Six Months at the White House ISBN 1582181233

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Lincoln in 1860

From an ambrotype taken in Springfield, Illinois, on August 13,1860, and bought by Mr. William H. Lambert from Mr. W. P. Brown of Philadelphia. Mr. Brown writes of the portrait: “This picture, along with an-other one of the same kind, was presented by President Lincoln to my father,JH. Henry Brown, deceased (miniature artist), after he had finished paintingLincoln’s picture on ivory, at Springfield, Illinois. The commission was givenmy father by Judge Read (John M. Read of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania),immediately after Lincoln’s nomination for the presidency. One of the am-

brotypes I sold to the Historical Society of Boston, Massachusetts, and it is nowin their possession.” The miniature referred to is now owned by Mr. Robert T.Lincoln. It was engraved by Samuel Sartain, and circulated widely before theinauguration. After Mr. Lincoln grew a beard, Sartain put a beard on his plate,and the engraving continued to sell extensively.*

f f



SIX MONTHS

A T

THE WHITE HOUSE

WITH

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

F. B. CARPENTER.

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY HURD AND HOUGHTON,459 B ROOME STREET .

1866.



SIX MONTHS AT THE WHITE HOUSE

By F. B. Carpenter

As Published in 1866

Trade Paperback ISBN: 1-58218-120-9Hardcover ISBN: 1-58218-123-3

eBook ISBN: 1-58218-121-7

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PREFACE.

I N offering this volume to the public I shall at-tempt no apology for its shortcomings, other than tosay that its production is the result of the unex-

pected popularity of the series of articles, relatingto the illustrious subject of whom it mainly treats,which were commenced in the New York “Inde-

pendent” soon after the assassination.Written in a spirit of enthusiasm and affection,

which there has been no effort to disguise, the book is, nevertheless, a simple matter-of-fact record of

daily experience and observation, fragmentary, buttrue, in all essential particulars. There has beenno disposition to select from, embellish, or sup-

press, any portion of the material in my possession.The incidents given were not in any sense isolated exceptions to the daily routine of Mr. Lincoln’slife. My aim has been throughout these pages to

portray the man as he was revealed to me, withoutany attempt at idealization.



vi PREFACE.

In addition to my own reminiscences, I have

woven into the book various personal incidents, published and unpublished, which bear intrinsic evi-dence of genuineness, – attaching in these instances,where it seemed necessary and proper, the sourcesof such contributions.

I am not one of those inclined to believe thatMr. Lincoln, in the closing months of his career,reached the full measure of his greatness. Manmay not read the future: but it is my firm convic-tion, that, had he lived through his second term, hewould have continued to grow, as he had grown, in

the estimation and confidence of his countrymen;rising to a grander moral height with every emer-gency, careful always to weigh every argument op-

posed to his convictions, but, once mounted uponthose convictions, grounded in righteousness, as im-movable as one of the giant ranges of our ownRocky Mountains!

Aspiring in no sense to the dignity of a biography,this volume will fulfil its object if it helps to any

better knowledge of one, who, apart from the rev-erence with which he ever will be regarded for his

connection with the cause of human Freedom, wasthe best product and exemplar which the world has yet seen of American soil and institutions; the



PREFACE. vii

study of whose character, illustrating as it did the

highest form of statesmanship, founded upon truth, justice, and solid integrity, combining the deepestwisdom with a child-like freshness and simplicity, – will be of perpetual interest and value.

F.B.C.96 West 45th Street, NEW YORK .



SIX MONTHS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.



SIX MONTHS AT THE WHITE HOUSE

I.

I LEAVE to other and abler pens the proper esti-mate of A BRAHAM LINCOLN as a ruler and states-man, his work and place in history. Favored during the year 1864 with several months of per-

sonal intercourse with him, I shall attempt in these pages to write the story of that association; not for any value which the record will have in itself; butfor the glimpses it may afford of the person and character of the man, – every detail of whose lifeis now invested with enduring interest for theAmerican people.

II.

