mounted his horse, and, accompanied by numerous friends and officials, rode off. At the same time a force of cavalry, under General Dibrel, moved off with him.

positions of his men, and surrounded the camp before day.

The attack was made upon the camp by Colonel Pritchard just as the first streak of dawn began to light the eastern sky. The fugitive party were suddenly startled by the yells of the soldiers, but woke too late to make preparations for even a feeble

In passing through Lexington, Davis was introduced by Judge Freeman, of Mississippi, who was traveling with him, to Dr. Dusenbury, a native of the place. The doctor invited Davis in to take a resistance. After the officers and men drink of apple brandy, and he did so. A were safely under guard, which occupied brief conversation ensued, the doctor re- some time, a corporal went to the door of markingthe tent occupied by defunct royalty, and ordered them to come forth and deliver themselves up. Mrs. Davis appeared at the door, somewhat en dishabille, and said:

"Mr. Davis, our cause is lost."

"Our cause may be lost," replied Davis, "but the principle for which we are contending will present itself at another time, in another shape."

He meant that there would yet be a conflict between the great agricultural interests of the South and the manufacturing and commercial interests of the North and Northwest. The conversation continuing, Dr. Dusenbury again observed

"The masses of the people of the South are not prepared for self-government."

"Please, gentlemen, do not intrude upon the privacy of ladies. There are no gentlemen here, and you will oblige us greatly by giving us time to dress."

"All right, madam," was the reply; "we will give you time to make your toilet, and then you can take a ride to Macon for your health."

After something of an interval, the monotony outside only being broken by the

"Unfortunately it is so," replied Davis. Davis continued his flight, but General Wilson, who had been put on the fugitive's track, was following hard after him, having left Macon on the evening of May 7th, with orders to push on by forced marches. On the 7th, Lieutenant Colonel Harden, commanding the First Wisconsin, struck the trail of Davis at Dublin, Laurens County, and followed him closely, night and day, through the pine wilderness of Alligator Creek and Green Swamps, via Cumberlandsville to Irwinsville. At Cumberlandsville, Colonel Harden met Colonel Pritchard, with his picked men and horses of the Fourth Michigan, Harden followed the trail directly south, while Pritchard, demands of the guard to "hurry up," having fresher horses, pushed down the there came to the door Mrs. Davis and Ocmulgee toward Hopewell, and thence Miss Howell, leading an apparently deby House Creek to Irwinsville, arriving crepit old lady, dressed in a lady's waterthere at midnight of the ninth. Davis proof cloak, with a tight hood on her head, had not arrived; but from a citizen Pritch- and her face covered with a small veil. ard learned that his party were encamped The 'old lady' could walk only with great two miles out of the town. He made dis- difficulty, but tottered through the door

of the tent with a tin pail on her arm. made use of such sneering remarks as It appears that Mrs. Davis's keen eyes "Valorous soldiers, indeed, to make war were the first to recognize the horsemen upon women and children!" "I thought as they approached in the distance to be the Yankee government was a little more Yankee cavalry, and she immediately valorous than to send its soldiers to steal called to her negro female servant, Ellen defenceless women and children out of Bond, to get the articles of apparel in their beds at night!" He also remarked, question, which being done, Mrs. Davis among other things, that Lee was one of arrayed her liege lord in them, and then the boldest Generals of which he had any said to Mrs. Bond," Go with Mr. Davis knowledge-never needing to be urged. and try to get him off; for God's sake This was in comparison with Johnston, of don't refuse me, Ellen; save him if you whom his silence was marked. can."

After a hurried breakfast the party was Mrs. Bond left the tent with Mr. Davis, put in marching order. The prisoners Mrs. Davis saying, "Soldier, I suppose were in ambulances, preceded by the band you have no objection to letting my old, of the Fourth Michigan cavalry, which

played first "Yankee Doodle," and then "John Brown's body's marching on," to inspirit the droop ing mood of the captives!

On reaching the steamer that was to convey him to Fortress Monroe, there to be kept under lock and key, the scene of parting with his family took place. They were grouped

on the deck, and consisted of Mrs. Da

mother go to the spring for some water vis, a girl just about in her teens, a for us to wash with?"

