excesses.  Learn the laws and obey them; obey God’s commandments and thank Him for giving you liberty, for to Him you owe all things.  There, now, let me pass on; I have but little time to spare.  I want to see the capital, and must return at once to Washington to secure to you that liberty which you seem to prize so highly.’  The crowd shouted and screeched as if they would split the firmament, though while the President was speaking you might have heard a pin drop.”

Presently the little party was able to move on.  “It never struck me,” says Admiral Porter, “there was anyone in that multitude who would injure Mr. Lincoln; it seemed to me that he had an army of supporters there who could and would defend him against all the world.  Our progress was very slow; we did not move a mile an hour, and the crowd was still increasing.  It was a warm day, and the streets were dusty, owing to the immense gathering which covered every part of them, kicking up the dirt.  The atmosphere was suffocating; but Mr. Lincoln could be seen plainly by every man, woman, and child, towering head and shoulders above that crowd; he overtopped every man there.  He carried his hat in his hand, fanning his face, from which the perspiration was pouring.  He looked as if he would have given his Presidency for a glass of water—­I would have given my commission for half that.

“Now came another phase in the procession.  As we entered the city every window flew up, from ground to roof, and every one was filled with eager, peering faces, which turned one to another, and seemed to ask, ’Is this large man, with soft eyes, and kind, benevolent face, the one who has been held up to us as the incarnation of wickedness, the destroyer of the South?’ There was nothing like taunt or defiance in the faces of those who were gazing from the windows or craning their necks from the sidewalks to catch a view of the President.  The look of every one was that of eager curiosity—­nothing more.  In a short time we reached the mansion of Mr. Davis, President of the Confederacy, occupied after the evacuation as the headquarters of General Weitzel and Shepley.  There was great cheering going on.  Hundreds of civilians—­I don’t know who they were—­assembled at the front of the house to welcome Mr. Lincoln.  General Shepley made a speech and gave us a lunch, after which we entered a carriage and visited the State House—­the late seat of the Confederate Congress.  It was in dreadful disorder, betokening a sudden and unexpected flight; members’ tables were upset, bales of Confederate scrip were lying about the floor, and many official documents of some value were scattered about.

“After this inspection I urged the President to go on board the ‘Malvern.’  I began to feel more heavily the responsibility resting upon me through the care of his person.  The evening was approaching, and we were in a carriage open on all sides.  He was glad to go; he was tired out, and wanted the quiet of the flag-ship.  I was oppressed with uneasiness until we got on board and stood on the deck with the President safe; then there was not a happier man anywhere than myself.”