The Importance of Numbers

[David Lockmiller]

I was very ill and it was ten o'clock the next morning before I was able to send for a carriage to keep my appointment with the President. I did not expect an audience, but sent in my name and said I would call again. The messenger said: "Do not go, I think the President will see you now."

I had been but a moment among anxious, expectant, waiting faces, when the door opened and the voice said: "Mrs. Harvey, the President will see you." As I passed the crowd, one person said: "She has been here every day, and what is more, she is going to win."

I entered the presence of Mr. Lincoln for the last time. He smiled very graciously and drew a chair near him, and said: "Come here and sit down." He had a paper in his hand which he said was for me to keep. It was a copy of the order just issued. I thanked him, not only for the order but for the manner and spirit in which it had been given, then I said I must apologize for not having been there at nine o'clock as he desired me to be, but that I had been sick all night.

He looked up with: " Did joy make you sick?"

I said: "I don't know, very likely it was the relaxation of nerves after intense excitement."

Still looking at me he said: "I suppose you would have been mad if I had said no?"

I replied: "No, Mr. Lincoln, I should have been neither angry nor sick."

"What would you have done?" he asked curiously.

"I should have been here at nine o'clock, Mr. President."

"Well," he laughingly said, "I think I acted wisely, then," and suddenly looking up: "Don't you ever get angry?" he asked. "I know a little woman not very unlike you who gets mad sometimes."

I replied: "I never get angry when I have an object to gain of the importance of the one under consideration; to get angry, you know, would only weaken my cause, and destroy my influence."

"That is true, that is true," he said, decidedly. "This hospital I shall name for you."

I said: "No, but if you would not consider the request indelicate, I would like to have it named for Mr. Harvey."

"Yes, just as well, it shall be so understood if you prefer it. I honored your husband, and felt his loss, and now let us have this matter settled at once."

He took a card and wrote a few words upon it, requesting the Secretary of War to name the hospital "Harvey Hospital," in memory of my husband, and to gratify me he gave me the card, saying: "Now, you take that directly to the Secretary of War and have it understood." I thanked him, but did not take it to Mr. Stanton. The hospital was already named. I expressed a wish that he might never regret his present action, and said I was sorry to have taken so much of his time.

"Oh, no, you need not be," he said kindly.

"You will not wish to see me again, Mr. President."

"I didn't say that and shall not."

I said: "You have been very kind to me and I am grateful for it."