brigadier came in the unanimous indorsement of the delegation from Illinois. I do not think I knew any of the members but Washburne, and I did not know him very well. It was only after Donelson that I began to see how important was the work that Providence devolved upon me. And yet after Donelson I was in disgrace and under arrest, and practically without a command, because of some misunderstanding on the part of Halleck. It all came right in time. I never bore Halleck ill will for it, and we remained friendly. He was in command, But I hardly

and it was his duty to command as he pleased. know what would have come of it, as far as I was concerned, had not the country interfered. You see Donelson was our first clear victory, and you will remember the enthusiasm that came with it. The country saved me from Halleck's displeasure. When other commands came I always regretted them. When the bill creating the grade of Lieutenant-General was proposed, with my name as the Lieutenant-General, I wrote Mr. Washburne opposing it. I did not want it. I found that the bill was right and I was wrong, when I came to command the Army of the Potomac that a head was needed to the army. I did not want the Presidency, and have never quite forgiven myself for resigning the command of the army to accept it; but it could not be helped. I owed my honors and opportunities to the Republican party, and if my name could aid it I was bound to accept. The second nomination was almost due to me-if I may use the phrase-because of the bitterness of political and personal opponents. My re-election was a great gratification, because it showed me how the country felt. Then came all the discussions about the third term. I gave my views on that in my letters to Senator White, of Pennsylvania. It is not known, however, how strongly I was pressed to enter the canvass as a candidate. I was waited upon formally by a distinguished man, representing the influences that would have controlled the Republicans in the South, and asked to allow my name to be used. This request was supported by men in the Northern States whose position and character are unquestioned. I said then that under no circumstances would I be

come a candidate.

Even if a nomination and an election were assured I would not run. The nomination, if I ran, would be after a struggle, and before it had been unanimous. The election, if I should win, would be after a struggle, and the result would be far different from what it was before. If I succeeded, and tried to do my best, my very best, I should still have a crippled administration. This was the public view. I never had any illusions on the subject, never allowed myself to be swayed for an instant from my purpose. The pressure was great. But personally I was weary of office. I never wanted to get out of a place as much as I did to get out of the Presidency. For sixteen years, from the opening of the war, it had been a constant strain upon me. So when the third term was seriously presented to me I peremptorily declined it."

HERE was no special incident on our journey from Chefoo, except on the morning of June 18th, when the sea rose and the wind became a gale. We had had so much good weather since we left Marseilles, that when we came on deck and saw a white, frothing sea, the thermometer going down, and Captain Benham leaning over the rail and looking anxiously at the clouds, we were not in a critical but a grateful mood, for has it not been written that into all lives some rain must fall-some days be dark and dreary? At dinner in the ward-room one of my naval friends. had expressed a disgust at the condition of the weather, saying that if these calm seas continued, our grandparents would take to a seafaring life, as the most comfortable way of spending their declining years. Captain Benham watched the storm for