The Highest Law
Cast & Crew
Ralph Ince
Ralph Ince
Robert Agnew
Margaret Seddon
Aleen Burr
Cecil Crawford
Film Details
Synopsis
"'The Highest Law' is the law of humanity as opposed to the Army regulations against desertion which Secretary of War Stanton urges President Lincoln to enforce more strictly, declaring that clemency is destroying the morale of the army. Lincoln quietly but firmly declares that as Commander in Chief he will exercise his judgment and conscience, and the cabinet meeting is dismissed with feeling running somewhat high. ... [Lincoln] learns the story of how Bobby Goodwin had been drafted after his two brothers, who had volunteered, had been killed, earlier in the struggle. His fiancée writes him that his dying mother is calling for him, and when leave of absence is refused, he goes without permission. Investigation proves the story to be true and Lincoln again braves Stanton by pardoning the young offender. A part of the story is shown as being told to Tad, the president's little son, but the entire story follows a prologue in which two overseas men, following the 1920 Memorial Day parade engage in conversation a G. A. R. man, who is seated at the base of a Lincoln statue, and comment on the statue leads to the telling of the story which concludes as the little heroine of the Lincoln story, now an aged woman, comes to meet him and he rises with the declaration that he was the boy of the story." ( Moving Picture World, 5 Feb 1921, p727.)
Director
Ralph Ince
Cast
Ralph Ince
Robert Agnew
Margaret Seddon
Aleen Burr
Cecil Crawford
Film Details
