Extra Credit Questions

[RJNorton]

In 1861, a well-known gentleman came to Washington to seek for office of Consul at Florence. On March 22, he attended a levee at the White House and later wrote his wife about the event:
“A steady stream of two-&-two’s wound thro’ the apartments shaking hands with ‘Old Abe’ and immediately passing on...Of course I was one of the shakers. Old Abe is much better looking than I expected & younger looking. He shook hands like a good fellow - working hard at it like a man sawing wood at so much per cord.”
Who was this gentleman?