No news today excepting that the House and Senate have both
passed Lincoln's bill offering to buy the slaves from the border States. A very
great advance.
One anecdote of President Lincoln, on very good authority, I
must repeat. Mrs. Andrew being introduced, he immediately began: “Well, Mrs.
Andrew, how do the Governor and Butler get on?” “You probably know more about
it than I do, Mr. Lincoln,” was the reply. “Well,” answered Abe, “the more I
hear of it the madder I get with both of them,” and upon her endeavoring to say
a word for her husband, he reassured her in the following words: “Oh, you know
I never get fighting mad with anybody.” Mrs. Andrew told the story to Mr. Gay
the day it occurred and Mr. Gay told me, so it came direct. The next anecdote
Mr. Gay gives on his own authority, i.e., the President said it to him.
He was speaking of some little charge brought against him by the Tribune, and
after saying it was neither just nor fair, he proceeded: “But I don't care what
they say of me. I want to straighten this thing out and then I don't care what
they do with me. They may hang me.” Dear old fellow! The following I cannot
vouch for, although a Unitarian minister told it. It shows Mr. Lincoln's
quickness in escaping questions and conversations which wouldn't be agreeable.
Bishop Clarke having been to see him on business, thought he would consider it
peculiar if he didn't speak of religious matters before leaving, so he began: “Mr.
Lincoln, you have a heavy responsibility. I hope you have strength to bear it.”
“Oh, yes,” interrupted old Abe. “Mrs. Lincoln was just saying this morning that
I was growing fatter every day. Why, when I was inaugurated I could meet my
fingers and thumb around my ankle, but I noticed today when I was putting on my
stockings that I couldn't do it now by an inch.” Bishop Clarke left.
SOURCE: William Rhinelander Stewart, The
Philanthropic Work of Josephine Shaw Lowell, p. 22-3