That Art should aim to embody and express thespirit and best thought of its own age seems self-evident. If it fails to do this, whatever else it mayaccomplish, it falls short of its highest object. Itcannot dwell always among classic forms, nor clotheits conceptions in the imagery of an old and worn-out world. It must move on, if it is to keep pace



10 SIX MONTHS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

with that “increasing purpose which through the

ages runs,” and its ideals must be wrought out of the strife of a living humanity.

It has been well said by a recent writer: “Therecord of the human family to the advent of C HRIST ,was the preparation of the photographic plate for its image. All subsequent history is the bringing

out of the divine ideal of true manhood.” Slowly, but surely, through the centuries, is this purpose being accomplished. Human slavery has been thematerial type or expression of spiritual bondage.On the lowest or physical plane, it has symbolized the captivity and degradation of our higher nature;with the breaking in of new light, and the inspira-tion of a deeper life, it is inevitably doomed. Thatman, to attain the full development of the facultiesimplanted in him, must be in spiritual and physicalfreedom, is a principle which lies at the foundationof all government; and the enfranchisement of arace to-day thus becomes the assertion and promise

of a true and coming Emancipation for all men.

III.

When A BRAHAM LINCOLN , called from the hum- blest rank in life to preside over the nation duringthe most momentous period of its history, uttered his Proclamation of Freedom, – shattering forever the chains which bound four millions of human

beings in slavery; an act unparalleled for moral



SIX MONTHS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. 11

grandeur in the history of mankind, – it was evi-

dent to all who sought beneath the surface for thecause of the war that the crisis was past, – thatso surely as Heaven is on the side of Right and Justice, the North would triumph in the greatstruggle which had assumed the form of a directissue between Freedom and Slavery.

In common with many others, I had from the beginning of the war believed that the governmentwould not be successful in putting down a rebellion

based upon slavery as its avowed corner-stone, with-out striking a death-blow at the institution itself.As the months went on, and disappointment and disaster succeeded one another, this conviction deep-ened into certainty. When at length, in obedienceto what seemed the very voice of G OD , the thun-derbolt was launched, and, like the first gun at Con-cord, “was heard around the world,” all the enthu-siasm of my nature was kindled. The “beast”Secession, offspring of the “dragon” Slavery, draw-

ing in his train a third part of our national stars,was pierced with the deadly wound which could not be healed. It was the combat between Michael and Satan of Apocalyptic vision, reënacted before theeyes of the nineteenth century.

To paint a picture which should commemoratethis new epoch in the history of Liberty, was a

IV.




dream which took form and shape in my mind to-wards the close of the year 1863, – the year madememorable in its dawn by the issue of the final de-cree. With little experience to adapt me for theexecution of such a work, there had neverthelesscome to me at times glowing conceptions of the true

purpose and character of Art, and an intense desireto do something expressive of appreciation of thegreat issues involved in the war. The paintersof old had delighted in representations of the birthfrom the ocean of Venus, the goddess of love.

Ninety years ago upon this Western continent had been witnessed – no dream of fable, but a substan-

tial fact – the immaculate conception of Constitu-tional Liberty; and at length through great travailits consummation had been reached. The long-

prayed-for year of jubilee had come; the bonds of the oppressed were loosed; the prison doors wereopened. “Behold,” said a voice, “how a Manmay be exalted to a dignity and glory almost divine,and give freedom to a race. Surely Art should unite with Eloquence and Poetry to celebrate sucha theme.”

I conceived of that band of men, upon whomthe eyes of the world centred as never before uponministers of state, gathered in council, depressed,

perhaps disheartened at the vain efforts of manymonths to restore the supremacy of the govern-ment. I saw, in thought, the head of the nation,

bowed down with his weight of care and responsi-




bility, solemnly announcing, as he unfolded the pre-

pared draft of the Proclamation, that the time for the inauguration of this policy had arrived; I en-deavored to imagine the conflicting emotions of satisfaction, doubt, and distrust with which such anannouncement would be received by men of thevaried characteristics of the assembled councillors.

For several weeks the design of the picture wasslowly maturing, during which time, however, noline was drawn upon paper or canvas. Late oneevening, absorbed in thought upon the subject, Itook up an unframed photograph lying carelessly inmy room, and upon the blank side of this, roughlyand hastily sketched, was embodied the central ideaof the composition as it had shaped itself in mymind.

