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THE PRESIDENT'S GIFT.

ence, and inquired concerning its progress of every visitant from the Northwest that found his way to the White House. We wrote with much hesitationfor we never forgot how he was shouldering the woes and cares of the country-asking for some contribution from himself to our fair. The people of the Northwest were idolatrously attached to him; and we knew that any gift from him would be prized above all price. So we urged our petition as earnestly as we knew how, and enlisted Hon. Isaac N. Arnold, of Chicago, a personal friend of Mr. Lincoln, to second our prayers in person.

"Yes," said the President, "I must send something to that fair; but what?"

“Why

A happy thought came to Mr. Arnold. not send the ladies the original manuscript Proclamation of Emancipation? They can make a good thing out of it."

The President wished to keep it himself, but finally consented; and it reached Chicago the day after the fair opened. On unlocking my post-office drawer that morning I found the precious document, and carried it triumphantly to Bryan Hall, one of the six halls occupied by the fair, where the package was opened. The manuscript of the Proclamation was accompanied by a characteristic letter, which I have given elsewhere.

Its receipt was announced to the immense throngs crowding the building, who welcomed it with deafening cheers. It was enclosed in an elegant black walnut frame, so arranged that it could be read entirely through the plate glass that protected it from touch, and hung where it could be seen and read by all.

At an early condition of the fair, before a furor in

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its behalf had been aroused, a patriotic gentleman of Chicago offered the premium of a fine gold watch to the largest single contributor to the fair. The donation of the manuscript Emancipation Proclamation entitled President Lincoln to this watch, which was elegant and valuable, and which, after being properly inscribed, was sent to him. He acknowledged its receipt, in a note written by his own hand. Since his death it is pleasant to know that this watch has fallen into the hands of his son, Robert Lincoln, our late Secretary of War, who holds it sacred as a memento of a touching incident in his father's history.

CHAPTER XXIX.

REMINISCENCES OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN CONTINUED SCENES AT THE WHITE HOUSE-A WIFE'S SAD STORY AND AFFECTING PETITION-I INTERCEDE WITH THE PRESIDENT-HIS SYMPATHY AND MERCY.

The President refuses to pardon a Virginia Spy-Wife of the condemned Illinois Major - Her sad Story-She is too much broken down to plead for her Husband's Life-"Beg the President not to allow my husband to be shot!"-I tell her Story - The President's Sympathy-"These Cases kill me"- He had already commuted the Major's sentence - His Delight at the Discovery-"I know all about it now"-The grateful Woman fainted-She is told to go and visit her Husband - The broken-hearted Wife goes away imploring Blessings on the President - Beautiful Reception of Miss Elizabeth Peabody-Touching Letter to Mrs. BixbyHer five Sons were killed in Battle-Humorous Reply to his Advisers"Keep Silence, and we'll get you safe across."

HAD an opportunity during the war of witnessing the reception by the President of two applications for pardon, which met with widely different fates. The case of the first was this: A young man, belonging to

a Virginia family of most treasonable character, remained in Washington when the rest of the household went with the Confederacy. Though he took no active part with the loyalists of the capital, he was so quiet and prudent as to allay their suspicions concerning him, and finally to gain their confidence. He opened a market and kept for sale the very best quality of meats, supplying many of the

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families of prominent officers of the government, and for a time the family at the White House. He even managed to obtain a sort of intimacy in some of these households, through the intrigues of disloyal servants. As afterwards As afterwards appeared, he pos

sessed himself of information that was valuable to the rebels, and which he imparted to them promptly and unreservedly.

When Lee moved up into Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1863, this young man was suddenly missing from his place of business, and another person was installed in his place. "He was unexpectedly called away by business," was assigned as the reason for his absence. In one of the cavalry fights, or skirmishes, which occurred almost daily in Maryland, or Southern Pennsylvania, during that June raid of Lee's army, the young man was taken prisoner by General Kilpatrick's men, near Winchester, in a "spirited brush" which they had with Stuart's cavalry.

I do not remember all the technicalities of the case, if indeed I ever knew them. But the young man was recognized, was proved to be a spy, and, but for the President's leniency, would have been hanged. Instead of the punishment of death, however, he was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment. Immediately all the rebels of Washington were moving to his relief. Every wire was pulled that was supposed to have any power to open his prison door. Members of Congress were besought to intercede for him, and at last the President himself was besieged.

It was in the President's room, while waiting my turn for an interview, that I learned the above facts. Two persons were pleading in his behalf- a man

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"HE DESERVES TO BE HUNG.”

and a woman - the latter elegant, beautiful, and with a certain air of culture, but the former having the look of a refined villain. It was a very plausible story as they told it. "Their truly loyal young kinsman had gone into Maryland to buy beeves for the Washington market-was 'gobbled up,' with his fine, fat kine, by Stuart, who confiscated his property and impressed its owner into his cavalry. And then, as if that were not calamity enough for one day, he was captured again by Kilpatrick, who, naturally enough, not understanding the circumstances, nor the patent loyalty of his prisoner, judged him by the company in which he was found, and supposed him to be a rebel like the rest."

The President listened impatiently and with a darkening face. "There is not a word of this true!" he burst in, abruptly and sternly," and you know it as well as I do. He was a spy, he has been a spy, he ought to have been hanged as a spy. From the fuss you folks are making about him, who are none too loyal, I am convinced he was more valuable to the cause of the enemy than we have yet suspected. You are the third set of persons that has been to me to get him pardoned. Now I'll tell you what-if any of you come bothering me any more about his being set at liberty, that will decide his fate. I will have him hanged, as he deserves to be. You ought to bless your stars that he got off with a whole neck; and if you don't want to see him hanged as high as Haman, don't you come to me again about him." The petitioners, as may be imagined, "stood not upon the order of their going, but went at once," and after their departure the President narrated the facts which I have given.