in Washington known to but a few. Lamon says:

"The President was convinced that he committed a grave mistake in
listening to the solicitations of a 'professional spy' and of friends
too easily alarmed, and frequently upbraided me for having aided him
to degrade himself at the very moment in all his life when his behavior
should have exhibited the utmost dignity and composure.

"Neither he nor the country generally then understood the true facts
concerning the dangers to his life. It is now an acknowledged fact that
there never was a moment from the day he crossed the Maryland line, up
to the time of his assassination, that he was not in danger of death by
violence, and that his life was spared until the night of the 14th of
April, 1865, only through the ceaseless and watchful care of the guards
thrown around him."

MARKED OUT A FEW WORDS.

President Lincoln was calm and unmoved when England and France were
blustering and threatening war. At Lincoln's instance Secretary of State
Seward notified the English Cabinet and the French Emperor that as
ours was merely a family quarrel of a strictly private and confidential
nature, there was no call for meddling; also that they would have a war
on their hands in a very few minutes if they didn't keep their hands
off.

Many of Seward's notes were couched in decidedly peppery terms, some
expressions being so tart that President Lincoln ran his pen through
them.

LINCOLN SILENCES SEWARD.

General Farnsworth told the writer nearly twenty years ago that, being
in the War Office one day, Secretary Stanton told him that at the last
Cabinet meeting he had learned a lesson he should never forget, and
thought he had obtained an insight into Mr. Lincoln's wonderful power
over the masses. The Secretary said a Cabinet meeting was called to
consider our relations with England in regard to the Mason-Slidell
affair. One after another of the Cabinet presented his views, and Mr.
Seward read an elaborate diplomatic dispatch, which he had prepared.

Finally Mr. Lincoln read what he termed "a few brief remarks upon the
subject," and asked the opinions of his auditors. They unanimously
agreed that our side of the question needed no more argument than was
contained in the President's "few brief remarks."

Mr. Seward said he would be glad to adopt the remarks, and, giving them
more of the phraseology usual in diplomatic circles, send them to Lord
Palmerston, the British premier.