Pending the conversion of Lincoln to the above and during the night of March 3, Stanton formulated and sent the following, which refers to the preliminary work of arranging the proposed conference with Lee:

General Ord's conduct in holding intercourse with General Longstreet upon political questions not committed to his charge is not approved. The same thing was done in one instance by Major Key when the army was commanded by General McClellan and he was sent to meet Howell Cobb on the subject of exchanges, and it was in that case, as in this, disapproved. You will please in the future instruct officers appointed to meet rebel officers to confine themselves to the matters especially committed to them.

Grant was embarrassed and probably nettled by the peremptory nature of these instructions, for Lincoln himself had personally told him to "give Lee anything he wants if he will only stop fighting,"* in accordance with which, through his staff officer (E. O. C. Ord), he had sent word to the Confederate commander that he "would not decline" a conference for the purpose of discussing a basis for ending the war, or at least suspending hostilities. A "basis" was promptly outlined by Jefferson Davis and discussed at several interviews between General Ord in behalf of Grant and General Longstreet in behalf of Lee and "President" Davis.

On February 28, Davis, having given authority to Lee to enter finally upon these negotiations, Grant telegraphed and Stanton answered as above set forth. Thus Lincoln was thrashed out of his previous untenable views and Grant rescued none too soon from an entangling position-that of "negotiating peace" when he had no authority except to accept surrender. In that moment of weakness, a single intellect was clear enough, a single will decisive enough to prevent a reprecipitation of chaos.

On March 14, Stanton visited Grant at headquarters to give advice by parol which he did not care to put in writing concerning terms of surrender and kindred matters. "You must capture Lee at any hazard," was his injunction. "Yes," quietly answered. Grant, "I shall do so in about twenty days." Then, after witnessing a review of General Meade's army, he returned to Washington and suggested to Lincoln, reinforced by Grant, that it might be interesting for the President to be near the front to witness the collapse.

*See Secretary Welles' "Lincoln and Seward."

Lincoln adopted the suggestion and left on March 23, on board the Bat, for City Point, to carry out Stanton's remarkable program. He there received a telegram from Stanton: "I hope to have a telegram from you dated at Richmond before you return." Generally, Stanton's communications were swift and sharp, like the discharges of a Gatling gun; but the prospects of a speedy collapse of the Rebellion seemed to relax the severity of his temper. "Your telegram and Parke's report of the scrimmage this morning are received," he replied to a telegram from Lincoln on the 25th. "The rebel rooster looks a little the worse, as he could not hold the fence. Now that you are away, everything is quiet; the tormentors have vanished. I hope you will remember General Harrison's advice to his men at Tippecanoe, that they could see as well a little further off."

Thus he telegraphed on the 26th: "Your military news warms the blood, or we should be in danger of a March chill." On the 31st, Lincoln having expressed an intention to return to Washington, Stanton thus protested: "I hope you will stay and see it out. I have strong faith that your presence will have great influence in inducing exertions that will bring us Richmond. Compared to that, no other duty can weigh a feather. A pause now by the army would be harmful. If you remain on the ground, there will be no pause." Lincoln remained as requested, Grant and other generals telegraphing full advices to him which were repeated promptly to Stanton, who formulated bulletins therefrom to be telegraphed broadcast over the country. Thus, with their President for reporter, the people were kept in elation and excitement for a week by the news from the front. On the 3d of April he telegraphed to Stanton that Petersburg had been evacuated and he was about to accompany Grant on the march of interception. Stanton inquired instantly: "Ought you to expose the nation to the consequences of any disaster to yourself in the pursuit of a treacherous and dangerous enemy like the rebel army?" Thus warned, the President desisted, and that very morning General Godfrey Weitzel entered Richmond, hoisted the Stars and Stripes and took formal possession of the city. Next morning Lincoln, on foot and with no guards, passed into the smoking and ruined capital.

At this moment W. E. Kettles of Boston, 16 years of age, was operating the Richmond wire in the War Department. His story is most interesting:

On the morning of April 3, 1865, Fort Monroe suddenly switched City Point on and told us to look out for Richmond. "Richmond" meant an operator within four miles of the city and not the city proper, and we all accordingly sharpened for "R'd." Quickly there came a despatch to Mr. Stanton saying that General Weitzel entered Richmond that morning at 8:15 o'clock.

I took the despatch, and ran with the copy to the room adjoining the library, upsetting my table, ink and all. I found Mr. Tinker, the cipher clerk, who in three seconds disappeared with the message. I went back to my table, which had been fixed up in the meantime, soon followed by Mr. Tinker. We stepped to a window overlooking the street. Just as we did so a man sauntered up the walk in front of the Department and as he was a friend of Mr. Tinker's, yelled up: "What's the news?" Mr. T. replied: "Richmond's surrendered!"

It was comical to see that man go yelling out of the front yard. In four minutes there were thousands of people around the Department. Every office and building in the city seemed to open at the same time. The streets filled from every direction. Horse cars had no show; steam fireengines came out on the avenue, bunched themselves, and commenced whistling; cannon planted in the park close by began firing; and men, women, and children yelled themselves hoarse and acted ridiculous. The noise was tremendous-pandemonium is the word.

At this time Secretary Stanton came into my room, and, on being told by General Eckert that I was the boy who received the message, grabbed me in his arms, lifted me to the window sill and, making a gesture to the crowd below, shouted: "My friends, here is the young man who received the telegram which tells us of the fall of Richmond."

At the sight of Stanton the cheering became more vociferous than ever, accompanied by peremptory demands for a speech. With voice half choked and form shaking with emotion, he made this lofty response:

Friends and Fellow Citizens:

In this great hour of triumph my heart as well as yours swells with gratitude to Almighty God for His deliverance of this nation. Our thanks are due to the President, to the army, to the navy, to our great commanders on land and sea, to the gallant officers and men who have periled their lives upon the field of battle and drenched the soil with their blood.

Henceforth our commiseration and our active aid should be extended to the wounded, the maimed, and the suffering who bear the many marks of their sacrifices in this mighty struggle.

Let us humbly offer our thanks to Divine Providence for His care over us and beseech Him to guide and govern us in our duties hereafter, as He has carried us to victory in the past; to teach us how to be humble in the midst of triumph; how to be just in the hour of victory; and how to so secure the foundations of this Republic, soaked as they are in blood, that they shall last forever and ever!