Perley's Reminiscences Part 25

Washington Society Disgruntled--President Lincoln's First Reception --Who were Present--A Famous Supper--Criticisms of the Discontented --Secret Sadness of President Lincoln and his Wife--Death of Little Willie Lincoln--Camp Followers--Literati in Government Employ-- Lectures at the Smithsonian Inst.i.tution--Commissioner Newton, of the Agricultural Department.

CHAPTER XI.

THE FORTUNES OF WAR.

War Correspondents--A Precarious Position--The Washington Press-- Colonel John W. Forney and his Two Daily Papers--Fourth of July Celebration at Washington--Raising Colored Troops Discouraged-- Successful Recruiting of Whites for Union Armies--War on General McClellan, and his Deposition--Defeat of General Pope--Recall of General McClellan to Command--Victory at Antietam--General Burnside in Command--His Failures at Fredericksburg--His Resignation.

CHAPTER XII.

SOCIAL LIFE OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

Meeting of Congress--Proclamation of Emanc.i.p.ation--New Year's Day at the White House--Growlings by Count Gurowski--The Army of the Potomac--Christmas at the Hospitals--Henry Wikoff in Trouble-- President Lincoln Ill with the Varioloid--Defeat of General Hooker at Chancellorsville--Victory of General Grant at Vicksburg--Sublime Speech of President Lincoln at Gettysburg.

CHAPTER XIII.

CIVIL AND MILITARY INTRIGUES.

War Legislators--Medal Voted to General Grant--New Year's Receptions at the White House and at the Residences of Officials--General Grant Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant-General--He Leads the Army of the Potomac Through Terrific Battles to Victory--Resignation of Mr. Chase as Secretary of the Treasury--His Appointment as Chief- Justice--Presidential Scheming.

CHAPTER XIV.

EVENTS BOTH SAD AND JOYOUS.

Election of Andrew Johnson as Vice-President--Second Inauguration of Lincoln--Disgraceful Intoxication of Vice-President Johnson-- Inauguration Ball at the Interior Department--Successful Military Movements Directed by General Grant--Lincoln's Fondness for Theatricals--The Martyr-President's Last Speech to the People-- Capture of Dixie.

CHAPTER XV.

PLUNGED INTO SORROW.

Jubilant Over Victory--President Lincoln at the Theatre--His a.s.sa.s.sination by Wilkes Booth--A Night of Terror--Death of Abraham Lincoln--The a.s.sa.s.sin--Funeral Honors Paid the Dead President-- Ceremonies at the White House--Procession Along Pennsylvania Avenue --The Remains Rest in State in the Rotunda of the Capitol--Their Removal to Illinois.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE CONSPIRACY TRIAL--THE GRAND REVIEWS.

Andrew Johnson Sworn in as President--Visit of a Ma.s.sachusetts Delegation--What he Thought About Traitors and Treason--Arrest of Booth and his Accomplices--The Confederates had Supplied the Funds --Mrs. Surratt on Trial--The Male Prisoners--Execution of Some Conspirators and Imprisonment of Others--Grand Review of the Union Armies--General Meade and the Army of the Potomac--The Reviewing Stand--General Sherman and the Division of the Mississippi--Rebuff Given by General Sherman to Secretary Stanton--Sherman's b.u.mmers.

CHAPTER XVII.

PRESIDENT JOHNSON SURRENDERS.

Concessions to the Confederates--Daily Life of President Johnson-- Jefferson Davis in Prison and Manacled--Exciting Scene in a Casemate --John Pierpont's Eightieth Birthday--The Bread and b.u.t.ter Convention --Swinging Round the Circle--Marriage of Senator Sumner--His Bright Hopes Soon Disappointed--Female Influence at the White House-- Impeacher Ashley Commences Operations--Important Decision by the Supreme Court.

CHAPTER XVIII.

WASHINGTON CELEBRITIES.

President Johnson's Wife and Daughters--Representative Roscoe Conkling, of New York--Senator Oliver P. Morton, Indiana's War Governor--Senator George F. Edmunds, of Vermont--Senator Zach.

Chandler, of Michigan--Senator Anthony, of Rhode Island--Jovial Senator Nye, of Nevada--Representative Elihu B. Washburne, the Father of the House--Speaker Colfax as a Presiding Officer-- Representative James G. Blaine, of Maine, and his Tilt with Tucker, of Virginia--Representative Fernando Wood, of New York.

CHAPTER XIX.

CEREMONIALS AT THE METROPOLIS.

New Year's Reception at the White House--Who was There and What was Worn--George Bancroft's Eulogy on Abraham Lincoln--Scene in the House of Representatives--Distinguished Persons Present--The Memorial Address--Great Britain Snubbed and Russia Complimented-- A Penitential Apology by Senator McDougall, of California.

CHAPTER XX.

THE GREAT IMPEACHMENT.

Widening Gulf Between President Johnson and Congress--Deposition and Restoration of Secretary Stanton--Life and Death of Sir Frederick Bruce--Mrs. Lincoln's Sale of Effects--Thurlow Weed's Criticism-- Impeachment of President Johnson--General Thomas Appointed Secretary of War--The High Court of Impeachment, Chief-Justice Chase Presiding --Elaborate Argument by Mr. Evarts--His Review of Republican a.s.sertions--The Verdict--Close of the Administration.

CHAPTER XXI.

A NEW PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.

Four Ohio Presidential Candidates, Grant, Chase, Stanton and Wade --Chief-Justice Chase Before the Democratic Convention--Care Taken by General Grant that all Confederate Officers Should be Paroled-- Extension of the Treasury Department--Senator Ben. Wade and the Restaurant Keeper--Senator Sumner's Great Speech on Alaska--Happy Hours of General Grant at Washington--One of his Evening Receptions --Sam. Ward, the Bon Vivant--Charles d.i.c.kens.

