TO THE EDITOR OF THE IRISH TIMES.
SIR, - Your readers will, I am sure, be pleased
to know the following amiable trait of Abraham
Lincoln, whose foul murder, announced this day, is
a great public misfortune to the people of both
the Northern and Southern States :-
When I was engaged in the winter of 1857-8, in
connection with a society, in endeavouring to
obtain situations or temporary houses in the
Western States for young women thrown out
of work in New York, in consequence of the
Commerical crisis, among about sixty families
whom I called on at Springfield in the State of
Illinois, a thousand miles from New York, was that
of Abraham Lincoln. I find this memorandum in
my note-book in relation to him and his family -
"One of the first families in the city - would
be a comfortable home Mr and Mrs Lincoln promise
to treat any girl we direct to them as one of the
family, and to give her a home certain for a month,
so as to give her time to settle in a place."
A few weeks afterwards I returned to New York and
started again for Springfield and other places, in
jointest charge with our secretary, Mrs Eliza Farnham,
of a party of about 70 young women. One of these we
escorted to Mr Lincoln's hospitable mansion. About
10 days afterwards I called again on Mr Lincoln
to see himself and his protege. He kindly invited
me to stay a few days; a bed was made up for me on
the floor of the drawing room, and I remained till
next morning. Mr and Mrs Lincoln fullfilled their
promise in the kindest manner to the young woman
alluded to, who, remained in this house for about
3 weeks, and then obtained a situation. - I am
your obedient servant, VERE FOSTER.
108 Marlborough - Street, Dublin, April 26th 1865.
