. A belle of the fifties; memoirs of Mrs. Clay of Alabama, covering social and political life in Washington and the South, 1853-66 . General. The paper, prepared by the hand of an amanuensis,had been written at and dated from the ExecutiveMansion, and a space beneath had been reserved for thename of the Secretary of War. When it reached myhand, however, the words at the top, viz.: ExecutiveMansion, had been crossed out and War Departmentsubstituted; the space for signature had been filled inwith the name of Mr. Stantons assistant. General Town-send, and the words Secretary of War (below) hadbe
. A belle of the fifties; memoirs of Mrs. Clay of Alabama, covering social and political life in Washington and the South, 1853-66 . General. The paper, prepared by the hand of an amanuensis,had been written at and dated from the ExecutiveMansion, and a space beneath had been reserved for thename of the Secretary of War. When it reached myhand, however, the words at the top, viz.: ExecutiveMansion, had been crossed out and War Departmentsubstituted; the space for signature had been filled inwith the name of Mr. Stantons assistant. General Town-send, and the words Secretary of War (below) hadbeen crossed out. The changes were made in a differentink from that used in the body of the paper. Thedocument was a curious additional proof of Mr. Stantonspersonal indisposition to release his illegally detainedprisoner, and of Mr. Johnsons equal evasion of theresponsibility of freeing him. As neither name appearedupon the document, it would seem as if a muddle hadbeen intended in the event of some later complicationsarising. It was already toward the midnight hour when thisdocument was handed to me. I seized it eagerly, and,. JEFFERSON DAVIS and CLEMENT C. CLAY, JR.(after release from Fortress Monroe) THE GOVERNMENT YIELDS ITS PRISONER 375 thanking the President for at last performing the act forwhich I had so long pleaded, I hurried to the carriagewhich had been in waiting and ordered the coachman todrive with all haste to the telegraph office. As I partedfrom the President he expressed the warmest goodwishes for Mr. Clays health and our future, and pressedupon me an autographed carte de visite, which I tookwith no less surprise than pleasure, being glad to seein the politician before me this evidence of the inner,sympathetic man. Though our horses dashed down theavenue at breakneck speed, it was within a few momentsof twelve oclock when I hurried into the telegraphoffice. Can you send a telegram to-night? I asked. Yes, Madam, was the reply. Inexpressibly relieved, I dictated
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