Speech at a Serenade--Reply to a Presentation Address--Peace Rumors--Rebel Commissioners--Instructions to Secretary Seward--The Conference in Hampton Roads--Result--Extra Session of the Senate--Military Situation--Sherman-- Charleston--Columbia--Wilmington--Fort Fisher--Sheridan-- Grant--Rebel Congress--Second Inauguration--Inaugural-- English Comment--Proclamation to Deserters 350 CHAPTER XXIV. IN RICHMOND. President Visits City Point--Lee’s Failure--Grant’s Movement-- Abraham Lincoln in Richmond--Lee’s Surrender--President’s Impromptu Speech--Speech on Reconstruction--Proclamation Closing Certain Ports--Proclamation Relative to Maritime Rights-- Supplementary Proclamation--Orders from the War Department-- The Traitor President 362 CHAPTER XXV. THE LAST ACT. Interview with Mr. Colfax--Cabinet Meeting--Incident-- Evening Conversation--Possibility of Assassination--Leaves for the Theatre--In the Theatre--Precautions for the Murder--The Pistol Shot--Escape of the Assassin--Death of the President--Pledges Redeemed--Situation of the Country-- Effect of the Murder--Obsequies at Washington--Borne Home-- Grief of the People--At Rest 374 CHAPTER XXVI. THE MAN. Reasons for His Re-election--What was Accomplished--Leaning on the People--State Papers--His Tenacity of Purpose--Washington and Lincoln--As a Man--Favorite Poem--Autobiography--His Modesty --A Christian--Conclusion 382 APPENDIX. Mr. Lincoln’s Speeches in Congress and Elsewhere, Proclamations, Letters, etc., not included in the Body of the Work. Speech on the Mexican War, (In Congress, Jan. 12, 1848) 391 Speech on Internal Improvements, (In Congress, June 20, 1848) 403 Speech on the Presidency and General Politics, (In Congress, July 27, 1848) 417 Speech in Reply to Mr. Douglas, on Kansas, the Dred Scott Decision, and the Utah Question, (At Springfield, June 26, 1857) 431 Speech in Reply to Senator Douglas, (At Chicago, July 10, 1858) 442 Opening Passages of his Speech at Freeport 459 Letter to Gen. McClellan 464 Letter to Gen. Schofield Relative to the Removal of Gen. Curtis 466 Three Hundred Thousand Men Called For 466 Rev. Dr. McPheeters--President’s Reply to an Appeal for Interference 468 An Election Ordered in the State of Arkansas 470 Letter to William Fishback on the Election in Arkansas 471