CHAPTER XXII.

GENERAL GRANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

The Inauguration Procession--Proceedings at the Capitol--Delivery of the Inaugural Address--Ball in the Treasury Department--Formation of the Cabinet--Secretary of State, Fish--Appointment of A. T.

Stewart, Secretary of the Treasury--The Politicians Troubled, but Successful--Other Cabinet Officers--Army Habits in the White House --President Grant's Daily Life.

CHAPTER XXIII.

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE METROPOLIS.

Alexander R. Shepherd, the "Boss" Regenerator of Washington--Expense of the Improvements, and Who Profited Thereby--Supervising-Architect Mullett--The State, War, and Navy Building--Official Speculators-- The Story of Black Friday--General Grant's Financial Views--The Credit Mobilier Scandal--Honest Oakes Ames Made a Scapegoat.

CHAPTER XXIV.

RESTORATION OF THE UNION.

Northern Politicians and Southern Brigadiers--The Old Flag and an Appropriation--Outrages by the Ku-Klux Klan--The Joint High Commission --Seizure of Canada--Intrigues of Russian Minister de Catacazy-- Visit of the Grand Duke Alexis--A Female Spy--Charles Sumner's House and his Heart Trouble--Misunderstanding Between General Grant and Senator Sumner on San Domingo--Senator Sumner Forced into Hostility toward General Grant.

CHAPTER XXV.

INTRIGUES AND INTRIGUERS.

The Solider Not a Statesman--How to Beat Grant--Horace Greeley a Presidential Candidate--Re-nomination of General Grant, with Henry Wilson for Vice-President--Defeat of Colfax--New Year's Reception at the White House--Return of Senator Sumner--Inscription of Union Victories on Regimental Colors--Death of Senator Sumner.

CHAPTER XXVI.

A NEW TERM BEGUN.

Second Inauguration of General Grant--An Arctic Wave--The Procession --Scene at the Capitol--The Inaugural Address--A Frozen-out Ball-- Death of Chief-Justice Chase--Refusal of the Position by Roscoe Conkling--Appointment of Attorney-General Williams--Nomination of Caleb Cushing--An Unfortunate Letter--Cushing a.s.serts his Loyalty --Edwin M. Stanton Appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court--Marriage of General Grant's Daughter.

CHAPTER XXVII.

CORRUPTION IN OFFICIAL LIFE.

Fifty Congressional Drag-nets at Work--Female Jealousy--A Nantucket Story--Impeachment of General Belknap, After his Resignation-- Beautiful Mrs. Belknap--The Whisky Ring--Revenge of Senator Henderson, of Missouri--Trial of General Babc.o.c.k, and his Acquittal.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE CENTENNIAL GLORY.

Observance of the Centennial at Washington--Entertainment of Dom Pedro, of Brazil, at the British Legation--The National Republican Convention at Cincinnati--Illness of Mr. Blaine at Washington--How Blaine was Defeated and Hayes Nominated--Contest for the Returns in Doubtful States--Cipher Telegrams--Examination of Colonel Pelton --Threats of Revolution--Intimations of Bargains.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.

The Commission Changed by the Subst.i.tution of Judge Bradley for Judge Davis--Debate in the Senate on the Bill--Great Speech by Roscoe Conkling--Counting the Electoral Vote--Decision by the Commission--General Grant's Administration not a Political Success.

CHAPTER x.x.x.

INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT HAYES.

Lack of Congressional Notification--Arrival of Governor Hayes at Washington--Political Consultations--The Oath Taken Privately--The Procession--The Inauguration--Safely in the White House--The New Cabinet--Judge Key's Eventful History--Fun at Cabinet Meetings-- Unfortunate Selection of a Private Secretary.

CHAPTER x.x.xI.

A NEW ERA IN SOCIETY.

President Hayes and his Wife--The Ohio Idea of Total Abstinence and its Evasion--Social Life at the White House--A New Era in Washington Society--The President's Silver Wedding--Reunion of Old Friends--Pet.i.tion of ex-Senator Christiancy for a Divorce--Dissolute Young Diplomats.

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

LEADERS AND MEASURES.

Overthrow of the Republicans--The Hayes Policy--Thurman, of Ohio-- Bayard, of Delaware--Beck, of Kentucky--c.o.c.krell, of Missouri-- Bruce, of Mississippi--Logan, of Illinois--Anthony, of Rhode Island --Hamlin, of Maine--Edmunds, of Vermont--Conkling, of New York-- Carpenter, of Wisconsin--Ingalls, of Kansas--Dawes, of Ma.s.sachusetts --Blaine, of Maine--Randall, of Pennsylvania--Republican Representatives --Stopping Supplies--Presidential Vetoes--"Pinafore."

CHAPTER x.x.xIII.

TILTS IN CONGRESS.

Celebration of the King of Spain's Marriage--Criminations and Recriminations at the Capitol--Tilt Between Carpenter and Blaine-- Altercation Between Conkling and Gordon--Sharp Words Between Mahone and Voorhees--New Set of China for the White House.

CHAPTER x.x.xIV.

STRUGGLE FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION.

General Grant's Friends in the Field--The Inter-Oceanic Ship Ca.n.a.l --Personal Popularity of Senator Blaine--John Sherman Supported by General Garfield--Political Double-Dealing--Garfield's Speech at Chicago--Nomination of Garfield and Arthur--Visit of General Grant to Washington--A Cold New Year's Day--Reception at the White House --Official Presentations--Appointment of Mr. Blaine as Secretary of State.