The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-14
"THE GREAT CONSPIRACY"
Lincoln and the War-The Firing on Sumter
and the Presidents Call for Troops.

ana the PreSldent'S Call Tor Troops.
From Advance Sheets Of General Logan's Book.J
good deal of space is devoted to study of
Mr. Lincoln. General Logan says;
Lincoln left his home in illinois for Inaugural
ton as President AS he progressed on that
memorable journey through Indianapolis, Gin
cinnati, Columbus, Pittsburg, Cleveland, Erie,
Buffalo. Albany, New York, Trenton. Newark,
Philadelphia and Harrisburg-amid the prayers
and blessings and acclamations of an enthusiast
tic and patriotic people-he uttered words of wise
Cancellation and firm moderation, such as be-
seemed the high functions and tremendous re-
sponsibilities to which the voice of that liberty
and union loving people had called him, and
this, too with full knowledge, when he made
the Philadelphia speech, that the enemies of the
Republic had already planned to assassinate him
before he could reach Washington.
The morning after Mr.. -Lincoln's arrival, in
company with Mr. Lovejoy, the writer visited
him at Wizards Hotel. During the interview,
both urged him to sgo right along, protect the
property of the country. and put down the rebel
lion, no matter at what cost in men and money"
He listened with grave attention and said little
but very clearly indicated his approval Of oil the
sentiments thus expressed, and then, with the
same firm, and manly, and cheerful faith in the
outcome, he added: LAS the country has placed
me at the helm of the ship I'll try to steer her
through"
The spirit in which he proposed to accomplish
the Southern people, through the civic authori
ties of Washington, on the 9th of February
when the latter called upon him-that he had
desire or intention to interfere with any of their
constitutional rights--that they should have all
their rights under the Constitution, mot grudg
ingly, but fully and fairly" And whatwa the
response of the South to this generous and con-
ciatory messageq Personal sneers-imputations
of Northern cowardice-boasts of Southern
prowess-scornful rejection Of all compromise
and all insOlent challenge to the bloody issue Of
arms
A few hours later, under the shadow of the
great eastern portico of the Capitol at Washing
ton-with the retiring President and Cabinet,
the Supreme Court Justices. the foreign
diplomatic corps and hundred of Senators,
Representatives and other distinguished persons
filling the great platform on either side and
behind them-Abraham Lincoln stood bare
headed before fully thirty thousand people, upon
whose uplfted faces the unveiled glory Of the
mild spring sun now shone-stood reverently be-
fore that far greater and mightier presence
termed by himself, MY rightful masters, the
American people"-and pleaded in manly,
earnest and affectionate strain with ''auch as
were dissatisfied to listen to the "better angels"
of their nature
Temperate, reasonable, kindly. persuasive-it
seems strange that Mr.. Lincoln's inaugural ad-
dress did not disarm at least the personal resent
ment of the South toward him. and sufficiently
strengthen Union-loviug people there, against the
red-hot secessionists. to put the "brakes" down
on rebellion.
Strange indeed must have been the thoughts
that crowded through the brain and oppressed
the heart of Abraham Lincoln that night-his
first at the White House.
The city of Washipg ton swarmed with rebels
and rebel sympathizers. and all the departments
of government were honeycombed with treason,
and Swallowed with treachery and espionage.
Every step proposed or contemplated by the gov
eminent would be known to the so-called gov
ernment of the Confederate States almost as
<hNs, nf en- ~ av,I
delay the carrying out Of the governments pur-
poses that the excuses of routine and red tape
admitted Of would be used by the traitors within
the camp to aid the traitors without
No one knew all this better than Mr.. Lincoln.
With no army, no navy, not even revenue cut
ter left; with forts and arsenals ammunition and
arms in possession of the rebels; with money
in the national Treasury and the national credit
biasted-the position must. even to his hopeful
nature, have seemed at this time desperate. To
be sure, despite threats, neither few nor secret,
which had been made that he should not live to
be inaugurated, he had passed the first critical
point-had taken the inaugural oath-and was
now duly installed in the White House. That
was something, OF course, TO be profoundly
thankful for. But the matter regarded by him
of larger moment, the safety of the Union-how
about that
How that great, and just and kindly brain. in
the dim shadows of that awful first night at the
White House, must have searched up and down
and along the labyrinths of history and ''corri-
doris of time," everywhere in the past for any
analogy excuse for the madness of this seces-
sion movement-and searched in vain.
AS specimen of Mr.. Logan's vivid descriptive
writing read the following
At twenty minutes past 3 A. NJ. Major Anderson
received from Messrs. Chestnut and Lee notifca-
ton to this effect: "By authority Of Brieadier-
general Beauregard. commanding the provisional
forces of the Confederate States, we have the
honor to notify you that he will open the fire of
his batteries on Fort Sumter in one hour from
this time And later dispatch from General
Beauregard to Secretary Walker April IL, lacon-
ically stated 1--WE opened fire at 430n
At last the hour and the minute had come for
which the slave power of the South had for
thirty years so impatiently longed At last the
moment had come when all the long treasured
vengeance of the South-outgrown from ques-
tions Of tariff. of slavery and of secession-was
to be poured out in blood and battle; when the
panoplied powers and forces of rebellous con-
federated States. standing face to face with the
resolute patriotism of an outraged Union. would
belch forth flame, and fury, and HURTING missiles
upon the federal fort and the old flag that floated
DER it.
And whose the sacrilegious hand that dared to
be first raised against his country and his coun-
try's fag2
Stevens's mortar battery at Sullivan's island
is ready to open, when lean, long haired old
man. with eyes blazing 10 their deep, fanatical
sockets totters hastily forward and raveneusly
Selling in his bony hands lanyard, pulls the
string, and, with fash and roar. away speeds
the shreking she'll on its mission of destruction;
and, while shell after she'll. and shot after shot
from battery after battery, scream a savage ac-
compartment to the boom, and fash, and below
of the guns, that lean old man works his clutched
fingers in ar ecstasy of fendish pleasure and
chucklss: AYE / told them at Columbia that
night that the defense of the South is only to be
secured through the lead of South Carolina; and,
old as am. had come here to join them in that
lead-and have done it!'
During all this thirty four hours of lombard
ment of Fort Sumter the South rejoiced with
exceeding great JOY that the time had come for
o. Is s 0r
and the sword. At Charleston the people were
crazy with exultation and wine-feasting and
drinking being the order of the day and night
But for the surrender, Fort Sumter would have