's
resolution to stand by free government and the rights of humanity."

And again in that eloquent, simple little response which he made
to the joint committee of Congress appointed to wait upon him to
notify him of his second election, after the count of the electoral
votes by a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives
in Congress, he said:

"With deep gratitude to my countrymen for this mark of their
confidence; with a distrust of my own ability to perform the duty
required under the most favorable circumstances, and now rendered
doubly difficult by existing national perils; yet with a firm
reliance on the strength of our free Government, and the eventual
loyalty of the people to the just principles upon which it is
founded, and, above all, with an unshaken faith in the Supreme
Ruler of Nations, I accept this trust. Be pleased to signify this
to the respective Houses of Congress."

These utterances show more clearly than any one else can describe
the state of mind in which the President received his re-election,
and in which he was about to enter his second term as President of
the Republic. Without any personal feeling of pride, he was certain
in his own mind that his re-election was necessary in order to save
the Union.

I attended the second inauguration, March 4, 1865. I have a
particularly vivid recollection of the scene which took place in
the Senate chamber when Mr. Johnson took the oath as Vice-President.
The simple truth is, and it was plain to every one present in that
chamber, Mr. Johnson was intoxicated. Johnson delivered a rambling,
senseless address. I sat next to Senator Lane of Indiana, and I
remarked that somebody should stop him. Lane sent up a note to
the Secretary of the Senate, telling him to get Johnson to cease
speaking and take the oath. We felt Johnson was making an exhibition
of himself in the presence of the President, the Cabinet, the
Foreign Representatives, and two Houses of Congress, and a gathering
of the most distinguished men of the Nation. The Secretary wrote
some lines and placed them before Mr. Johnson, who did not appear
to notice them. Finally he was made to understand that he must
take the oath, as the time had come when the President, according
to usual custom, would have to go to the east front of the Capitol
to take the oath as President of the United States. Johnson, with
a sort of wild sweep of his arm said, "I will take the oath, but
I rega