infinite tenderness in the heart of this man which made him hard to consent to extreme punishment.{238}
i propose to cull from different sources illustrations of mr. lincoln’s humanity. the first i find in a letter written to dr. holland by a personal friend of the president:
“i called on him one day in the early part of the war. he had just written a pardon for a young man who had been sentenced to be shot, for sleeping at his post as a sentinel. he remarked as he read it to me, ‘i could not think of going into eternity with the blood of the poor young man on my skirts.’ then he added, ‘it is not to be wondered at that a boy, raised on a farm, probably in the habit of going to bed at dark, should, when required to watch, fall asleep, and i can not consent to shoot him for such an act.’ ”
dr. holland adds that rev. newman hall, of london, in a sermon preached upon and after mr. lincoln’s death, says that the dead body of this youth was found among the slain on the field of fredericksburg, wearing next his heart the photograph of his preserver, beneath which he had written, “god bless president lincoln.” on another occasion, when mr. lincoln was asked to assent to the capital punishment of twenty-four deserters, sentenced to be shot for desertion, he{239} said to the general who pleaded the necessity of enforcing discipline, “no, general, there are already too many weeping widows in the united states. for god’s sake, don’t ask me to add to the number, for i won’t do it.”
from mr. carpenter’s “six months at the white house,” i make the following extract:
“the secretary of war and generals in command were frequently much annoyed at being overruled,—the discipline and efficiency of the service being thereby, as they considered, greatly endangered. but there was no going back of the simple signature, ‘a. lincoln,’ attached to proclamation or reprieve.
“my friend kellogg, representative from essex county, new york, received a dispatch one evening from the army, to the effect that a young townsman who had been induced to enlist through his instrumentality, had, for a serious misdemeanor, been convicted by a court-martial, and was to be shot the next day. greatly agitated, mr. kellogg went to the secretary of war, and urged in the strongest manner, a reprieve.
“stanton was inexorable.
“ ‘too many cases of the kind had been let{240} off,’ he said; ‘and it was time an example was made.’
“exhausting his eloquence in vain, mr. kellogg said: ‘well, mr. secretary, the boy is not going to be shot—of that i give you fair warning!’
“leaving the war department, he went directly to the white house, although the hour was late. the sentinel on duty told him that special orders had been issued to admit no one that night. after a long parley, by pledging himself to assume the responsibility of the act, the congressman passed in. the president had retired; but, indifferent to etiquette or ceremony, judge kellogg pressed his way through all obstacles to his sleeping apartment. in an excited manner he stated that the dispatch announcing the hour of execution had but just reached him.
“ ‘this man must not be shot, mr. president,’ said he. ‘i can’t help what he may have done. why, he is an old neighbor of mine; i can’t allow him to be shot!’
“mr. lincoln had remained in bed, quietly listening to the vehement protestations of his old friend (they were in congress together). he at length said, ‘well, i don’t believe shooting him{241} will do him any good. give me that pen. and, so saying, ‘red tape’ was unceremoniously cut, and another poor fellow’s lease of life was indefinitely extended.”
i continue to quote from mr. carpenter:
“one night speaker colfax left all other business to ask the president to respite the son of a constituent who was sentenced to be shot at davenport for desertion. he heard the story with his usual patience, though he was wearied out with incessant calls and anxious for rest, and then replied, ‘some of our generals complain that i impair discipline and subordination in the army by my pardons and respites, but it makes me rested after a hard day’s work if i can find some good excuse for saving a man’s life, and i go to bed happy, as i think how joyous the signing of my name will make him and his family and his friends.’
“the hon. thaddeus stevens told me that on one occasion he called at the white house with an elderly lady in great trouble, whose son had been in the army, but for some offence had been court-martialed, and sentenced either to death or imprisonment at hard labor for a long term.{242} there were some extenuating circumstances; and, after a full hearing, the president turned to the representative, and said:
“ ‘mr. stevens, do you think this is a case which will warrant my interference?’
“ ‘with my knowledge of the facts and the parties,’ was the reply, ‘i should have no hesitation in granting a pardon.’
“ ‘then,’ returned mr. lincoln, ‘i will pardon him,’ and he proceeded forthwith to execute the paper.
“the gratitude of the mother was too deep for expression, and not a word was said between her and mr. stevens until they were half-way down-stairs on their passage out, when she suddenly broke forth in an excited manner with the words, ‘i knew it was a copperhead lie!’
“ ‘what do you refer to, madam?’ asked mr. stevens.
“ ‘why, they told me he was an ugly-looking man!’ she replied with vehemence. ‘he is the handsomest man i ever saw in my life!’
“doubtless the grateful mother voiced the feeling of many another, who, in the rugged and care-worn face had read the sympathy and goodness of the inner nature.”{243}
another case.
“a young man connected with a new york regiment had become to all appearances a hardened criminal. he had deserted two or three times, and, when at last detected and imprisoned, had attempted to poison his guards, one of whom subsequently died from the effects of the poison unconsciously taken. of course, there seemed no defence possible in such a case. but the fact came out that the boy had been of unsound mind.
“some friends of his mother took up the matter, and an appeal was made to the secretary of war. he declined positively to listen to it,—the case was too aggravating. the prisoner (scarcely more than a boy) was confined at elmira, n.y. the day for the execution of his sentence had nearly arrived, when his mother made her way to the president. he listened to her story, examined the record, and said that his opinion accorded with that of the secretary of war; he could do nothing for her.
“heart-broken, she was compelled to relinquish her last hope. one of the friends who had become interested, upon learning the result of{244} the application, waited upon senator harris. that gentleman said that his engagements utterly precluded his going to see the president upon the subject, until twelve o’clock of the second night following. this brought the time to wednesday night, and the sentence was to be executed on thursday. judge harris, true to his word, called at the white house at twelve o’clock on wednesday night. the president had retired, but the interview was granted. the point made was that the boy was insane,—thus irresponsible, and his execution would be murder. pardon was not asked, but a reprieve, until a proper medical examination could be made.
“this was so reasonable that mr. lincoln acquiesced in its justice. he immediately ordered a telegram sent to elmira, delaying the execution of the sentence. early the next morning he sent another by a different line, and, before the hour of execution had arrived, he had sent no less than four different reprieves by different lines to different individuals in elmira, so fearful was he that the message would fail or be too late.”
these are but a few of the stories that have been told in illustration of president lincoln{245}’s humanity. whatever may have been the opinion of the generals in command, as to the expediency of his numerous pardons, they throw a beautiful light upon his character, and will endear his memory to all who can appreciate his tender sympathy for all, and his genuine and unaffected goodness.
