"He got away—South, sir," I answered. "He couldn't stand it. He hasn't been heard of since the summer of '63. They think he was killed in Texas. But they are not positive. They probably never will be," I added. He was silent awhile.
"Too bad!" he said. "Too bad. What stuff those men are made of! And so you want me to pardon this Colfax?"
"It would be presumptuous in me to go that far, sir," I replied. "But I hoped you might speak of it to the General when he comes. And I would be glad of the opportunity to testify."
He took a few strides up and down the room.
"Well, well," he said, "that's my vice—pardoning, saying yes. It's always one more drink with me. It—" he smiled—"it makes me sleep better. I've pardoned enough Rebels to populate New Orleans. Why," he continued, with his whimsical look, "just before I left Washington, in comes one of your Missouri senators with a list of Rebels who are shut up in McDowell's and Alton. I said:— "'Senator, you're not going to ask me to turn loose all those at once?'
"He said just what you said when you were speaking of Missouri a while ago, that he was afraid of guerilla warfare, and that the war was nearly over. I signed 'em. And then what does he do but pull out another batch longer than the first! And those were worse than the first.
"'What! you don't want me to turn these loose, too?'
"'Yes, I do, Mr. President. I think it will pay to be merciful.'
"'Then durned if I don't,' I said, and I signed 'em."
STEAMER "RIVER QUEEN."
ON THE POTOMAC, April 9, 1865.