"Well, I reckon I have some little objection to letting that 'old lady' go," was the reply; "she wears boots, don't she?" and with the point of his sabre he raised the frock, discovering a large, coarse pair of calf-skin boots. While doing this, another soldier stripped the veil and hood from off his face, and lo! Davis-it was he! Finding that he was fairly caught, and would be delivered into the hands of his enemies, he waxed exceeding wroth,declared how he would have defended himself if he had his revolver, and frequently

boy somewhat younger, and an infant. Mrs. Davis was clad in black,—a woman of prepossessing appearance, of the brunette style, though her black hair was sprinkled with gray; her black eyes sparkled clearly, and her features bore a resolute stamp. Mr. Davis, & tall spare man, having a wan, gaunt and depressed look, his whiskers and moustache rather close cut and almost white, was the chief character. He was clad in a suit of fine dark gray cloth, and wore an overcoat of the same material; his head was covered by a soft gray felt hat. He parted

from his family in rather a formal manner. | asked about Sherman. President Johnson After embracing them coldly and without explained the position.

any outward show of feeling, he walked on board the other little steamer, the Pierce, which was to convey him to his prison quarters.

Sir Frederick's Question Answered.

"What chance is there for Mr. Davis, then?" asked Sir Frederick.

"Oh, a small particle still-doubtless his escape across the country," said the President.

"Well," replied the Minister, in an inquiring tone, “I should think that Mr. Davis and a few members of his cabinet would probably find it well to start pretty soon.”

"If they know what is for their own interest," responded the President rather grimly, "they had better lose no time about

be taught that they are criminals. The country has clearly made up its mind on that point, and it can find no more earnest agent of its will than myself.”

The set speeches of State dignitaries rarely possess an attractive interest to the masses, while their familiar personal intercourse gives an index to the actual state of feeling, which all are pleased to trace. The reception given by President Johnson to the newly appointed British minister, it. The time has come when traitors must Sir Frederick Bruce, in April, 1865, is an illustration in point. His after interview with President Johnson was as informal and undiplomatic as President Lincoln himself would have made it. The new minister made his appearance with all his stars and decorations on, presented his credentials, and formally read his speech. Mr. the United States like two neighbors sinJohnson was in the unadorned garb usual cerely desirous of good terms with each to his eminent office, and to Sir Frederick's other, and so the interview ended. set speech simply replied, that he was glad to see him, and to welcome to the capital a representative of Great Britain. He afterwards good-humoredly said:

There was then a renewal of the mutual promise to talk over any difficulties that might arise between Great Britain and

Admiration of Burns.

Mr. Lincoln was an enthusiastic admirer of Robert Burns, always having a copy of "I am not much used to the diplomatic the bard's poems by him, and reading formalities customary on such occasions. them with delight. There was something My idea is simply that two great nations in the humble origin of Burns and in his ought to conduct their relations very much checkered life, no less than in his tenas two neighbors who sincerely desire der, homely songs, that appealed to the peace and goodfellowship between them- heart of the plain man who, transferred selves would do, and that the less mere from the prairies of Illinois to the execuformality about it the better." tive mansion at Washington at a time of immense responsibility, gave a fresh and memorable illustration of the truth that

"The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The man's the gowd for a' that."

"I assure you, Mr. President," interrupted the cordially spoken Sir Frederick, pointing to his uniform and decorations, "that I should feel very much more at ease without these things than with them." The remark was so thoroughly English, and at the same time so consonant to Emancipation Proclamation. American prejudice against fuss and feath- The eminent historian, Mr. Bancroft, ers, that the President and Minister be- remarked in his eulogy delivered in New came friends at once, and sat down for a York, on the Life and Character of Presiregular White House chat. Sir Frederick dent Lincoln, that his place in history

Familiar Talk with Mr. Lincoln on the

would centre chiefly in the memorable General, who was absent at the opening Proclamation of Emancipation. For one of the discussion, but came in subsequently. of the most authentic as well as interesting I said to the Cabinet that I had resolved accounts of the origin and forth-putting of upon this step, and had not called them that great document, the public are in- together to ask their advice, but to lay the debted to the exceedingly graphic pen of subject matter of a proclamation before Mr. F. B. Carpenter, who, through the them; suggestions as to which would be columns of the Independent, communicated in order after they had heard it read. a sketch of the history of the Proclama- Mr. Lovejoy," said he, "was in error when tion, as given to him by Mr. Lincoln him- he informed you that it excited no comself, while Mr. C. was painting the mag- ment, excepting on the part of Secretary nificent picture illustrative of its consider- Seward. Various suggestions were offered. ation by the Cabinet. Secretary Chase wished the language stronger in reference to the arming of the blacks. Mr. Blair, after he came in, de

