The editor of the London (Canada,) Free
Press writing form Washington to his paper, describes an interview with the
President. Having been readily
introduced to the august presence, the editor expressed his gratification with
the easy means of access, whereupon quoth Abraham:
“President—‘Yes, this ready means of access is, I may say, under our form
of government, the only link or cord which connects the people with the
governing power; and, however unprofitable much of it is, it must be kept up;
as for instance, a mother in a distant part, who has a son in the army who is
regularly enlisted, has not served out his time, but has been as long as she
thinks he ought to stay, will collect together all the little means she can
bring to her here to entreat me to grant him his discharge. Of course, I cannot interfere, and can only
see her and speak kindly to her. How far
is your place from Detroit, sir?’
“‘About one hundred miles east from Detroit; we have no water
communications, but have a very nice little inland city. I intend remaining in Washington for a few
days; all seems stir and commotion here.’
“President—‘Yes, there never was anything in history equal to this.’
“Your position must indeed be responsible and trying, President.’
“Yes, to think of it, it is very strange that I, a boy brought up in the
woods, and seeing, as it were, but little of the world, should be drifted into the very apex of this great event.’
“‘I read your proclamation of this morning calling for more men; it will,
no doubt, be filled up.’
“President—‘Yes, sir, it will be filled up.’
I then rose, saying—‘I thank you, Mr. President, for your kindness and
courtesy.’
“President shakes hands again, and says: ‘I am most happy to have made
your acquaintance.’
The President, in this interview, has exposed a popular error. It has been supposed that in this country the
people are the governing power and that the executive and legislative officers
are only the servants of the people, under the Constitution—the supreme law of
both the rulers and the governed. We are
now informed by the “Executive Government” that the ready means of access to
the President is, “under our form of government, the only link or cord which connects the people with the governing
power.” It is not strange that “a
boy brought up in the woods and seeing, as it were, but little of the world,”
should entertain such crude notions of our form of government; but it seems
strange, “as it were,” that this boy “should
be drifted into the very apex of this great event.” “To think of it,” we don’t understand the
purposes of an over-ruling Providence in this matter, any better than the
President.”
SOURCE: Buffalo Courier,
Buffalo, New York, Tuesday, August 2, 1864, p. 2
