The Cecil Whig., 1885-06-13

We hear that Jeb Stuart's cavalry is
riding all over the region between the
Rappahannock and the Rapidan, and
l don't want to expose you to the dan
ger you will have to meet before you
can reach Grant"
"Mr. Lincoln" l said, 81 have got
a first-rate horse and twenty cavalrymen
are in readiness at Alexandria. If we
meet small force of Stuart's people,
we can fight, and if they are too many
they will have to have mighty good
horses to catch u.s."
"But are you not concerned about it
at ALP said he.
"No, SIR" said I, "don't feel any
hesitation on my account. Besides, it
is getting late, and l want to get down
to the Rappahannock by daylight"
"All right" said he, eff you feel that
way won't keep you any longer.
Goodnight and good-by" F."
THE NIGHT OF L1NcoLN's SECOND ELEC-
Another side of this extraordinary
character was illustrated on the even
ing of election day in Nov. The politi-
cal struggle had been more intense, and
the interest taken in it both in the
White House and in the War Depart
ment had been almost painful. All the
| power and influence of the War De-
pattment, then something enormous
from the vast expenditure and extensive
relations Of the war, had been employed
to secure the reelection of MIR. Lin
coin and after the arduous toll of the
canvass there was necessarily great
suspense of heart until the result Of the
voting should be ascertained.
went over to the War Department
about half-past 8 in the evening and
found the President and Mr.. Stanton
together in the Secretary's office. Gen.
Eckert, who then had charge Of the
telegraph department of the War Office,
was coming in continually with tele-
grams containing election returns. Mr..
Stanton would read them and the Pres
ident would look at them and comment
upon them. Presently there came a
| lull in the returns, and Mr.. Lincoln
called me up to place by his side.
"Dana," said he, "have you ever
read any of the writings of Petroleum
V. Nasby?" "No, sir, said, 81 have
only looked at some of them, and they
seemed to me funny"
| "Well," said he, let me read you a
specimen" and, pulling out thin,
yellow covered pamphlet from his breast
pocket, he began to read aloud. Mr.
Stanton viewed this proceeding with
great impatience, as 1 could see, but
Mr.. Lincoln paid no attention to that
He would read page or story, pause
to con new election telegram, ano
then open the book again and go ahead
with new passage. Finally MIR. Chase
came in and presently Mr.. Whitelaw
: Reid, and then the reading was inter,
rupted. Mr.. Stanton went to the dool
and beckoned me into the next room
l shall never forget the fire of his in
: dignation at what seemed to him to be
disgusting nonsense. The idea that
when the safety of the republic was
thus at issue, when the control of ar
empire was to be determined by few
| figures brought in by the telegraph, tht
chief, the man most deeply concerned
} not merely for himself, but for his coun
try, could turn aside to read sucl
! balderdash and to laugh at such frivo
: lous jests, was to his mind somethin!
/. most repugnant and damnable. HI
: could not understand, apparently, tina
l it was by the relief which these jest
Y afforded to the strain of mind unde
= which Lincoln had so long been living
, and to the natural gloom of a melan
: choly and desponding temperament
I this was Mr.. Lincoln's prevailing char
acteristic-that the safety and sanity 0
l his intelligence was maintained ant
y preserved.
r CAPTURING A SPY.
y Another interesting incident occur
! to me. A spy whom we employed t.
;. report to us the proceedings of tn
i Confederate Government and it
agents, and who passed continually be
l tween Richmond and St. Catherlnes
e reporting at the War Department upol
D the way, had come in from Canad
4 and had put into my hands an import
t ant despatch from Mr.. Clement c
S Clay, Jr., addressed to Mr.. Benjamin
n Of course, the seal was broken, an
the paper read Immediately. 1t showe'
unequivocally that the Confederat
). agents in Canida were making use {
that country as starting point fc
warlike raids which were to be directe
against frontier towns like St. Albans
y in Vermont. Mr.. Stanton thought
necessary that this despatch should b
= retained as ground of reclamations t
:, be addressed to the British Govern
- ment. 1t was on Sunday that it al
u rived, and he was confined to his hous
by cold. At his direction l wer
over to the President and made an az
polntment with him to be at the Secre
-, tary's office after church. At the al
pointed time he was there, and l rea
% the despatch to them. Mr.. Stanto
~ stated the reasons why it should be rt
- tanned, and before deciding the que
tion Mr. Lincoln turned to me. sa,