was the result of
premeditation upon his part.

GO DOWN WITH COLORS FLYING.

In August, 1864, the President called for five hundred thousand
more men. The country was much depressed. The Confederates had, in
comparatively small force, only a short time before, been to the very
gates of Washington, and returned almost unharmed.

The Presidential election was impending. Many thought another call for
men at such a time would insure, if not destroy, Mr. Lincoln's chances
for re-election. A friend said as much to him one day, after the
President had told him of his purpose to make such a call.

"As to my re-election," replied Mr. Lincoln, "it matters not. We must
have the men. If I go down, I intend to go, like the Cumberland, with my
colors flying!"

ALL WERE TRAGEDIES.

The cartoon reproduced below was published in "Harper's Weekly" on
January 31st, 1863, the explanatory text, underneath, reading in this
way:

MANAGER LINCOLN: "Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to say that the tragedy
entitled 'The Army of the Potomac' has been withdrawn on account of
quarrels among the leading performers, and I have substituted three
new and striking farces, or burlesques, one, entitled 'The Repulse of
Vicksburg,' by the well-known favorite, E. M. Stanton, Esq., and
the others, 'The Loss of the Harriet Lane,' and 'The Exploits of the
Alabama'--a very sweet thing in farces, I assure you--by the veteran
composer, Gideon Welles. (Unbounded applause by the Copperheads)."

In July, after this cartoon appeared, the Army of the Potomac defeated
Lee at Gettysburg, and sounded the death-knell of the Confederacy;
General Hooker, with his corps from this Army opened the Tennessee
River, thus affording some relief to the Union troops in Chattanooga;
Hooker's men also captured Lookout Mountain, and assisted in taking
Missionary Ridge.

General Grant converted the farce "The Repulse of Vicksburg" into a
tragedy for the Copperheads, taking that stronghold on July 4th, and
Captain Winslow, with the Union man-of-war Kearsarge, meeting the
Confederate privateer Alabama, off the coast of France, near Cherbourg,
fought the famous ship to a finish and sunk her. Thus the tragedy of
"The Army of the Potomac" was given after all, and Playwright Stanton
and Composer Welles were vindicated, their compositions having been
received by the public with great favor.

"HE'S THE BEST OF US."

Secretary of State Seward did not appreciate Pres