the Tall Southerner--The Vote of the Springfield Clergy--A Graceful Letter to the Poet Bryant--"Looking up Hard Spots" CHAPTER XIV Lincoln Chosen President--The Election of 1860--The Waiting-Time at Springfield--A Deluge of Visitors--Various Impressions of the President-Elect--Some Queer Callers--Looking over the Situation with Friends--Talks about the Cabinet--Thurlow Weed's Visit to Springfield--The Serious Aspect of National Affairs--The South in Rebellion--Treason at the National Capital--Lincoln's Farewell Visit to His Mother--The Old Sign, "Lincoln & Herndon"--The Last Day at Springfield--Farewell Speech to Friends and Neighbors--Off for the Capital--The Journey to Washington--Receptions and Speeches along the Route--At Cincinnati: A Hitherto Unpublished Speech by Lincoln--At Cleveland: Personal Descriptions of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln--At New York City: Impressions of the New President--Perils of the Journey--The Baltimore Plot--Change of Route--Arrival at the Capital CHAPTER XV Lincoln at the Helm--First Days in Washington--Meeting Public--Men and Discussing Public Affairs--The Inauguration--The Inaugural Address--A New Era Begun--Lincoln in the White House--The First Cabinet--The President and the Office-Seekers-- Southern Prejudice against Lincoln--Ominous Portents, but Lincoln not Dismayed--The President's Reception Room--Varied Impressions of the New President--Guarding the White House CHAPTER XVI Civil War--Uprising of the Nation--The President's First Call for Troops--Response of the Loyal North--The Riots in Baltimore--Loyalty of Stephen A. Douglas--Douglas's Death--Blockade of Southern Ports--Additional War Measures--Lincoln xixDefines the Policy of the Government--His Conciliatory Course--His Desire to Save Kentucky--The President's First Message to Congress--Gathering of Troops in Washington--Reviews and Parades--Disaster at Bull Run--The President Visits the Army-- Good Advice to an Angry Officer--A Peculiar Cabinet Meeting--Dark Days for Lincoln--A "Black Mood" in the White House-- Lincoln's Unfaltering Courage--Relief in Story-Telling--A Pretty Good Land Title--"Measuring up" with Charles Sumner--General Scott "Unable as a Politician"--A Good Drawing-Plaster--The New York Millionaires who Wanted a Gunboat--A Good Bridge-Builder--A Sick Lot of Office-Seekers CHAPTER XVII Lincoln's Wise Statesmanship--The Mason and Slidell Affair--Complications with England--Lincoln's "Little Story" on the Trent Affair--Building of the "Monitor"--Lincoln's Part in the Enterprise--The President's First Annual Message--Discussion of the Labor Question--A President's Reception in War Time--A Great Affliction--Death in the White House--Chapters from the Secret Service--A Morning Call on the President--Goldwin Smith's Impressions of Lincoln--Other Notable Tributes CHAPTER XVIII Lincoln and His Cabinet--An Odd Assortment of Officials--Misconceptions of Rights and Duties--Frictions and Misunderstand-ings--The Early Cabinet Meetings--Informal Conversational Affairs--Queer Attitude toward the War--Regarded as a Political Affair--Proximity to Washington a Hindrance to Military Success--Disturbances in the Cabinet--A Senate Committee Demands Seward's Removal from the Cabinet--Lincoln's Mastery of the Situation--Harmony Restored--Stanton becomes War Secretary-- Sketch of a Remarkable Man--Next to Lincoln, the Master-Mind of the Cabinet--Lincoln the Dominant Power CHAPTER XIX Lincoln's Personal Attention to the Military Problems of the War--Efforts to Push forward the War--Disheartening Delays-- 6 Lincoln's Worry and Perplexity Brightening Prospects--Union Victories in North Carolina and Tennessee--Proclamation by the President--Lincoln Wants to See for Himself--Visits Fortress Monroe--Witnesses an Attack on the Rebel Ram "Merrimac"--The Capture of Norfolk--Lincoln's Account of the Affair--Letter to McClellan--Lincoln and the Union Soldiers--His xxTender Solicitude for the Boys in Blue--Soldiers Always Welcome at the White House--Pardoning Condemned Soldiers--Letter to a Bereaved Mother--The Case of Cyrus Pringle--Lincoln's Love of Soldiers' Humor--Visiting the Soldiers in Trenches and Hospitals--Lincoln at "The Soldiers' Rest" CHAPTER XX Lincoln and McClellan--The Peninsular Campaign of 1862--Impatience with McClellan's Delay--Lincoln Defends McClellan from Unjust Criticism--Some Harrowing Experiences--McClellan Recalled from the Peninsula--His Troops Given to General Pope-- Pope's Defeat at Manassas--A Critical Situation--McClellan again in Command--Lincoln Takes the Responsibility--McClellan's Account of His Reinstatement--The Battle of Antietam--The President Vindicated--Again Dissatisfied with McClellan--Visits the Army in the Field--The President in the Saddle--Correspondence between Lincoln and McClellan--McClellan's Final Removal--Lincoln's Summing-Up of McClellan--McClellan's "BodyGuard" CHAPTER XXI Lincoln and Slavery--Plan for Gradual Emancipation--Anti-Slavery Legislation in 1862--Pressure Brought to Bear on the Executive--The Delegation of Quakers--A Visit from Chicago Clergymen--Interview between Lincoln and Channing--Lincoln and Horace Greeley--The President's Answer to "The Prayer of Twenty Millions of People"--Conference between Lincoln and Greeley--Emancipation Resolved on--The Preliminary Proclamation--Lincoln's Account of It--Preparing for the Final Act--The Emancipation Proclamation--Particulars of the Great Document--Fate of the Original Draft--Lincoln's Outline of His Course and Views Regarding Slavery CHAPTER XXII President and People--Society at the White House in 1862-3--The President's Informal Receptions--A Variety of Callers-- Characteristic Traits of Lincoln--His Ability to Say No when Necessary--Would not Countenance Injustice--Good Sense and Tact in Settling Quarrels--His Shrewd Knowledge of Men--Getting Rid of Bores--Loyalty to His Friends--Views of His Own Position--"Attorney for the People"--Desire that They Should Understand Him--His Practical Kindness--A Badly Scared Petitioner--Telling a Story to Relieve Bad News--A Breaking Heart beneath the Smiles--His Deeply Religious Nature--The Changes Wrought by Grief xxi CHAPTER XXIII Lincoln's Home-Life in the White House--Comfort in the Companionship of his Youngest Son--"Little Tad" the Bright Spot in the White House--The President and His Little Boy Reviewing the Army of the Potomac--Various Phases of Lincoln's Character--His Literary Tastes--Fondness for Poetry and Music--His Remarkable Memory--Not a Latin Scholar--Never Read a Novel--Solace in Theatrical Representation--Anecdotes of Booth and McCullough--Methods of Literary Work--Lincoln as an Orator--Caution in Impromptu Speeches--His Literary Style--Management of His Private Correspondence--Knowledge of Woodcraft--Trees and Human Character--Exchanging Views with Professor Agassiz--Magnanimity toward Opponents--Righteous Indignation--Lincoln's Religious Nature CHAPTER XXIV Trials of the Administration in 1863--Hostility to War Measures--Lack of Confidence at the North--Opposition in Congress-- How Lincoln Felt about the "Fire in the Rear"--Criticisms from Various Quarters--Visit of "the Boston Set"--The Government on a Tight-Rope--The Enlistment of Colored Troops--Interview between Lincoln and Frederick Douglass--Reverses in the Field--Changes of Military Leaders--From Burnside to Hooker--Lincoln's First Meeting with "Fighting Joe"--The President's Solicitude--His Warning Letter to Hooker--His Visit to the Rappahannock--Hooker's Self-Confidence the "Worst Thing about Him"--The Defeat at Chancellorsville--The Failure of Our Generals--"Wanted, a Man" 7 CHAPTER XXV The Battle-Summer of 1863--A Turn of the Tide--Lee's Invasion of Pennsylvania--A Threatening Crisis--Change of Union Commanders--Meade Succeeds Hooker--The Battle of Gettysburg--Lincoln's Anxiety during the Fight--The Retreat of Lee-- Union Victories in the Southwest--The Capture of Vicksburg--Lincoln's Thanks to Grant--Returning Cheerfulness--Congratulations to the Country--Improved State of Feeling at the North--State Elections of 1863--The Administration Sustained--Dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg--Lincoln's Address--Scenes and Incidents at the Dedication--Meeting with Old John Burns--Edward Everett's Impressions of Lincoln xxii CHAPTER XXVI Lincoln and Grant--Their Personal Relations--Grant's Success at Chattanooga--Appointed Lieutenant-General--Grant's First Visit to Washington--His Meeting with Lincoln--Lincoln's First Impressions of Grant--The First "General" Lincoln had Found-- "That Presidential Grub"--True Version of the Whiskey Anecdote--Lincoln Tells Grant the Story of Sykes's Dog--"We'd Better Let Mr. Grant Have His Own Way"--Grant's Estimate of Lincoln CHAPTER XXVII Lincoln's Second Presidential Term--His Attitude toward it--Rival Candidates for the Nomination--Chase's Achillean Wrath-- Harmony Restored--The Baltimore Convention--Decision "not to Swap Horses while Crossing a Stream"--The Summer of 1864--Washington again Threatened--Lincoln under Fire--Unpopular Measures--The President's Perplexities and Trials--The Famous Letter "To Whom It May Concern"--Little Expectation of Re-election--Dangers of Assassination--A Thrilling Experience--Lincoln's Forced Serenity--"The Saddest Man in the World"--A Break in the Clouds--Lincoln Vindicated by Re-election-- Cheered and Reassured--More Trouble with Chase--Lincoln's Final Disposal of Him--The President's Fourth Annual Message--His Position toward the Rebellion and Slavery Reaffirmed--Colored Folks' Reception at the White House--Passage of the Amendment Prohibiting Slavery--Lincoln and the Southern Peace Commissioners--The Meeting in Hampton Roads--Lincoln's Impression of A.H. Stephens--The Second Inauguration--Second Inaugural Address--"With Malice toward None, with Charity for All"--An Auspicious Omen CHAPTER XXVIII Close of the Civil War--Last Acts in the Great Tragedy--Lincoln at the Front--A Memorable Meeting--Lincoln,
