He

dier as William Scott. This is the record of the end. It was after one of the awful battles of the Peninsula. was shot all to pieces. He said:

"Boys, I shall never see another battle. I supposed this would be my last. I haven't much to say. You all know what you can tell them at home about me. I have tried to do the right thing! If any of you ever have the chance, I wish you would tell President Lincoln that I have never forgotten the kind words he said to me at the Chain Bridge- that I have tried to be a good soldier and true to the flag that I should have paid my whole debt to him if I had lived; and that, now, when I know that I am dying, I think of his kind face, and thank him again, because he gave me the chance to fall like a soldier in battle, and not like a coward by the hands of my comrades."

Was there ever a more exquisite story? Space forbids the half telling it. But the heart of Abraham Lincoln how wide it was, how beautiful and particular in its sympathies. Who can doubt a gracious providence, when at such a crisis such a wise, strong, tender hand was set to grasp the helm of things? What wonder that Secretary Stanton said of him, as he gazed upon the tall form and kindly face as he lay there, smitten down by the assassin's bullet: "There lies the most perfect ruler of men who ever lived."

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.

LINCOLN IN HARTFORD.

THE YEOMAN ORATOR-DISCUSSES HIS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY - REFUSES WINE-NAMES THE REPUBLICAN CLUBS.

BY DANIEL D. BIDWELL,

EDITOR OF THE HARTFORD "EVENING POST."

IT was on a train that was two hours late that Mr. Lincoln came to the Charter Oak City in the early evening of March 5th, 1860. A meeting at which he was to deliver the main speech was due to open in a scanty fifteen minutes. Without a thought of solace for the inner man the hardy railsplitter stepped into one of the crazy "public carriages" of the Hartford of 1860 and bade the Jehu to sprint for the old city hall, in which the meeting was to be held.

A large crowd had collected in the building. In it was a larger infusion of young men than was usually the case in ante-bellum political assemblies. The president of the meeting was but twenty-nine, but he combined with natural coolness solid qualities which are possessed by few men who have the experience of twice twenty-nine years. He was George G. Sill, since then Lieutenant-Governor of Connecticut. In introducing the gaunt ex-frontiersman Mr. Sill referred to him as "one who has done yeoman service for the young party," with a slight emphasis on the word "yeoman," sufficient to remind his

auditors of the democratic birth and unpretentious appearance of Tom Lincoln's son. This happy stroke, made as it were with the delicacy of the rapier rather than with the emphasis of the bludgeon, caught the fancy of the crowd. It was probably with it in mind that Mr. Lincoln in a few words preliminary to his address, after explaining the cause of his delay styled himself a "dirty shirt" exponent of Republicanism. His gaunt, homely figure, unpretending manner, conversational air, careless clothing and dry humor made him at once a favorite with the audience, who felt that he was indeed a man of the people.

Mr. Lincoln's speech was meaty, logical, convincing. It dealt largely with the question of slavery. The Hartford Times in its account the following day referred to Lincoln as an Abolitionist, but the reference may have been due to the fact that the Times was the leading Democratic paper in Connecticut.

After the meeting was over Mr. Lincoln, escorted by Mr. Sill, entered an open carriage. Several hundred young men closed in around the vehicle, and, forming spontaneously in military ranks, accompanied the vehicle in progress to the house of Mayor Timothy M. Allyn. They saluted their favorite with storm after storm of enthusiastic cheers.

Turning to Mr. Sill, Mr. "The boys are wide awake. Wide-awakes."

Lincoln said, humorously:
Suppose we call them the

His suggestion was followed. A few days later a marching Republican club was formed, and its originators gave to it simply the name "The Wide-awakes." Other marching clubs followed fast and thick in its wake. To each one, as it was christened, was given the

name "Wide-awake"; and from Stonington to Salisbury, Conn., was fairly speckled with "Wide-awake Clubs."

At Mayor Allyn's fine old colonial mansion a baker's dozen sat down to dine. Champagne was served at the meal; but Mr. Lincoln, with one of his humorous smiles, politely declined to indulge.

The following morning was raw and gusty; but bad atmospheric conditions had no effect on Lincoln, who early in the forenoon took a long stroll through the city. On his return he stepped into the bookstore of Brown & Gross, on the corner of Main and Asylum Streets. The little establishment was one of the oldest as well as one of the best in New England outside of Boston. In it Mr. Lincoln met for the first time his future Secretary of the Navy. The two spent two hours in exchanging political and economic views. This interview may fairly be said to have led to the offer of the navy portfolio, some eight or nine months later, to Mr. Wells. Testimony to this effect was given, shortly after his inauguration, by President Lincoln.

As the American Missionary Association has selected the birthday of Abraham Lincoln as the day on which to commemorate the act of liberating four million of American slaves, the writer thought that perhaps the accompanying letter [printed on p. 1] from the late George W. Curtis, on Lincoln, would prove interesting. In a sense Lincoln and that Association are intimately connected in work for the American Negro. The one secured, the other has done much to preserve, his liberty for him. Neither could perhaps have been of true service to the Negro without the other.

Mr. Lincoln was, in truth, a great and good man; the man not only for his time, but for the colored people. It has occurred to a distinguished correspondent of mine, Senator Hoar, that Mr. Lincoln had many traits for which the colored people are noted. Among these traits were a sweetness of disposition, great patience of the wrong; he had no memory for injustice; was forgiving; was ready to wait for the slow processes by which God accomplishes great and permanent blessings for mankind.