The more evident it grew that the President, at whom the stupid jeers
persisted through incurable density of his enemies, was the vital motor
of the Union cause, than threats of violently removing him were
continually sent him. So many such letters accumulated that he grimly
packeted them together and labeled the mass: "Assassination Papers." It
was a Damoclesian dagger of which he spoke lightly, because fear of
death never awed him. When a man walks in the manifest path traced out
for him by Heaven, he does not tremble. But friends, more concerned by
the strain in watching over his safety, expressing surprise at his
indifference, he tried to reassure them:
"Oh, there is nothing like getting used to things!"
* * * * *