oy, seated upon
one of the granite blocks for the new building hereabout, trolled out as
my salutation the lines of the national air,--

'Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, In God is our trust.'

_Mr. Welles._ Amen!

_Mr. Bates._ I suppose you passed not a few interesting hours in this
room at the twilight of Mr. Buchanan's day, whilst holding _my_
portfolio?

_Mr. Stanton._ Too momentous to be called by _me_ interesting.
Posterity, reading, will say _that_. And those twilight hours, as you
felicitously term them, were followed by anxious vigils. But these
belong to confidences.

_Mr. Lincoln (abruptly and familiarly)._ Talking of confidences, what do
you think of the news about Zollicoffer?

_Mr. Stanton._ It appears reliable, and is a most providential success.
Eastern Tennessee was tending to the position which Lucknow sustained
towards the Indian rebellion. It is now relieved, and a fortnight or so
will bring intelligence that the whole of it has practically joined
forces to Western Virginia. I regard it as of the highest importance to
prove, by industrious acts, that we recognize and reward the sufferings
of these American Albigenses in their Cumberland fastnesses. How grandly
would swell the old Miltonian hymn, properly paraphrased, when a brigade
of the loyal Tennessians may sing

'Avenge, Columbia, thy slaughtered hosts, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Western mountains cold,'

and so forth!

_Mr. Lincoln._ Now, you are stepping into Seward's province. _He_ is the
poet of my cabinet!

_Mr. Seward._ Granted for the argument: but there is more truth than
poetry in what our new brother has just said. Throughout how many weary
months have those brave thousands who voted against secession awaited
the crack of our rifles and our cannon-smoke--true music and sacred
incense to them.

_Mr. Blair (practically)._ Next to the border States we must take care
of the newspapers.

_Mr. Welles._ Ah, those newspapers: bothersome as urchins in a nursery,
and yet as necessary to the perfect development of life's enjoyment.

_Mr. Chase._ Well said for the navy. But what do you say of the
magnificent Neckars, whose monied articles from Boston to Chicago would
swamp the treasury in a week, if they were believed in?

_Mr. Lincoln._ Being born and raised so far from the great metropolitan
centres, I don't seem to take to newspapers so kindly as the rest of you
do.

_Mr.