"What is the Presidency worth to me if I have no country?” (*)

He comprehended what the frightened politicians could not see : that the soldiers under Grant and Sherman would lose confidence in him were he to suspend the draft. He never had deceived them. They trusted him. To suspend the draft in order to gain political advantage would be a fatal mistake.

"If the President," said General Sherman, "modifies the draft to the extent of one man, or wavers in its execution, he is gone forever. The army would vote against him."

Nearly all the Northern States had statutes enabling the soldiers to vote in the field. Indiana had failed to enact such a law. The "Sons of Liberty" and the Democratic Party opposed such legislation. The draft was proceeding. The President was being denounced as a "tyrant," "butcher," who cared nothing for the soldiers. The Indiana soldiers desired to show their patriotism and loyalty by their ballots. Atlanta had been taken, and Sherman was preparing for his next movement. He would not be hampered if they were allowed to return to Indiana for a few days.

"Anything," wrote the President, "that you can safely do to let the soldiers, or any part of them, go home to vote, will be greatly to the point. They need not remain for the Presidential election, but may return to you at once. This is in no sense an order, but is merely intended to impress you with the importance to the army itself of your doing all you safely can, yourself being the judge of what you can safely do."

The cars rolling northward from Atlanta during the first week in October were filled with veterans who had won the victories of Resaca, Kenesaw, and Atlanta. They were having a furlough, and were going home to Indiana to vote once more for Oliver P. Morton, governor. He had displayed great energy in carrying on the affairs of State during the war. He had been solicitous for their welfare. They trusted him. They had no sympathy with the "Knights of the Golden Circle," or Sons of Liberty," allied with the Democratic Party.

66

Very few ballots were cast for the Democratic candidates by the soldiers. On the evening of the election the President visited the War

Department, and sat by the side of the telegraph operator to Oct. 11. learn the results. Gratifying the intelligence that Morton was re-elected by 20,000 majority. Pennsylvania had gained four Republican members of Congress. The majority in the State was more than 10,000. Maryland had adopted an amendment to the State Constitu

tion putting an end to slavery. Very cheering the news from Ohio, where the Republicans had a majority of 54,000. The Democrats had elected two members of Congress, the Republicans seventeen-a gain of twelve.

Notwithstanding the results were so favorable to the Republicans, Mr. Washburne, member of Congress, was afraid the President's own State would vote against him in November.

"It is no use to deceive ourselves about Illinois," he wrote. 66 erything is at sixes and sevens; no head or tail to anything. There is imminent danger of our losing the State."

Mr. Lincoln read the letter, smiled, and wrote on the envelope: Stampeded!" (*)

Mr. Locke ("Reverend Petroleum V. Nasby") visited Washington in behalf of a young soldier sentenced to be shot for desertion. He was warmly welcomed by the President, who kindly listened to his story. The soldier had given his affections to a young girl before he enlisted, and they were engaged to be married. Word came to him that another was paying her especial attention. He applied for a furlough, but it not being granted, deserted, made his way home, to find the reports in a measure true. Once more the lady plighted her troth to him, and they were married. The honey-moon was suddenly interrupted by his arrest, trial, and sentence. Mr. Lincoln heard the story, and without solicitation signed the pardon.

"I'll punish him another way," he said, his face wreathed with smiles. "Probably in less than a year he will wish I had withheld the pardon. We can't tell, though. I suppose when I was a young man I should have done the same foolish thing." (")

He turned the conversation upon the political situation and the confidence of the people in his administration.

"Do the masses of the people," he asked, "hold me in any way responsible for the loss of their friends in the army? It is a good thing," he added, "that there is a Government to shoulder the acts. The shoulders of no one man are broad enough to bear what must be."

Two prominent members were striving each to obtain a foremost position in the Republican Party.

"You do not," said Mr. Locke, "take any pronounced position in relation to the controversy."

"No. I learned a great many years ago that in a fight between man and wife a third party should never get between the woman's skillet and the man's axe-helve."

A member of Congress who had been drinking whiskey entered the He was in the maudlin stage of intoxication, and, hiccoughing,

said:

"Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?"

"I see no reason whatever," the President replied.

The conversation with Mr. Locke turned upon the avarice of those who were accumulating fortunes. A man who had been prominent in

OLIVER P. MORTON.

political affairs was accused

of attempting to swindle the Government out of a large sum of money.

"I cannot understand," said Mr. Lincoln, "why men should be so eager after money. Wealth is simply a superfluity of what we don't need." (°)

Although the October elections indicated the reelection of Mr. Lincoln, the presidential campaign was vigorously contested by the Democratic Party. General McClellan was greatly beloved by many of the officers and soldiers of the Army

of the Potomac. General E. W. Andrews, stationed at Baltimore, being present at a Democratic meeting, expressed his high regard for General McClellan, and declared his intention of voting for him. Greatly to his surprise, he received notice from the War Department the following morning that he was mustered out of service by the Secretary of War. A gentleman laid the matter before Mr. Lincoln.

"Was the revocation of General Andrews's commission by your order?" he asked.

"I know nothing about it," the President replied. "Of course, Stanton does a thousand things of which I know nothing. What has General Andrews done?"

"He attended a Democratic meeting, and was called up for a speech. He declared himself in favor of General McClellan."