"It had got to be," said Mr. Lincoln, "mid-summer, 1862. Things had gone on from bad to worse, until I felt that we precated the policy, on the ground that it had reached the end of our rope on the plan would cost the administration the fall elecof operations we had been pursuing; that we had about played our last card, and must change our tactics, or lose the game!

tions. Nothing, however, was offered, that I had not fully anticipated and settled in my own mind, until Secretary Seward spoke. Said he: 'Mr. President, I approve of the proclamation, but I question the expediency of its issue at this juncture. The depression of the public mind, consequent upon our repeated reverses, is so great, that I fear the effect of so important a step. It may be viewed as the last measure of an exhausted government— a cry for help; the government stretching forth its hands to Ethiopia, instead of Ethiopia stretching forth her hands to the government. His idea (said the President) was that it would be considered our last shriek, on the retreat. Now,' continued Mr. Seward, 'while I approve the measure, I suggest, sir, that you postpone its issue, until you can give it to the country supported by military success, instead of issuing it, as would be the case now, upon the greatest disasters of the war!""

I now determined upon the adoption of the emancipation policy; and without consultation with, or the knowledge of the Cabinet, I prepared the original draft of the "The wisdom of the view of the Secproclamation, and, after much anxious retary of State," said Mr. Lincoln, "struck thought, called a Cabinet meeting upon me with very great force. It was an aspect the subject. This was the last of July, of the case that, in all my thought upon or the first part of the month of August, the subject, I had entirely overlooked. 1862. (The exact date he did not remem- The result was that I put the draft of the ber.) This Cabinet meeting took place, I proclamation aside, as you do your sketch think, upon a Saturday. All were pres- for a picture, waiting for a victory. From ent, excepting Mr. Blair, the Postmaster- time to time I added or changed a line,

touching it up here and there, waiting the | I could perform, and I was not prepared to progress of events. Well, the next news say that I thought we were exactly able we had was of Pope's disaster at Bull Run. to maintain' this. But Mr. Seward inThings looked darker than ever. Finally, sisted that we ought to take this ground, came the week of the battle of Antietam. and the words finally went in." I determined to wait no longer. The A few days after the passage of the news came, I think on Wednesday, that Constitutional Amendment (says Mr. Carthe advantage was on our side. I was penter,) I was in Washington, and was rethen staying at the Soldiers' Home,' ceived by Mr. Lincoln with the kindness (three miles out of Washington.) Here and familiarity which had characterized I finished writing the second draft of the our previous intercourse. I said to him one preliminary proclamation; came up on day that I was very proud to have been the Saturday; called the Cabinet together to artist to have first conceived of the design hear it, and it was published the following of painting a picture commemorative of the Monday. It was a somewhat remarkable act of emancipation-that subsequent ocfact, that there were just one hundred currences had only confirmed my own first days between the dates of the two proclamations, issued upon the 22d of September and the 1st of January. I had not made the calculation at the time."

judgment of that act as the most sublime moral event in our history. "Yes," said he, and never do I remember to have noticed in him more earnestness of expression or manner, "as affairs have turned, it is the central act of my administration, and the great event of the nineteenth cen

At the final meeting on Saturday, another interesting incident occurred in connection with Secretary Seward. The President had written the important part tury." of the proclamation

I remember to have asked him, on one occasion, if there was not some opposition manifested on the part of several members of the Cabinet to the emancipation policy. He said, in reply, "Nothing more than I have stated to you. Mr. Blair thought we should lose the fall elections, and opposed it on that ground only." Said I, "I have

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward and forever FREE; and the Executive govern- understood that Secretary Smith was not ment of the United States, including the in favor of your action. Mr. Blair told military and naval authority thereof, will me that, when the meeting closed, and he recognize the freedom of such persons, and and the Secretary of the Interior went away will do no act or acts to repress such per- together, that the latter told him, if the sons, or any of them, in any efforts they President carried out that policy, he might may make for their actual freedom." count on losing Indiana sure!" "When I finished reading this paragraph," never said anything of the kind to me," resumed Mr. Lincoln, "Mr. Seward stopped returned the President. me, and said: 'I think, Mr. President, I, "does Mr. Blair feel that you should insert after the word 're-"Oh," was the prompt reply, "he proved cognize,' in that sentence, the words and right in regard to the fall elections, but he maintain. I replied, that I had already is satisfied that we have since gained more fully considered the import of that expres- than we lost." "I have been told," said sion in this connection, but I had not in- I, "that Judge Bates doubted the constitroduced it, because it was not my way to tutionality of the proclamation." "He promise what I was not entirely sure that never expressed such an opinion in my

"He

"And how," said about it now?"