R XVI.
ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Johnson's Maudlin Stump Speech in the Senate--Inauguration of
Lincoln for the Second Term--My Trip to the South--Paying off a
Church Debt--Meetings to Celebrate the Success of the Union Army--
News of the Death of Lincoln--I Attend the Funeral Services--General
Johnston's Surrender to General Sherman--Controversy with Secretary
Stanton Over the Event--Review of 65,000 Troops in Washington--Care
of the Old Soldiers--Annual Pension List of $150,000,000--I am Re-
elected to the Senate--The Wade-Davis Bill--Johnson's Treatment of
Public Men--His Veto of the Civil Rights Bill--Reorganization of
the Rebel States and Their Final Restoration to the Union.

On the 4th of March, 1865, at the inauguration of the President
and Vice President elect, a scene occurred in the Senate chamber,
which made a serious impression, and was indicative of what was to
occur in the future. About eleven o'clock of that day Andrew
Johnson, Vice President, was shown into the room in the capitol
assigned to the Vice President. He complained of feeling unwell
and sent for either whisky or brandy, and must have drunk excessively
of it. A few minutes before twelve o'clock he was ushered into
the Senate to take the oath of office and to make the usual brief
address. He was plainly intoxicated and delivered a stump speech
unworthy of the occasion. Before him were assembled all the
principal officers of the government and the diplomatic corps. He
went on in a maudlin and rambling way for twenty minutes or more,
until finally he was suppressed by the suggestion of the secretary
that the time for the inauguration had arrived, and he must close.

The procession was formed for the inauguration at the east front
of the capitol, where a great multitude was gathered. There Mr.
Lincoln delivered his memorable inaugural address. Referring to
the condition of the controversy at the time of his former inaugural,
he said:

"Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would _make_ war
rather than let the Union survive; and the other would _accept_
war rather than let it perish. And the war came."

He hopefully predicted the result of the war, but he said:

"Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by
the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall
be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall
be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three tho