Abraham Lincoln And The London Punch Part 7

Vile hand, that brandest murder on a strife, Whate'er its grounds, stoutly and n.o.bly striven; And with the martyr's crown crownest a life With much to praise, little to be forgiven!

[Ill.u.s.tration: MRS. NORTH AND HER ATTORNEY.

MRS. NORTH. "YOU SEE, MR. LINCOLN, WE HAVE FAILED UTTERLY IN OUR COURSE OF ACTION; I WANT PEACE, AND SO, IF YOU CANNOT EFFECT AN AMICABLE ARRANGEMENT, I MUST PUT THE CASE INTO OTHER HANDS."]

From that time forward _Punch_ took seriously to heart the lesson he had taught himself, and his relations with Brother Jonathan were thereafter of a very different and a far more cordial kind.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COLUMBIA'S SEWING-MACHINE. MRS. BRITANNIA. "AH, MY DEAR COLUMBIA, IT'S ALL VERY WELL; BUT I'M AFRAID YOU'LL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO JOIN _THAT_ NEATLY."]

That these verses made a profound impression in the United States is undoubted. It has even been opined that they were largely instrumental in preventing an imminent war between Great Britain and the United States.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BLACK DRAFT.]

Perhaps the effect would have been less if we on this side had known how grudgingly the amende was offered. Mr. A. H. Layard in his recent "Life of s.h.i.+rley Brooks" has invited us to take a peep behind the _Punch_ curtain. He shows that the editorial staff of the paper was divided in the matter, s.h.i.+rley Brooks leading the opposition against the publication of the poem. In Brooks' diary Mr. Layard discovered the following entry:--

"Dined _Punch_. All there. Let out my views against some verses on Lincoln in which T. T. (Tom Taylor) had not only made P. eat humble pie, but swallow dish and all."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE FEDERAL PH[OE]NIX.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: GRAND TRANSFORMATION SCENE FOR THE END OF THE YEAR 1864.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE THREATENING NOTICE.

ATTORNEY LINCOLN. "NOW UNCLE SAM, YOU'RE IN A DARNED HURRY TO SERVE THIS HERE NOTICE ON JOHN BULL. NOW, IT'S MY DUTY, AS YOUR ATTORNEY, TO TELL YOU THAT YOU _MAY_ DRIVE HIM TO GO OVER TO THAT CUSS, DAVIS----" (_Uncle Sam Considers._)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: VULCAN IN THE SULKS.

BRITANNIA. "IF YOU TURN SULKY, AND WON'T MAKE MY ARMOUR, HOW SHALL I BE ABLE TO RESIST MARS?"]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE AMERICAN GLADIATORS--HABET!]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BRITANNIA SYMPATHISES WITH COLUMBIA.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: PEACE.

MR. PUNCH'S DESIGN FOR A COLOSSAL STATUE, WHICH OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION].