side, thus strengthening the administration and giving the President welcome assurances of popular approval.  He had awaited with special anxiety the returns from Ohio, where the contest was fraught with peculiar significance.  The Democrats had chosen for their candidate the notorious peace-at-any-price Vallandigham, against whom the Republicans had placed John Brough of Cleveland.  On the night of the election, about ten o’clock, a message clicked on the wires in the telegraph office of the latter city, saying, “Where is John Brough?  A. Lincoln.”  Brough was at hand, and directly the electric voice inquired, “Brough, about what is your majority now?” Brough replied, “Over 30,000.”  Lincoln requested Brough to remain at the office during the night.  A little past midnight the question came again from Lincoln, “Brough, what is your majority by this time?” Brough replied, “Over 50,000.”  And the question was thus repeated and answered several times, with rapidly increasing majorities, till five o’clock in the morning, when the question came again, “Brough, what is your majority now?” The latter was able to respond, “Over 100,000.”  As soon as the words could be flashed back over the wire, there came:  “Glory to God in the highest.  Ohio has saved the Nation.  A. Lincoln.”

The day after the election in Ohio (October 14, 1863) Lincoln said to Secretary Welles that he had felt more anxiety in regard to the results than he had in 1860 when he was chosen President.  He could not have believed four years ago, he said, that one genuine American would or could be induced to vote for such a man as Vallandigham.  Yet he had been made the candidate of a large party, and received a vote that is a discredit to the country.  Mr. Welles adds:  “The President showed a good deal of emotion as he dwelt on this subject.”

After the battle of Gettysburg, a portion of the ground on which the engagement was fought was purchased by the State of Pennsylvania for a burial-place for the Union soldiers who were slain in that bloody encounter.  The tract included seventeen and a half acres adjoining the town cemetery.  It was planned to consecrate the ground with imposing ceremonies, in which the President, accompanied by his Cabinet and a large body of the military, was invited to assist.  The day appointed was the 19th of November; and the chief orator selected was Massachusetts’ eloquent son, Hon. Edward Everett.  Following him it was expected that the President would add some testimonials in honor of the dead.

Lincoln and Everett were representatives of two contrasting phases of American civilization:  the one, an outgrowth of the rough pioneer life of the West; the other, the product of the highest culture of the East.  They had met for the first time on this memorable day.  Everett’s oration was a finished literary production.  Smooth, euphonious, and elegant, it was delivered with the silvery tones and the graceful gestures of