Lincoln, President-elect], the
great political almoner, for the time being, had taken up his lodgings.
At this point," continues Judge Crawford, "the crowd swelled to
astonishing numbers of expectant and hopeful men, awaiting an
opportunity, either to see Mr. Lincoln himself, or to communicate with
him through some one who might be so fortunate as to have access to his
presence."
Describing his reception in the Federal capital, Judge Crawford says:
"The feverish and emotional condition of affairs soon made the
presence of the special Commissioner at Washington known
throughout the city. Congress was still, of course, in session;
Senators and members of the House of Representatives, excepting
those of the Confederate States, who had withdrawn, were in
their seats, and the manifestations of anxious care and gloomy
forebodings were plainly to be seen on all sides. This was not
confined to sections, but existed among the men of the North and
West as well as those of the South....
"Mr. Buchanan, the President, was in a state of most thorough
alarm, not only for his home at Wheatland, but for his personal
safety.[151] In the very few days which had elapsed between the
time of his promise to receive a Commissioner from the
Confederate States and the actual arrival of the Commissioner,
he had become so fearfully panic-stricken, that he declined
either to receive him or to send any message to the Senate
touching the subject-matter of his mission.
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