John George Nicolay-- Part 2: After Lincoln's Death

Shortly before his death, Lincoln appointed Nicolay to to a diplomatic post in France.  After Lincoln's death, Nicolay became  became U.S. Consul in Paris (1865-1869).    After his return, he became editor of the Chicago Republican and later was Marshal of the United States Supreme Court (1872-1887).

In 1881, he wrote "Outbreak of the Rebellion."

Nicolay and John Hay, who was Lincoln's  assistant secretary collaborated on the official biography of Lincoln which appeared in the Century Magazine from 1886 to 1890 and then was issued in 10-volume book form.

Poor health forced him to resign from his job as marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court and he suffered from many ailments in his final years.  He lived with his daughter in Washington, D.C.,  until his death of unspecified cause on September 26, 1901, and was buried at  Oak Hill Cemetery in that city.

--Old Secesh

John George Nicolay-- Part 1: Good Friends With Lincoln

The last several posts I have written this man's thoughts on the John Yates Beall case.  What insight might he have on it?

From Wikipedia.

(February 26, 1832 to September 26, 1901)

German-born American who served as private secretary to President Abraham Lincoln and later co-authored a biography on the 16th president.Born Johann Georg Nicolai  in Bavaria.  In 1838 immigrated to the U.S. with his father and later moved to Illinois.  Edited a newspaper and later became assistant Illinois  secretary of state.  While in this position, he met Abraham Lincoln and they became friends.

In 1861, with his first act as president, Lincoln appointed Nicolay as his private secretary where he served until Lincoln's death on 1865.

--Old Secesh

John Nicolay's Thoughts on the Beall Case-- Part 3: Lincoln Would Not Yield

"Loath as Mr. Lincoln was at all times to approve a capital sentence, he felt in this case he would not permit himself to yield  to the promptings of his kindly heart.

"He sent a private message to General Dix, saying he would be glad if he would allow Beall  a respite of a few days to prepare himself for death, but positively declines to interfere with the sentence, and Beall was hung in the latter part of February."

Nicolay Diary.

--Old Secesh

John Nicolay's Thoughts on the Case of John Y. Beall-- Part 2: "Spy, Guerrillero, Outlaw and Would-Be Murderer"

"Mr. Jefferson Davis took the same view of the talismanic  character of the Confederate commission upon which Beall had relied, and issued a manifesto assuming responsibility of the act and declaring that it was done by his authority.  There was great clamor in regards to the case, and many people of all parties pleaded with Mr. Lincoln to commute the sentence of Beall.

"A petition in the cause was signed by most of the Democratic members of the House of Representatives and by many Republicans.

"But the Judge Advocate General reported that Beall, convicted upon indubitable  proof as a spy, guerrillero, outlaw and would-be murderer of hundreds of innocent persons traveling in supposed security upon one of our great thoroughfares, fully deserved to die the felon's death, and summary enforcement of  that  penalty was a duty the government owed society."

Summing It Up.  --Old Secesh

John George Nicolay's Thoughts On the Beall Case-- Part 1

From the "Lincoln, Beall & the Gallows" By Jim Surkamp in Civil War Scholar site.

John Nicolay was one of Lincoln's two private secretaries.

John Y. Beall was captured: "in the state of New York near the Suspension Bridge in an attempt to throw a passenger train from the West off the track for the purpose of robbing the express company.  This was the third attempt which he had made to accomplish this purpose.

"He was in citizen's dress, engaged in an act of simple murder and robbery., yet he imagined that the fact that he had a Confederate commission in his pocket would secure him against punishment in case of capture.

He was tried by court martial and sentenced to death."

--Old Secesh