various papers of Knoxville, Tenn., as well as having been correspondent for various newspapers, The Courier-Journal being one of the number.

AT LEAST TWO STILL LIVE WHO SAW LINCOLN SHOT

Of the 1,800 who were in Ford's Theatre fifty-five years ago when John Wilkes Booth fired the shot that shocked the world, at least two are still alive.

GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE

Gen. Robert E. Lee requires special notice when recording the war experiences of Abraham Lincoln. He would have greatly assisted Lincoln in the reconstruction of the Southern states had he lived to complete his second term as President.

On the 18th of April, Robert E. Lee had an interview with Francis E. Blair, who, with the knowledge of Lincoln and Cameron unofficially, but it is said authoritatively, offered him the command of the United States Army in the field. We have his own account of this interview written after the war and agreeing with Blair.

He said, "I never intimated to anyone that I desired the command of the U. S. Army, nor did I ever have a conversation with but one gentleman, the Honorable Francis E. Blair, on the subject, which was at his invitation, and as I understand, at the instance of President Lincoln. After listening to his remarks I declined the offer made me to take command of the army that was to be brought into the field, stating as candidly and conscientiously as I could, that I could take no part in an invasion of the southern states." (From a letter written to Reverdy Johnson F. Lee, Page 85, Life of General Lee, by Gamaliel Bradford, Jr.)

At the time of the secession of Virginia he was living at Arlington, an estate on the Potomac River, near Washington, D. C., which he acquired upon his marriage in January, 1851, with the daughter of Randolph Park Curtis, grandson of Martha Washington. His father and his wife's grandfather were connected with some of the most heroic characters prominent in the War of the Revolution.

As stated in my former book on Pages 216 and 217, "When Gen. Robert E. Lee assumed the presidency of Washington College,

October, 1865, that position he occupied until October, 1870, he said: "I think it the duty of every citizen, in the present condition of the country, to do all in his power to aid in the restoration of peace and harmony, and in no way to oppose the policy of the state or government directed to that object."

To the Confederate government of Virginia, he said: "The duty of citizens appears to me too plain to admit of doubt. All should unite in honest effort to obliterate the effects of war, and to restore the blessings of peace. They should remain if possible in the country; promote harmony and good feeling; qualify themselves to vote, and elect to the state and legislature wise and patriotic men, who will devote their abilities to the healing of all dissensions. I have invariably recommended this course since the cessation of hostilities and have endeavored to practice it myself."

The feeling among really thinking people of the South is that had Lincoln lived he would have been the truest and most valuable friend of the South, preventing the horrors of the period of reconstruction which were brought about by those who were after graft and privileges. This was a source of great loss and hardship to the Southern people and a disgrace to the Lincoln Republican party. Thaddeus Stevens, known as the Commoner, and in absolute control of the junker faction of his party in the House of Representatives, and an inveterate foe of the South, hated Lincoln for that which the South loved him, which was his desire to help the South and prevent the terrible misfortunes inflicted during the reconstruction period.

Thaddeus Stevens and his junker associates were determined that the South should be treated as conquered territory, as this would enable them an opportunity of exploiting the secession states and reap a great harvest of spoils from the so-called conquered people.

The war on the part of loyal unionists was a war for principle—to prevent the dismemberment of the United States and the spread of slavery. The carpet-baggers abandoned the claim of principle, justice or humanity, and like jackals and vultures feeding upon the dead after the battle, sought only to satisfy their avarice and greed.

After many years of unnecessary hardship resulting from this cruel policy, the Southern people have regained their normal and prosperous condition and have proven themselves patriotic and loyal citizens of the Union.

COST OF REVOLUTION AND CIVIL WAR.

