“‘Mr. President, unless these men are made an example of, the army itself is in danger. Mercy to the few is cruelty to the many.’
“He replied: ‘Mr. General, there are already too many weeping widows in the United States. For God’s sake, don’t ask me to add to the number, for I won’t do it.’”
GOD NEEDED THAT CHURCH.
In the early stages of the war, after several battles had been fought, Union troops seized a church in Alexandria, Va., and used it as a hospital.
A prominent lady of the congregation went to Washington to see Mr. Lincoln and try to get an order for its release.
“Have you applied to the surgeon in charge at Alexandria?” inquired Mr. Lincoln.
“Yes, sir, but I can do nothing with him,” was the reply.
“Well, madam,” said Mr. Lincoln, “that is an end of it, then. We put him there to attend to just such business, and it is reasonable to suppose that he knows better what should be done under the circumstances than I do.”
The lady’s face showed her keen disappointment. In order to learn her sentiment, Mr. Lincoln asked: