CHAPTER XIV. LINCOLN'S EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. Slavery in the District of Columbia Abolished--Law Goes Into Effect on April 10, 1862--Beginning of the End of Slavery--Military Measures in Congress to Carry on the War--Response to the President's Call --Beneficial Effects of the Confiscation Act--Visits to Soldiers' Camps--Robert S. Granger as a Cook--How I Came to Purchase a Washington Residence--Increase of Compensation to Senators and Members and Its Effect--Excitement in Ohio over Vallandigham's Arrest--News of the Fall of Vicksburg and Defeat of Lee at Gettysburg --John Brough Elected Governor of Ohio--Its Effect on the State. CHAPTER XV. A MEMORABLE SESSION OF CONGRESS. Dark Period of the War--Effect of the President's Proclamation-- Revenue Bill Enacted Increasing Internal Taxes and Adding Many New Objects of Taxation--Additional Bonds Issued--General Prosperity in the North Following the Passage of New Financial Measures--Aid for the Union Pacific Railroad Company--Land Grants to the Northern Pacific--13th Amendment to the Constitution--Resignation of Secretary Chase--Anecdote of Governor Tod of Ohio--Nomination of William P. Fessenden to Succeed Chase--The Latter Made Chief Justice--Lincoln's Second Nomination--Effect of Vallandigham's Resolution--General Sherman's March to the Sea--Second Session of the 38th Congress. CHAPTER XVI. ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Johnson's Maudlin Stump Speech in the Senate--Inauguration of Lincoln for the Second Term--My Trip to the South--Paying off a Church Debt--Meetings to Celebrate the Success of the Union Army-- News of the Death of Lincoln--I Attend the Funeral Services--General Johnston's Surrender to General Sherman--Controversy with Secretary Stanton Over the Event--Review of 65,000 Troops in Washington--Care of the Old Soldiers--Annual Pension List of $150,000,000--I am Re- elected to the Senate--The Wade-Davis Bill--Johnson's Treatment of Public Men--His Veto of the Civil Rights Bill--Reorganization of the Rebel States and Their Final Restoration to the Union. CHAPTER XVII. INDEBTEDNESS OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1865. Organization of the Greenback Party--Total Debt on October 31st amounts to $2,805,549,437.55--Secretary McCulloch's Desire to Convert All United States Notes into Interest Bearing Bonds--My Discussion with Senator Fessenden Over the Finance Committee's Bill --Too Great Powers Conferred on the Secretary of the Treasury--His Desire to Retire $10,000,000 of United States Notes Each Month-- Growth of the Greenback Party--The Secretary's Powers to Reduce the Currency by Retiring or Canceling United States Notes is Suspended--Bill to Reduce Taxes and Provide Internal Revenue--My Trip to Laramie and Other Western Forts with General Sherman-- Beginning of the Department of Agriculture.