One story had it that Mr.Buchanan was to be kidnapped and made off with so that Vice President Breckenridge might succeed and, acting as _de facto_ President, throw the country into confusion and revolution, defeating the inauguration of Lincoln and the coming in of the Republicans.

It was a figment of drink and fancy.

There was never any such scheme.

If there had been Breckenridge would not have consented to be party to it.

He was a man of unusual mental as well as personal dignity and both temperamentally and intellectually a thorough conservative.
I had been engaged by Mr.L.A.Gobright, the agent of what became later the Associated Press, to help with the report of the inauguration ceremonies the 4th of March, 1861, and in the discharge of this duty I kept as close to Mr.Lincoln as I could get, following after him from the senate chamber to the east portico of the capitol and standing by his side whilst he delivered his inaugural address.
Perhaps I shall not be deemed prolix if I dwell with some particularity upon an occasion so historic.