President Lincoln remained in Richmond until Tuesday morning, occupying the house so unceremoniously vacated by the arch-traitor of the Rebellion. The loyal people trembled for his safety when they heard he was there. Many pronounced his going to Richmond "a foolhardy act." All deprecated his unnecessary exposure of life, as they regarded it, and were greatly relieved when the telegraph informed them that he was back again in Washington.

Speaker Colfax expostulated with him upon his seeming disregard of danger, to which the President replied,—

"I should have been alarmed myself if any other person had been President and gone there; but I did not feel in any danger whatever."

Before reaching Washington, on his return, he read aloud twice from his copy of Shakespeare the words which Macbeth uttered about the murdered Duncan, calling the special attention of his friends to them,

"Duncan is in his grave;

After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well;

Treason has done its worst; nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing

Can touch him further."

The friends who listened to his remarks upon this striking passage could but recall the singular circumstances after his assassination.

The fall of Richmond was celebrated throughout the North and West by bonfires, illuminations, speeches, music, ringing of bells, and general rejoicing. Everywhere Mr. Lincoln was remembered and eulogized for his wisdom, patriotism, and achievements.

Just one week from the time the news of the fall of Richmond was flashed over the land, the tidings of

Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court-house followed, magnifying the general joy tenfold, if possible. The war was ended, and Constitutional Liberty maintained. Over the western portico of the Capitol at Washington was inscribed, with a beautiful banner waving over it,

"THIS IS THE LORD'S DOING; IT IS MARVELLOUS IN OUR EYES.'

Over the door of the State Department was the following,

"THE UNION SAVED BY FAITH IN THE CONSTITUTION, FAITH IN THE PEOPLE, AND TRUST IN GOD."

The day of jubilee had come-"the greatest day," said one, "since the Resurrection."

The welcome news of "Peace" spread over the land with the rapidity of light, and flashed under the ocean to foreign countries, where glad millions joined in festivities over the end of the conflict and the triumph of freedom. As when Cornwallis surrendered, and the War of Independence was over, the people became wild with joy; so the news-LEE HAS SURRENDERED -awaked almost frantic demonstrations of delight. All modes of expressing exultation were inadequate, and yet all were employed. Sextons rushed to the churches to ring the bells; gunners added the peal of cannon; acquaintances met in the streets and embraced each other; some wept, others laughed, all were jubilant. Never before were so many bells rung together, so many cannon fired, so many shouts of victory raised, so many bands of music waked, so many banners waved, and so many bonfires and illu

minations kindled, to celebrate the return of peace and the nation saved.

The praise of Lincoln was on every lip, and has continued to be from that day to the present time. The nation delights to honour his memory, and one of the recent acts of the National Government is a tribute to his memory by a generous increase of his widow's pension.

Mr. Lincoln had accomplished the purpose of his administration-HE HAD CRUSHED THE REBELLION AND SAVED THE UNION.

Charles Sumner said of President Lincoln's administration: "The corner-stone of National Independence is already in its place, and on it is inscribed the name of GEORGE WASHINGTON. There is another stone which must have its place at the corner also. This is the Declaration of Independence, with all its promises fulfilled. On this stone we will gratefully inscribe the name of ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

"Each was at the head of the Republic during a period of surpassing trial; and each thought only of the public good, simply, purely, constantly, so that single-hearted devotion to country will always find a synonym in their names. Each was the national chief during a time of successful war. Each was the representative of his country at a great epoch of history.

"The part which Lincoln was called upon to perform resembled in character the part which was performed by Washington. The work left undone by Washington was continued by Lincoln. Kindred in service, kindred in patriotism, each was naturally surrounded at death by kindred homage,"

XXVIII.

SHOT OF THE ASSASSIN.

ROM the time of Mr. Lincoln's nomination for the Presidency, as we have seen, fears of his assassination prevailed among his friends. The President himself had reason to believe that he was in danger of being shot, for he had a package of threatening letters, which he had appropriately labelled, "Assassination Letters," and laid away. His attention was often called to the subject by anxious friends. On being remonstrated with for unnecessarily exposing himself, he replied, without denying his danger:—

"Soon after I was nominated at Chicago, I began to receive letters threatening my life. The first one or two made me a little uncomfortable, but I came at length to look for a regular instalment of this kind of correspondence in every week's mail, and up to Inauguration Day I was in constant receipt of such letters. It is no uncommon thing to receive them now; but they have ceased to give me apprehension.”

Surprise was expressed that he could be indifferent to a peril that his friends considered imminent, and he answered,—

"I

"Oh, there is nothing like getting used to things!" A cavalry guard was once placed at the gates of the White House, but was removed at his request. worried until I got rid of it," he said to a friend. He once remarked to Colonel Halpine, " It will never

do for a President to have guards with drawn sabres at his door, as if he fancied he were, or were trying to be, or were assuming to be, an emperor."

Once he went to General Halleck's private quarters and protested against a detachment of cavalry, detailed, without his request, by General Wadsworth, to guard his carriage going to and from the Soldiers' Home. He remarked, facetiously, yet earnestly,

"Why, Mrs. Lincoln and I cannot hear ourselves talk for the clatter of their sabres and spurs; and some of them appear to be new hands and very awkward, so that I am more afraid of being shot by the accidental discharge of a carbine or revolver, than of any attempt upon my life by a roving squad of Stewart's cavalry."

Very much in the same vein he replied to Colonel Halpine, who was trying to show him his exposure even in the White House, saying,

"There are two dangers, the danger of deliberate political assassination, and the mere brute violence of insanity."

The President replied, as related by Mr. Carpenter,"Now as to political assassination, do you think the Richmond people would like to have Hannibal Hamlin here any better than myself? In that one alternative, I have an insurance on my life worth half the prairie land of Illinois. And besides," this more gravely,"if there were such a plot, and they wanted to get at me, no vigilance could keep them out. We are so mixed up in our affairs, that—no matter what the system established-a conspiracy to assassinate, if such there were, could easily obtain a pass to see me for any one or more of its instruments.

"To betray fear of this, by placing guards or so forth, would only be to put the idea into their heads, and, perhaps, lead to the very result it was intended to