By treachery of those in charge of our navy-yards, arsenals, and treasury, the South began the bloody strife better provided than the simple North. But adverse fate seemed bent on keeping the disparity for long in favor of the weaker contestant. By one of those wicked dispensations tripping up our early march, the secretary of the navy was selected in Gideon Welles, an estimable gentleman in person, but wofully unsuited to the berth, if from age alone. Patriarchal in appearance, with a long face and longer beard, white and sere, it became proverbial without appearing much of a far-fetched joke that he was the naval constructor to Noah of Ark-aic fame. Unfortunately his "set" were antiques as well. Yet Lincoln clung to him--or he clung to the President like the Old Man of the Sea--under which aspect he was presented by the caricaturists. One day, however, said the gossips of the White House, Mr. Lincoln dropped the newspaper in reading, and exclaimed: "Listen!" said he to his secretary, "a man has been _run over by a hearse_! As I saw Welles not so long ago, it must be one of _Gideon's_ Band!" A song entitled "Gideon's Band," introduced by the negro minstrels in New York, was popular on the streets and in the camps. * * * * * BLOOD-SHEDDING REMITS SINS. Judge Kellogg, having an application for condoning a death sentence against a soldier, urged that he had served well hitherto, having been badly wounded under fire. "Kellogg," remarked Lincoln quickly, "is there not something in the Bible about the shedding of blood for the remission of sins?" As the judge was not familiar with ecclesiastical law, he merely bowed. In fact, the blood-offerings of the ancients was of animals, and it was deemed profane to offer one's own. Still, the offering of blood is dedication to a friend or the country. Lincoln had _the idea_ correctly. "That's a good point," he brightly said, "and there is no going behind it!" So saying, he wrote the pardon, which Kellogg transmitted to the gladdened father of the culprit. Mr. Lincoln had no need to go back to Scripture for his defense. It is martial law, unwritten but valid, that if a delinquent soldier, fugitive from justice, or breaking prison, reaches the battle-field and takes his place gallantly, no more would be said about the hanging charge, even though it were literally a hanging one. * * * * * HIS "LEG CASES."