To one disposed to look for coincidences in dailylife, and regard its events as no mere succession of accidents, there must often come those which wear a deep significance. In seeking a point of unity

or action for the picture, I was impressed with theconviction that important modifications followed thereading of the Proclamation at the suggestion of the Secretary of State, and I determined upon suchan incident as the moment of time to be repre-sented. I was subsequently surprised and gratified when Mr. Lincoln himself, reciting the history of the Proclamation to me, dwelt particularly uponthe fact that not only was the time of its issue de-cided by Secretary Seward’s advice, but that one




of the most important words in the document was

added through his strenuous representations.The central thought of the picture once decided upon and embodied, the rest naturally followed;one after another the seven figures surrounding thePresident dropped into their places. Those sup-

posed to have held the purpose of the Proclamationas their long conviction, were placed prominently inthe foreground in attitudes which indicated their support of the measure; the others were represented in varying moods of discussion or silent deliberation.

A few evenings after the completion of the de-sign I went to see a friend who I knew was inti-mate with the Hon. Schuyler Colfax and Hon.

Owen Lovejoy, through whom I hoped to obtainMr. Lincoln’s assent to my plan. I revealed tohim my purpose, and asked his assistance in carry-ing it into effect. During the following week hewent to Washington, and in company with Mr.Colfax called upon the President, and laid before

him my project. He kindly listened to the details,and then said: “In short, if I understand you,you wish me to consent to sit to this artist for the

picture?” My friends acknowledged this to be theobject of their errand. Mr. Lincoln at once, withhis accustomed kindness, promised his coöperation.

The last day of the year the Hon. Mr. Lovejoy,whom I had never met, but who had become warmlyinterested in the execution of the work, being in

New York, called at my studio with the wife of my




friend, who had been my earnest advocate. At the

close of the interview he remarked, in his quaintway, taking me by the hand, “In the words of Scripture, my good friend, I can say now I believe,not on account of the saying of the woman, but

because I have seen for myself.”

V.Impracticable as my scheme had at first seemed,

the way was thus opened for its execution. Whenfairly committed to the purpose, however, the wantof means and the magnitude of the undertaking al-most disheartened me. My original plan embraced

a canvas sufficiently large for a life-size group of the President and entire Cabinet; to paint sucha picture would consume many months, perhapsyears. Enthusiasm alone would never accomplishthe work. The few friends to whom I should havefelt at liberty to apply for help were not wealthy.

Who outside of these could be persuaded that awork of the character and proportions contemplated,undertaken by an artist of no experience in his-torical studies, would not end in utter failure?

I had left my home at the usual hour one morn-ing, pondering the difficulty which, like Bunyan’slions, seemed now to block the way. As one alter-native after another presented itself to my mind and was rejected, the prospect appeared less and lesshopeful. I at length found myself in Broadway at




the foot of the stairs leading up to my studio. A

gentleman at this moment attracted my attention,standing with his back towards me, looking at some

pictures exposed in the window of the shop below.Detecting, as I thought, something familiar in hisair and manner, I waited until he turned his face,and then found I was not mistaken; it was an old acquaintance who five years before lived near me inBrooklyn, engaged in a similar struggle for a liveli-hood with myself, though his profession was lawinstead of art.

We had both changed our residences and had notmet for years. After a cordial greeting, he ac-cepted my invitation to ascend to the studio. I had heard that he had been successful in some businessventures, but the matter made but little impressionupon me, and had been forgotten. Suddenly thereseemed to come into my mind the words: “Thisman has been sent to you.” Full of the singular impression, I laid before him my conception. He

heard me through, and then asked if I was sureof President Lincoln’s consent and coöperation. Iinformed him of the pledge which had been givenme. “Then,” said he, “you shall paint the pict-ure. Take plenty of time,–make it the greatwork of your life, – and draw upon me for what-ever funds you will require to the end.”*

* To Mr. S AMUEL SINCLAIR , of the New York Tribune, for theintroduction to Mr. Lincoln, and to F REDERICK A. L ANE , Esq., of New York, for the generous aid thus extended, I shall ever be indebtedfor the accomplishment of my work.



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