Concerning Congress Men.
It is stated that he was much disgusted at the crowd of officers who some time ago used to loiter about the Washington hotels, and he is reported to have remarked to a member of Congress; “These fellows and the Congress men do vex me sorely.”
Another member of Congress was conversing with the President, and was somewhat annoyed by the President’s propensity to divert attention from the serious object he had on his mind, by ludicrous allusions.
“Mr. Lincoln,” said he, “I think you would have your joke if you were within a mile of hell.”
“Yes,” said the President, “that is about the distance to the Capitol.”
Inquisitiveness Nonplussed.
Mr. Lincoln has a very effective way sometimes of dealing with men who trouble him with questions. Somebody asked him how many men the rebels had in the field. He replied very seriously, “Twelve hundred thousand, according to the best authority.”
The interrogator blanched in the face, and ejaculated, “My God!”
“Yes, sir, twelve hundred thousand—no doubt of it. You see, all of our Generals, when they get whipped, say the enemy outnumbers them from three or five to one, and I must believe them; we have four hundred thousand men in the field, and three times four make twelve; don’t you see it?”
The inquisitive man looked for his hat soon after “seeing it.”