"THERE IS MUCH IN AN 'IF' AND A 'BUT.'"
Mr. Tinkler, telegraph-operator of the cipher telegrams at Washington, in the Executive residence, took the despatch announcing the nomination of Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, to the vice-presidency with Lincoln for the second term. The latter read it carefully, and thought aloud:
"Well, I thought possibly that he might be the man; but--"
He passed out of the office, leaving the hearer impressed. Indeed, it was a prophecy of the future--poor, inebriate Andy--not the Handy Andy, but the Merry Andrew of the fag-end of the lamentably sundered second term. Charles A. Dana, editing the New York Sun, printed this drop-line, and said it was a proof that Lincoln had no hand in his Vice being proposed or nominated.