egy," and only removed him when convinced, as the country had long previously been, of his unfitness for the command. After McClellan's removal, Lincoln expressed his desire to find some post for him, where whatever engineering ability he might possess could be employed.

General McClellan was nominated by the proslavery party, in 1864, in opposition to Mr. Lincoln. The result was Lincoln's overwhelming triumph before the people. One would suppose it impossible for him to achieve this triumph, over one who had so denounced him, without exultation. When a delegation of friends called upon to congratulate him, he said:

"I am thankful to God for this approval of the people. But, while deeply grateful for this mark of confidence in me, if I know my heart, my gratitude is free from any taint of personal triumph. I do not impugn the motives of any one opposed to me. It is no pleasure to me to triumph over any one, but I give thanks to Almighty God for this evidence of the people's resolution to stand by the Government and the rights of humanity."

The re-nomination of Mr. Lincoln for the Presidency in 1864 called forth a storm of abuse

WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE.

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and calumny such as had fallen upon the good name of no previous candidate. He was constantly and habitually referred to by his opponents as the "tyrant," the "widow-maker," "butcher," "beast," "baboon," and "monster." He was described as avaricious, blood-thirsty, and cruel; and every effort was made to convince the people that his efforts to destroy the rebellion were, in reality, made to supplant republican institutions by a monarchy, with himself as the autocrat. These false accusations and vile epithets were intended to destroy confidence in the Union cause, and to weaken and defeat the Union armies. But Mr. Lincoln never noticed them, in word or deed, nor harbored a thought of retaliation or revenge.

In full view of all these attempted injuries to himself, with all the malice, treachery, cruelty, and unexampled barbarity of the rebellion, amid the exasperating and hardening circumstances of fierce civil war, his second inaugural sincerely expressed the emotions of his heart: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness for the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to

care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan; to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

The point of character in which he was supposed to be most deficient was that of firmness in the administration of penal justice. That he erred on the side of clemency is probably true, and yet that there was any of that contemptible mawkish sympathy for atrocious criminals, when brought to justice, which of late so paralyzes the defensive arm of the law, is not true. While he could remain calm and unruffled under the most exasperating abuse and injury of himself, injustice and villainy inflicted upon others invariably aroused his indignation—not a mere ebullition of feeling, but the hostility which manifests itself in deeds. During his administration we had none of the wholesale pardons of counterfeiters, and murderers, and traitors which indifference to crime prompted in his immediate successor. On the contrary, no gross or sordid crime escaped the appropriate penalty, during his administration, through any culpable tenderness on his part.

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A slave-trader who had been sentenced to five years' imprisonment in the penitentiary of Massachusetts, and a fine of one thousand dollars, had served his full time in the state-prison, but could not pay his fine so as to obtain release. A very strong appeal was made on his behalf by some respectable, namby-pamby people of that State. Mr. Lincoln read the document, and then said to the messenger: "My friend, that is very touching. You know my weakness is to be, if possible, too easily moved by appeals for mercy, and if this man were guilty of the foulest murder, I might forgive him on such an appeal; but the man who could go to Africa and rob her of her children, and sell them into interminable bondage, with no other motive than that which is furnished by dollars and cents, is so much worse than the most depraved murderer, that he can never receive pardon at my hands. No, he may rot in jail before he shall have liberty by any act of mine."

The heartless oppressor, the mercenary robber, the cool, calculating criminal of any sort, might as well appeal to a blind statue of Justice as to him. But the wearied sentinel, overcome with sleep upon his beat; the deserter; even the

rebel spy, who took his life in his hand for a bad cause, and persons guilty of other acts in themselves criminal, if the result of sudden temptation or passion, found in him a merciful magis

trate.

A boy who fell asleep while on guard in the Army of the Potomac, was sentenced to be shot. On the presentation of the warrant for his signature, Mr. Lincoln said: "It is not a wonder that a boy raised on a farm, and probably in the habit of going to bed at dark, should fall asleep while required to watch. I can not consent that he should be shot for such an act. I should regard the blood of the poor young man as on my skirts." This young man was found with the slain on the field of Fredericksburg, with a photograph of Mr. Lincoln next his heart, upon which was written, "God bless Mr. Lincoln."

A number of deserters, twenty-four, were sentenced at one time to death, and the military authorities insisted that the discipline of the army would be ruined if Mr. Lincoln pardoned. them. He replied: "Mr. General, there are too many weeping widows already in the United States. For God's sake, do not ask me to add to their number, for I woN'T DO IT!"