"When we compare the area of the Revolution," as stated by Charles Frances Adams (see page 116 Studies-Military and Diplomatic) "with the area covered by the Civil War, we will be surprised at the great magnitude of the latter when compared with the former. The great responsibility which rested upon Lincoln, was not equalled in many respects by that which fell to the lot of Washington." With the Canadian boundary and Lake Champlain for the limit at the North, the area of the Revolution extends to Chesapeake Bay on the South,a distance of approximately four hundred and fifty miles. Bordering on the ocean, this region was almost everywhere vulnerable by water, while its interior depth at no point exceeded two hundred and fifty miles, and for all practical purposes was limited to one hundred miles; Oswego on Lake Ontario being the point farthest from new York (250 miles) on the northwest, and Reading the point farthest westward (100 miles) from the Jersey coast.

New York was practically at the strategic center-that is, where movement was concerned; it was about equi-distant from Albany and Fort Edward at one extreme, and from the capes of the Delaware and the headwaters of Chesapeake Bay on the other. Philadelphia was practically one hundred miles from New York, and Albany was one hundred and fifty miles from it.

Charles Frances Adams states that Washington conducted active operations in five campaigns, (1) that of 1775-1776, before Boston; (2) that of 1776 in New York and New Jersey; (3) that of 1777, about Philadelphia; (4) of 1778, culminating at Mammouth Court House; and (5) of 1780, and finally, that closing at York

town.

The national debt caused by the Revolutionary War was:
Foreign, $12,000,000, mostly due France, Holland and Spain.
Domestic, $42,000,000.

The debt incurred by the several states: $25,000,000. Through Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, this debt of $79,000,000 was funded by the United States government.

The amount spent by Washington from the commencement of the war until December 13, 1783, which he then adjusted with the Treasury, was 14,500 pounds sterling money. This was actually expended out of his personal fortune, and was refunded to him, but he accepted no pay for his services, which lasted for eight years.

COST OF THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.

According to John J. Knox's United States notes, referred to by Nicolay and Hay in their History of Abraham Lincoln, the cost of

conducting the war, after it was fully inaugurated, was scarcely at any time less than $30,000,000 a month. At many times, it far exIceeded this amount. Sometimes it was not less than $90,000,000 a month; and the average expense of the war, from its inception to its conclusion, may be said to have been about $2,000,000 a day. The public debt reached the maximum on Aug. 31, 1865, on which day it amounted to $2,840,907,626.56.

It might be well to consider what this money could have accomplished for the South; if Lincoln's proposition had been accepted, it would have much more than paid for the price of the slaves. The Southern States, with money, could have redeemed most of the swamp lands, built a deep waterway from the gulf to the lake and improved many of their harbors. Besides this, millions of valuable improvements would have been saved in the South which were destroyed in the war.

The

Messrs. Nicolay and Hay, in their valuable History of Abraham Lincoln, also state: That the carnage and waste of the war had surpassed the darkest forebodings, the most reckless prophesies on Union side 2,200,000 men had enlisted, on the Confederate side, about 1,100,000. Of these, 110,000 Union soldiers were killed or mortally wounded in battle; a quarter of a million died of other causes. total of deaths by the war on the Northern side amounted to 360,282; the number of Confederate dead cannot be accurately estimated; it ranges between 250,000 to 300,000. The expenses of the war to the Union, over and above the ordinary expenses of the government, were about $3,250,000,000; to the confederacy, less than half that amount, about $1,500,000,000. (See volume 10, page 339.)

The expense of the National Government and the several states amounted to $6,165,237,000; the total cost of the war to the North and South, according to David N. Wile, was $8,165,237,000.

Confederate authorities state that the South never had over 200,000 men in the aggregate in arms, which were opposed by some 2,800,000 enlisted at different times in the Union army; 475,000 were from secession states, 135,000 from border states. There were 1,000,000 men on either side at the close of the war when Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant, and Joseph E. Johnson surrendered to Sherman.

The United States army increased from 17,000 in 1860, to 1,000,000 men. Quotas charged against the state under calls made by the President four years from April 15, 1861, to April 14, 1864, are 7,758,049 being three months to three years.

The aggregate number of men credited on the several calls and put into service in the army and navy and marine corps was 2,690,401. Efficiency would have been filled if the war had not closed when it did. (History of Lincoln, by Hay and Nickolay.)