An Unconventional Order
On going over the minor orders, riders, and corrections of the President, it will be seen that he never succumbed to conforming with the stale and set phrases of the civil-service documents. For an instance of his unquenchable humor read the following discharge:
Two brothers, Smiths, of Boston, had been arrested, held, and persecuted for a long period by a military tribunal. The charge was defrauding the government. The hue and cry about the cheating contractors called for a victim. But the Chief Executive on perusing the testimony concluded that the defendants were guiltless. He wrote the subsequent release:
“Whereas, Franklin W. and J. C. Smith had transactions with the Navy Department to the amount of one and a quarter millions of dollars; and, whereas, they had the chance to steal a million, and were charged with stealing twenty-two hundred dollars—and the question now is stealing a hundred—I don’t believe they stole anything at all! Therefore, the record and findings are disapproved—declared null and void—and the defendants are fully discharged.”
“IT OCCURS TO ME THAT I AM COMMANDER!”
To the prairie man the climate of Washington would be almost tropical. Nevertheless, it participates of American meteorological variability, as “Old Probability” would admit.
One night, Lincoln, coming out of his rooms at the Executive Mansion to make his nocturnal round, finishing with the call for the latest despatches at garrison headquarters, noticed as the fierce gale shook him and scourged him with sleet, that a soldier was contending with the storm just outside the outer door.
“Young man,” said he, turning sharply to him, “you have got a cold job to-night. Step inside and guard there.”
The soldier stoutly contended—for the colloquy became an argument by Lincoln’s delight in debate. He persisted that he was posted there by orders and must not budge save by a superior countermand.
“Hold on, there!” cried Lincoln, pleased at the arguer supplying him with a decisive weapon; “it occurs to me that I am commander-in-chief! and so, I order you to go inside!”