From
“Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst:
June 13
At one point during the Civil War
there was talk of a Southern woman spy in the White House. The Senate Committee
on the Conduct of the War heard about it and held a secret session to look into
allegations that Mrs. Lincoln, who was from the border state of Kentucky, was a
disloyalist. One member of the committee told of what happened. 'We had just
been called to order by the Chairman, when the officer stationed at the
committee room door came in with a half-frightened expression on his face. Before
he had opportunity to make explanation, we understood the reason for his
excitement, and were ourselves almost overwhelmed with astonishment. For at the
foot of the Committee table, standing solitary, his hat in his hand, his form
towering, Abraham Lincoln stood. Had he come by some incantation, thus of a
sudden appearing before us unannounced, we could not have been more astounded.
There was an almost inhuman sadness in his eyes; an indescribable sense of his
complete isolation which the committee members felt had to do with fundamental
senses of the apparition. No one spoke, for no one knew what to say. The
President had not been asked to come before the Committee, nor was it suspected
that he had information that we were to investigate reports, which, if true,
fastened treason upon his family in the White House. At last the caller spoke
slowly, with control, though with a depth of sorrow in the tone of voice: “I,
Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, appear of my own volition
before this Committee of the Senate to say that I, of my own knowledge, know
that it is untrue that any of my family hold treasonable communication with the
enemy.” Having attested this, he went away as silent and solitary as he had
come. We sat for some moments speechless. Then by tacit agreement, no word
being spoken, the Committee dropped all consideration of the rumors that the
wife of the President was betraying the Union. We were so greatly affected that
the Committee adjourned for the day.'
‘A champion is someone who gets up
when he can’t.’
- Jack Dempsey
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