For a day or two the house has been full of patriots on the
way to Baltimore who wish to pay their respects, and engrave on the expectant
mind of the President their images in view of future contingencies. Among the
genuine delegations have come some of the bogus and the irregular ones.
Cuthbert Bullitt is here with Louisiana in his trousers' pocket. He has passed
through New York and has gotten considerably stampeded by the talk of the
trading pettifoggers of politics there. He feels uneasy in his seat.
The South Carolina delegation came in yesterday. The
President says “let them in.” “They are a swindle,” I said. “They won't swindle
me,” quoth the President. They filed in; a few sutlers, cotton-dealers and
negroes presented a petition and retired.
Florida sends two delegations; neither will get in. Each
attacks the others as unprincipled tricksters.
Lamon hurt himself badly yesterday by falling from his
carriage on the pavement. I went to see him this morning; found him bruised but
plucky. Says he intends to go to Baltimore to-morrow. Says he feels inclined to
go for Cameron for the Vice-Presidency, on personal grounds. Says he thinks
Lincoln rather prefers Johnson or some War Democrat as calculated to give more
strength to the ticket.
Nicolay started over to-day in company with Cameron. . . . .
SOURCES: Clara B. Hay, Letters of John Hay and
Extracts from Diary, Volume 1, p. 196-7; see Michael Burlingame & John
R. Turner Ettlinger, Editors, Inside Lincoln’s White House: The
Complete Civil War Diary of John Hay, p. 199-200 for the full diary entry.
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