During the American Civil War, Thaddeus Stevens① warned Lincoln that Simon Cameron② was not trustworthy as head of the War Department. "You don't mean to say you think Cameron would steal?" asked Lincoln. "No," was the reply, "I don't think he'd steal a red-hot stove."
Amused by this, Lincoln repeated it to Cameron, who insisted that Stevens should retract. Going to see Lincoln at the White House, Stevens said, "Why did you tell Cameron what I said?" "I thought it was a good joke: I never thought it would make him mad." "Well, he is mad and made me promise to retract. So I will. I believe I told you he would not steal a red-hot stove. I now take that back."
美國南北戰爭期間，撒迪厄斯．史蒂文斯①向林肯進言，說西門．卡梅倫②不可信任，不宜掌陸軍部。林肯問：「你不是說，卡梅倫會偷東西吧？」史蒂文斯回答：「不是。我是說，他不會偷灼熱的火爐。」
林肯覺得這話很有趣，就跟卡梅倫說。卡梅倫誓要史蒂文斯把言論收回。史蒂文斯去白宮見林肯，問道：「你為什麼把我的話告訴卡梅倫？」「我覺得你所言有趣得很，實在想不到他會大發雷霆。」「他現在氣瘋了，還要我答應把言論收回。我就收回吧。我記得跟你說過，他不會偷灼熱的火爐，我收回這句話。」
①史蒂文斯時任美國國會議員。
②卡梅倫在任期間，頗有貪污醜聞。