''Abe'' Lincoln's Yarns and Stories - University of Macau Library

Yarns and Stories, by Alexander K. McClure 373"'Neither would I. But it was time when a man with a policy would havebeen fatal to the country. I have never had a policy. I have simply tried todo what seemed best each day, as each day came.'""HOLDING A CANDLE TO THE CZAR."England was anything but pleased when the Czar Alexander, of Russia,showed his friendship for the United States by sending a strong fleet to thiscountry with the accompanying suggestion that Uncle Sam, through hisrepresentative, President Lincoln, could do whatever he saw fit with theironclads and the munitions of war they had stowed away in their holds.London "Punch," on November 7th, 1863, printed the cartoon shown onthis page, the text under the picture reading in this way: "Holding a candleto the * * * * *." (Much the same thing.)Of course, this was a covert sneer, intended to convey the impression thatPresident Lincoln, in order to secure the support and friendship of theEmperor of Russia as long as the War of the Rebellion lasted, was willingto do all sorts of menial offices, even to the extent of holding the candleand lighting His Most Gracious Majesty, the White Czar, to his imperialbed-chamber.It is a somewhat remarkable fact that the Emperor Alexander, who tenderedinestimable aid to the President of the United States, was the Lincoln ofRussia, having given freedom to millions of serfs in his empire; and, furtherthan that, he was, like Lincoln, the victim of assassination. He was literallyblown to pieces by a bomb thrown under his carriage while riding throughthe streets near the Winter Palace at St. Petersburg.NASHVILLE WAS NOT SURRENDERED."I was told a mighty good story," said the President one day at a Cabinetmeeting, "by Colonel Granville Moody, 'the fighting Methodist parson,' asthey used to call him in Tennessee. I happened to meet Moody inPhiladelphia, where he was attending a conference.