view with the President:

"He said to me that the message was of such importance that, before
handing it to me, he would read it to me. Before beginning to read he
said, 'This is a confidential and secret message. No one besides my
Cabinet and myself knows anything about it, and we are all sworn to
secrecy. I am going to swear you in as one of my Cabinet.'

"And then he said to me in a jocular way, 'Hold up your right hand,'
which I did.

"'Now,' said he, consider yourself a member of my Cabinet."'

HOW LINCOLN WAS ABUSED.

With the possible exception of President Washington, whose political
opponents did not hesitate to rob the vocabulary of vulgarity and
wickedness whenever they desired to vilify the Chief Magistrate, Lincoln
was the most and "best" abused man who ever held office in the United
States. During the first half of his initial term there was no epithet
which was not applied to him.

One newspaper in New York habitually characterized him as "that hideous
baboon at the other end of the avenue," and declared that "Barnum should
buy and exhibit him as a zoological curiosity."

Although the President did not, to all appearances, exhibit annoyance
because of the various diatribes printed and spoken, yet the fact is
that his life was so cruelly embittered by these and other expressions
quite as virulent, that he often declared to those most intimate with
him, "I would rather be dead than, as President, thus abused in the
house of my friends."

HOW "FIGHTING JOE" WAS APPOINTED.

General "Joe" Hooker, the fourth commander of the noble but unfortunate
Army of the Potomac, was appointed to that position by President Lincoln
in January, 1863. General Scott, for some reason, disliked Hooker
and would not appoint him. Hooker, after some months of discouraging
waiting, decided to return to California, and called to pay his respects
to President Lincoln. He was introduced as Captain Hooker, and to the
surprise of the President began the following speech:

"Mr. President, my friend makes a mistake. I am not Captain Hooker, but
was once Lieutenant-Colonel Hooker of the regular army. I was lately
a farmer in California, but since the Rebellion broke out I have been
trying to get into service, but I find I am not wanted.

"I am about to return home; but before going, I was anxious to pay my
respects to you, and express my wishes for your personal welfare and
success in quelling this Rebellion. And I w