The importance of Lincoln’s re-election, to the country and to himself, is forcibly stated by General Grant and Secretary Seward.  The former telegraphed from City Point, the day following:  “The victory is worth more to the country than a battle won.”  And the same evening, at a public gathering held to celebrate the event, Mr. Seward said:  “The election has placed our President beyond the pale of human envy or human harm, as he is above the pale of human ambition.  Henceforth all men will come to see him as we have seen him—­a true, loyal, patient, patriotic, and benevolent man.  Having no longer any motive to malign or injure him, detraction will cease, and Abraham Lincoln will take his place with Washington and Franklin and Jefferson and Adams and Jackson—­among the benefactors of the country and of the human race.”

Lincoln evidently felt greatly reassured by the result of what had seemed to him a very doubtful contest; but with the return of cheerfulness came also the dread of continuing his official labors.  He began to long and plan for that happy period at the end of the second term when he should be free from public burdens.  “Mrs. Lincoln desired to go to Europe for a long tour of pleasure,” says Mr. Brooks.  “The President was disposed to gratify her wish; but he fixed his eyes on California as a place of permanent residence.  He had heard so much of the delightful climate and the abundant natural productions of California that he had become possessed of a strong desire to visit the State and remain there if he were satisfied with the results of his observations.  ‘When we leave this place,’ he said, one day, ’we shall have enough, I think, to take care of us old people.  The boys must look out for themselves.  I guess mother will be satisfied with six months or so in Europe.  After that I should really like to go to California and take a look at the Pacific coast.’”

After the Baltimore Convention, Mr. Chase proposed to resign his position as Secretary of the Treasury, but he was persuaded by influential friends of himself and Lincoln to reconsider his determination.  Chief among these friends was Hon. John Brough, the sturdy “War Governor” of Ohio.  Later in the summer of 1864 the relations between the President and Secretary Chase again became inharmonious; the latter determined a second time to resign, and communicated that fact in a confidential letter to Governor Brough.  Hon. Wm. Henry Smith, at that time Ohio’s Secretary of State, and intimately acquainted with the circumstances as they occurred, says:  “Mr. Brough went directly to Washington to bring about another reconciliation.  After talking the matter over with Mr. Chase and Mr. Stanton, he called on the President and urged a settlement that would retain the services of Mr. Chase in the Treasury Department.  Mr. Lincoln was very kind, and admitted the force of all that was urged; but finally said, with a quiet but impressive firmness, ’Brough, I think you had better give up the job this time.’  And thereupon he gave reasons why it was unwise for Mr. Chase to continue longer in the Cabinet.”