From that time forth he resolutely ignored all danger
of this kind. During most of the time that he was in office any one
could easily call upon him, unguarded, at the White House; he moved
through the streets of Washington like any private citizen; and he drove
about the environs, and habitually in the warm season took the long
drive to and from the Soldiers' Home, with substantially no protection.
When, at last, a guard at the White House and an escort upon his drives
were fairly forced upon him by Mr. Stanton (who was declared by the
gossip of the unfriendly to be somewhat troubled with physical
timidity), he rebelled against these incumbrances upon his freedom, and
submitted, when he had to do so, with an ill grace. To those who
remonstrated with him upon his carelessness he made various replies.
Sometimes, half jocosely, he said that it was hardly likely that any
intelligent Southerner would care to get rid of him in order to set
either Vice-President Hamlin or, later, Vice-President Johnson, in his
place. At other times he said: "What is the use of setting up the _gap_,
when the fence is down all round?" or, "I do not see that I can make
myself secure except by shutting myself up in an iron box, and in that
condition I think I could hardly satisfactorily transact the business of
the presidency." Again he said: "If I am killed, I can die but once; but
to live in constant dread of it, is to die over and over again.
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