t light in the East room. As I
entered the basement I heard a loud noise, as of many voices talking
loudly, mingled with the ringing of arms, coming from the great
reception room. On questioning the commander of the guard, I learned
that many gentlemen had entered the house at a late hour, but they had
come in boldly; no objection had been made from within, but on the
contrary Captain Todd had told him all was right. I ascended the
interior staircase and entered the East room, where I found more than
fifty men, among whom were Hon. Cassius M. Clay and General Lane. All
were armed with muskets, which they were generally examining, and it was
the ringing of many rammers in the musket barrels which had caused the
noise I had heard. Mr. Clay informed me that he and a large number of
political friends, _deeming it very improper that the President's person
should in such times be unguarded_, had formed a voluntary guard which
would remain there every night and see to it that Mr. Lincoln was well
protected. I applauded the good spirit exhibited, but did not, however,
cease the posting of the outside guards, nor the nightly inspections
myself as before, until the time came when others than myself became
responsible for the safety of the President."

It is stated that Lincoln "had an almost morbid dislike to an escort, or
guard, and daily exposed himself to the deadly aim of an assassin." To
the remonstrances of friends, who feared his constant exposure to
danger, he had but one answer: "If they kill me, the next man will be
just as bad for them; and in a country like this, where our habits are
simple, and must be, assassination is always possible, and will come if
they are determined upon it." A cavalry guard was once placed at the
gates of the White House for a while, and Lincoln said that he "worried
until he got rid of it." He once remarked to Colonel Halpine: "It would
never do for a President to have guards with drawn sabers at his door,
as if he fancied he were, or were trying to be, or were assuming to be,
an emperor." While the President's family were at their summer-house,
near Washington, he rode into town of a morning, or out at night,
attended by a mounted escort; but if he returned to town for a while
after dark, he rode in unguarded, and often alone, in his open carriage.
On more than one occasion, the same writer tells us, he "has gone
through the streets of Washington at a late hour of the night with the
Preside