services to his country, he had added such honor to her arms, that he had earned the right to her most favorable construction to every act, and an indignant negative to any suggestion of improper motive.

Stanton, in expressing the disapproval of the Executive to the terms extended to Johnston, was emphatic, and decided, but not more so than was the general judgment of the country.

On the morning of the 24th, General Grant arrived at the camp of General Sherman, and communicated the disapproval of the President, to the terms which had been agreed upon. Notice was immediately given of the termination of the truce, and a demand was made by Sherman, for the surrender by Johnston, of his army on the same terms as were given to Lee. A meeting between Sherman and Johnston, was held on the 26th, which resulted in the surrender and disbandment of Johnston's army upon substantially the terms given to Lee.

The surrender of the other rebel forces quickly followed. General Howell Cobb surrendered to General Wilson, at Macon, Georgia, on the 20th of April. On the 14th of April, General Dick Taylor surrendered all the forces east of the Mississippi to General Canby. On the 26th of May, General Kirby Smith surrendered his entire command to General Canby. With this last surrender, there was left no organized rebel forces anywhere within the territory of the United States.

On the 11th of May, Jefferson Davis, flying in disguise towards the sea, was captured at Irwinsville, Georgia.

The President, as has been stated, remained at City Point after the conference of the military leaders, to witness the execution of the plans then determined upon. As the operations against Lee's army progressed, he telegraphed to the Secretary of War, and through him to the exulting people of the loyal States, the joyous news of the brilliant successes of the army.

On the morning of the 4th of April, when the Union troops took possession of the burning Capital of the Confederacy, and extinguished the fire, caused by the reckless carelessness

of the rebels. Among the first to enter Richmond, were the colored troops of General Weitzel's command. They marched into the city, singing their favorite song of "John Brown." With drums beating, flags waving, bands playing, the Union column passed up the streets, flanked with the raging fire, and then, stacking arms, they went to work with a will to save Richmond, from this conflagration. Fully one-third of this beautiful city was burned by a fire commenced by the Confederates setting fire to tobacco warehouses, Government foundries, and other property to prevent its falling into the hands of the Union army. On the day of its capture, President Lincoln, with his youngest son, Admiral Porter, and a few attendants, visited the city. His coming was unannounced, and he walked, leading his little boy by the hand, from the landing to the headquarters of General Weitzel, just vacated by Jefferson Davis. The news of his arrival spread through the city, and immediately the exulting negroes from all quarters came running to see their deliverer. Their enthusiasm was uncontrollable. They danced, sung, shouted, cried with joy. Their delight was mingled with gratitude; thanks to God, and to Lincoln, were mingled together in such a way as would have been deemed very irreverent, did not their earnestness, their sincerity, and their ignorance excuse them. Mr. Lincoln held a brief reception at the General's headquarters; drove about the city, and at 6 P. M., returned to City Point. On Thursday, he again visited Richmond, accompanied by Mrs. Lincoln, Vice President Johnson, and several Senators. On this occasion he was visited by prominent citizens of Richmond, anxious to know what would be the policy of the Government towards them. Without committing himself to anything specific, he easily satisfied them that his course would be generous, forgiving, and magnanimous. In one of these interviews, I have reason to believe the President stated his views of the necessity of National Union substantially as set forth in his first Inaugural Address, and more fully in his Message of December, 1862. It will be remembered that in that message, he said: "That portion of the earth's surface which is owned and inhabited by the

people of the United States, is well adapted to be the home of one National family; and it is not well adapted for two or

Our fathers had organized this "national family" under the Constitution, and it became his especial duty, as President, to maintain and perpetuate it. This duty he had endeavored faithfully to discharge. The patriotism of the loyal people embraced every portion of the Republic. Their pride had long dwelt upon the idea of a vast Republic "whose dominion shall be also from the one sea to the other, and from the flood unto the world's end."+

The loyal people had fought the war through, because they would not give up this idea. The vast extent of the country and its future greatness and glory had long been to him a source of national pride. Virginians must learn to substitute in their affections the Nation for the State: they need not love Virginia less, but they must love the Republic more. The people have overcome the rebellion, not only because it was their duty under the Constitution, but also because they wanted the aid of the insurgent States to enable them to realize their great destiny. The South is an essential part of, and must help to build up, the great Republic.

In reply to a suggestion from the Virginians, that it was difficult to love a country so vast, and that patriotism was always strongest among a people inhabiting a country with a small territory, as illustrated by the Scotch and the Swiss, where every person identifies his own home with his country, and the difficulty of embracing in one's affections, a whole continent, the pride and glory of the Roman citizen in the Roman Empire was recalled. But perhaps a better answer to this may be found in Mr. Lincoln's message before referred to, in which he says, speaking of our whole country, "Its vast extent, and its variety of climate and productions, are of advantage, in this age, for one people, whatever they might have been in former ages. Steam, telegraphs, and intelligence have brought these to be an advantageous combination for one united people." The continent is "our

* Annual Message of December, 1862.

+72 Psalm, v. 8.

national homestead." This, in all "its adaptations and aptitudes, demands union and abhors separation." Now that slavery is eradicated, we shall soon cease to quarrel, and become a homogeneous people. Virginia will again become a leading, possibly, the leading State, and before twenty years, she will thank Mr. Lincoln for the Emancipation Proclamation.

Mr. Lincoln returned to Washington on the 9th of April. He had scarcely reached the White House before the news of Lee's surrender reached him. No language can adequately describe the patriotic joy and deep gratitude to Almighty God which filled the heart of the President and the people. All the usual manifestations of delight, illuminations, processions, with banners and music were given; but beneath all these outward manifestations, there was a deep, solemn, religious feeling, that God had given us these great victories, and that He had in His Providence a great future for our country.

The last battle had been fought, the last victory won, the Union triumph was complete, the rebellion utterly crushed, and slavery overthrown; and now, though not in order in point of time, let us, before dismissing from these pages the Grand Army of the Republic, anticipate that final review of the troops of Grant and Sherman before they, having finished their work, retired to their homes among the people. This review was an event full of moral sublimity. The bronzed and scarred veterans, who had survived the battlefields of four years of active war, the hardy frames of those who had marched and fought their way from New England, and the Northwest, to New Orleans and Charleston; those who had withstood and repelled the terrific charges of the rebels at Gettysburg; those who had fought beneath, and above the clouds at Lookout Mountain; who had taken Vicksburg, Atlanta, New Orleans, Savannah, Mobile, Petersburg, and Richmond; whose campaigns extended over half a continent; the triumphal entry of these heroes into the National Capital of the Republic which they had saved and redeemed, was deeply impressive. Triumphal arches, garlands, wreaths of flowers, evergreens, marked their pathway.

President and Cabinet, Governors and Senators, ladies, children, citizens, all united to express the nation's gratitude to those by whose heroism it had been saved.

But, there was one great shadow over the otherwise brilliant spectacle. Lincoln, their great hearted chief, he whom all loved fondly to call their "Father Abraham;" he whose heart had been ever with them in the camp, and on the march, in the storm of battle, and in the hospital; he had been murdered, stung to death, by the fang of the expiring serpent which these soldiers had crushed. There were many thousands of these gallant men in blue, as they filed past the White House, whose weather-beaten faces were wet with tears of manly grief. How gladly, joyfully would they have given their lives to save his.

And now these grand armies were disbanded, and hastened to the homes which they had voluntarily left, to be welcomed by family and friends, and cheered and cherished for life by the thanks of a grateful people.