Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-03-12
"An form one Confederacy," was the reply.

it will not prevent them ?" inquired Seward
"Sr, said the Colonel you have lost the time to
prevent them, you are now caught in trap you helped
to set"
This may seem bold talk for the Colonel as an inv
ted guest but his own country is suffering by the acts
CT the Abolition party of this, and be showed impa
thence whenever the subject was alluded to.
At the last remark Of the Colonel, / saw Abe" was
anxious to have another interview with Seward so the
fist opportunity he had, be pulled him away from the
| Colonel, and said,
That man is no fool, he knows something about
matters, so let change drinks on him, and we will
soon get him so he will out with af.'
At this suggestion brandy vas introduced by Seward
remarkng he had some brandy, which he wished the
| Colonel to sample.
| Glasses eere shifted and the filed with
braDdy, and the Colonel after drinking, said it
perb, and remarked he would sample it again, if they
would all join him
"Abe" and Seward how supposed their plan would
work, and they readily concluded to press it. TO my
asonistment the Colonel grew more at himself, aud
soon perceived he would get Tie plotters badly
" down"
The change of drinks so bewild, red Abe and Sew
ard that they thought The Colonel must be bewlder
ed also and they comm need pumping him again
| " A be- thought be would take hand in
dueirg the Inquiries, and go.rg up to the Colonel
said,
my friend, how did you arrive at the differences S
| you drew time ago?'
" they not infcrences," SAID the Colonel, they
| are stubborn facts
Wen how did you get your facts ?" asked '' Abe =:
Colone! Facheco tully equal to the &C aston,
and, as before minated knowing that the hopeless
condition of his own country, as we as the difficulties
| in this were CAUSED by the conduct OF the New Eng
land States, be disposed to cut at them whe ever
an opportunity presented So TO do that ard at the
same lime avoid gratifying "Abe's" curiosity about i'm
portant secrets, which 1T was presum he knew he said
TO him,
MIR Lincoln, you are capital at eonurdrums' le me
ask you one Can you tell me why New England is
like man qujzzcd on the first of April ~
" No, that rather gets nae, said Abe" " ny :?
q Because, she has been sold ;" said the Colonel.
! Abe " still being anxious to draw the Colonel out,
thought by compimenting Lis corundrum, and asking
him to drink with him again. he could accomplish his
object. So he remarked, That stumper my
| friend it good one as 1 could have made my
| self, but let Us take another drlLk.
After few drinks had been taken, and the
Coils usual complimentary remarks about the brandy,
and Abe had had another side interview with Sew
ard as the best mode Of getting at the secrets, he
broached the subject again.
| MY friend" said he =" do you know of any under.
standing between England and France on the subject
of this war; and has Valandgham made any disclosures
as to the intention of the West?"
.'Excuse me sir, for moment" said the Colouel,
have just arranged in my mind capital quiz, and
knowing your fondness for them, will, with your con-
! sent, give it to you before l forget it."
Certainly, my friend" said Abe" " l always Like
| to hear puzzle!'
But" said the COL, let us take another drink of
this good brandy; brandy, sir, has fine effect upon
| IL
delicious juice after has drank himself so full that
be cannot add a suficiency to keep up its life But
promised you quiz we'll after another drink, will
| give it to you join me in it,"
| "Abe drank with him, but | saw from the heavy
manner he brought his glass to the table, he exhi
bted marks of impatience and deep inoxication too
The Col. commenced some PREDATORY remarks before
his quiz and Abes head began to lower itself, so
that when he looked up, he had to do so, by looking
under his eyebrows. By 1is repeated efforts to give
attention to the Col. and overcome approaching drow
siness his head need bobbng up and down, with
the downward tendency increasing, however at every
up and down motion He eventually so overpow-
ered that he lost consciousness of himself while the
Col talking, and on y regained it by having hit
bis head against the table in of its quick downward
motions The first thought that occurred to him, was,
was that the quiz had been told just the Colonel
had finished his preface "Abe" popped his head up,
and said. That was capital capital, give it up,
you have got me again"
Col. Pachcco now, remarked that be feared be was
wearying him. Not at all, not all, my friend" re-
piled T" Ale" and he recoleced that be trying to
get out Of the Col something about the affairs Of the
country but he had forgotten what it exactly was
the ultimate success of the rebels and bis utter
ruin being uppermost in his mind, he thought his in
quires were connected with that subject, and just
Seward who had noticed his condition, coming to
his relief, he SAID Well my friend, think was going
to ask you If you thought the rebel would succeed"
AS this simple inquiry afforded the Col. fine oppor-
tunty to dodge the complicated questions first proposed
by Abe" and also to keep his Secrets had he any to
keep he had seen and heard be believed the Union
dissolved and that Inc independence of the Confederate
States largely increased, would be acknowledged in
very short time.
| This was death blow to Abe" and without exer-
csng any self control, he turned to Seward, and said,
Billy we done up, for our party has gone Wters
Tony hid the uedge. But there one consolation
nau be acedges in the confederation" Seward
marked be must not despair for the darkest hour
just before day."
q" | know it is" said Abe" and if We drink with
my fried much oftener we will not know when day
comes, for I can hardly hold myself up now"
Seward still attempted to console him by telling him
that the dsunion of the Stats only temporary and
that they would soon get them back again
| " Temporary" said "Abe;" "well, that puts me in
mind of fellow in Illinois who hooked Trout one day
out fishing the Trout broke his line and went of with
the hook in his mouth and being asked if be had lost his
| Trout directly, and get it back again. Now, Billy,
YOUR line is broke and if you catch that Trout
| again you are better fisherman than am
Seward was evidently rritated at these remarks and
looking 6crcey at "Abe said Sir, you dsgraciBg
as
That was the first time l had ever beard abe so
roughly handled although very common and loose in
bis remarks II order to keep him in good humor with
himself that they might mould him at their WILL the
Cabinet officers always made allowances for what he
said and they noticed at all it was done IN comp
mantary manner. By that means ABE has been kept
in the belief that be is important peronGge and his
buffoonery the and of all about bm SO, on
this OCCASION it was very natural that he shoad think
his importance was nfripged upon and he was deeply
stung. He was chafDg too under the hopeless condi
ton of affairs and that chang being heightened by the
excess of liquor in him, he easily aroused. SO he
fired I'D Immediately, and throwing his long up