The chain of defeats and "flashes in the pan" attending the opening of the campaign beginning as a march upon Richmond, [Footnote: Some Northern newspapers kept a standing head: "On to Richmond!"] but eventuating in a defense of Washington, humiliating as was this reverse, promoted all sorts and conditions of men, moneyed, well-grounded, and investing in the new government securities, fluctuating like wildcat stock, to pester the President with Jeremiads and counsel. To one deputation from his home parts he administered this caustic rebuke in such illustration as was habitual to him: "Gentlemen, suppose all the property you were worth was in gold, and you had put it in the hands of Blondin, to carry across the Niagara River on a rope, would you shake the cable, or keep shouting out to him: "'Blondin, stand up straighter! Blondin, stoop a little more! go a little faster! _lean a little more to the North!_ to the South?' "No; you would hold your breath as well as your tongue, and keep your hands off all, until he was safe over. "The government [Footnote: Lincoln always used "Government" and "U. S." as nouns carrying a plural verb.] are carrying an immense weight. Untold treasures are in their hands. They are doing the very best they can. Don't pester them! Keep silence, and we will get you safe across." * * * * * THE PIONEER'S LAND-TITLE. Judge Weldon was appointed United States attorney, acting in Illinois. Being at Washington, some speculators, knowing he was an old friend of the President, engaged him for their side. They wanted to get cotton permits from the treasury, which was feasible, but made sure that the military would recognize these passes--no doubt, if the President would countersign them. Otherwise the army officers acted often without regard to trade desires. On broaching the subject to the potentate on whose lips so much hung at the epoch, the latter brightened up and, in his branching-off manner, said: "By the way, what has become of your friend Robert Lewis?" Lewis was the clerk of the court in Illinois, and at home, well and thrifty. "Do you remember," continued the President, "his story about his going to Missouri to look up some Mormon lands belonging to his father?" Whereupon, as Weldon said that he had forgot some details, the story-teller related with unction: