of stone for the fire to

Rail read

Ash Limit

Branch from

small lake

FELT

Magnetic meridian

rest upon. The one to the west was smaller and apparently built of stone, though possibly this may have been an ordinary fireplace, but no one can tell now for a certainty on account of its being torn up by those who first made excavations at this point. The building in which they were located was apparently 14 x 28 feet in plan, judging from the débris, or there may have been two contiguous buildings covering that space. The two forges and a small space immediately around them had been excavated at the time I made my examination, but some of the stone in the western one was still held in position by the roots of a sapling. Assuming that the best results would be obtained at these forges I made excavations in the undisturbed surface immediately surrounding them. About the east forge there were quantities of slag (cinder) such as is produced in a forge by the use of charcoal, and some of the pieces were fully three inches in diameter. There also I found one wrought-iron nail, two wrought-iron arrow-heads, a small iron wedge, an old-fashioned bit made by a blacksmith, and a small stone pipe. Near the west forge I found three nails and two arrowheads made of wrought iron, also a part of a hook made of the same material. Around this forge there was not so much slag.

A.J.H. del

Slough

PLAN OF THE SITE OF OLD FRENCH POST.

The pipe mentioned above was in a thick bed of charcoal, and is similar in shape to those met with in the ancient mounds and called “ ceremonial pipes." In all probability it was found by the occupants of the place whilst demolishing or leveling one of the mounds, for there are the remains of two of them still to be seen on this site, and there are numerous others in the neighborhood.

The outer work shown on the plan is built on an ancient mound, but its use is somewhat of an enigma. Just what it was built for cannot now be fully determined, yet it has the appearance of having been a lunette. If it had been connected with the main work, traces of the palisades intersecting it should be plainly visible, for the ground immediately surrounding it is undisturbed, but there is no indication of any such connection. In all probability a small building or palisaded enclosure once occupied this point, for the purpose of defending the boat landing and insuring a supply of water from the springs at the foot of the plateau. In fact, the occupation of this position would seem to be imperative, as the command of the river front, springs, etc., would have been of great importance in case of trouble with the Indians.

The northern part seems to have had no other defense than the walls of the buildings themselves. In the southern part there is good evidence that there was a palisade, there being a low embankment around that portion. There is no surface indication of a ditch or anything to show where the line of palisades stood, but the embankment is composed of refuse, such as bones, ashes, slag, etc., which were probably deposited along the palisades for convenience, and perhaps to strengthen them. It will also be noticed that while the ground plan of this work is somewhat odd, yet as a whole it is well adapted for defense. The southwest corner is evidently a bastion, while the southeast is very much of the same nature.

On the northern side, outside of the railroad right-of-way and beyond

the ruins, there are a few ashes which may have been dumped there or may have been caused by burning brush when the land was being cleared, but there is no evidence of any buildings at that point. The presence of stone protruding through the surface would require considerable quarrying to make room for a building.

Since the above was written I made further examination of this old post, on the 12th and 13th of April last, and set two men at work digging there,

but I did not learn very much more, however, from these supplementary excavations. Along the exterior ridge in front of the blacksmith-shop, at the southwest bastion there were traces of the palisades in the sand; at one place there were five posts which were burned to charcoal, and at another were traces of decayed posts. I judged that the charred ones were five inches in diameter. I also found a few scraps of iron, a flattened bullet, and an old gun-flint, at different points on the site.

The two drawings are from photographs taken after the hearths were

uncovered. The fire-place seen in the smaller picture is that marked D on the plan. In the other or general landscape view, the fort site is to be looked for just about opposite the wood-pile seen to the right of the railroad, recognized by the bright reflection from its top of the sun's rays. The peak on the right farther up the river is Trempeleau mountain, seen nearly in its entirety.

T H Lewia

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

LINCOLN'S RESTORATION POLICY FOR VIRGINIA

THE TRUTH BROUGHT TO LIGHT

During the years 1876-79 the writer was associated with the attorney, general of Virginia in the defense of what were known as "The Gold Cases." These were actions at law brought in the federal court at Richmond by the United States as plaintiff, against Ex-Governor William Smith and other parties who had been officers of the commonwealth in April, 1865, claiming of the defendants money of the state of Virginia which the governor had drawn out of the banks on the eve of the evacuation of Richmond, and paid to these parties on account of their official salaries.

In the course of the trial certain testimony was given by Governor Smith and Judge Henry W. Thomas of great historic value and importance. The testimony of Judge Thomas was of especial interest as bearing upon the question how far Mr. Lincoln was prepared to go, and did actually go, in putting into execution his admitted views in favor of the immediate restoration of the Southern States, more especially Virginia, to the Union. Recently, in glancing over Admiral Porter's Incidents of the Civil War, and reading his account of Mr. Lincoln's visit to Richmond, the importance of Judge Thomas's testimony became too clear to admit of further delay in giving it to the public. Admiral Porter's account, so far as it relates to the subject of this paper, is as follows:

Next morning, at ten o'clock, Mr. John A. Campbell, late justice of the supreme court of the United States, sent a request to be allowed to come on board with General Weitzel. He wanted to call on the President. He came on board and spent an hour. The President and himself seemed to be enjoying themselves very much, to judge from their laughter.

I did not go down to the cabin. In about an hour General Weitzel and Mr. Campbell came on deck, asked for a boat, and were landed.

I went down below for a moment, and the President said: 'Admiral, I am sorry you were not here when Mr. Campbell was on board. He has gone on shore happy. I gave him a written permission to allow the state legislature to convene in the capitol in the absence of all other government.'

I was rather astonished at this piece of information. I felt that this course would bring about complications, and wondered how it had all come to pass. I found it had all been done by the persuasive tongue of Mr. Campbell, who had promised the President that if the legislature of Virginia could meet in the halls of the confederate congress, it would

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