The San Francisco call., 1896-07-04
OBJECT LESSONS IN POLITICS.

Charles a. Dana, who was Assistant
Secretary of War during the Rebellion,
has been delivering throughout the East a
lecture on Lincoln, which is at the same
time extremely interesting for its reminis-
cences and accurate as to its facts. Among
the incidents of Lincoln's administration
upon which Mr.. Dana dwells with the
most of detail are those which attended
the passage through Congress and the
adoption by the States of the constitu-
tional amendment abolishing slavery.
The abilities of Abraham Lincoln as a
practical politician find ample illustration
in these incidents. AS Mr.. Dana relates
them, 1t appears that the conviction had
grown in the Presidents mind that the
passage of the amendment would be
worth in moral effect to the Nation an
army of a million men. 1t was found,
however, that two difficulties confronted
those who hoped and labored for the sue
cess of the measure.
The first Of these was the lack of one
favorable State to make the requisite
three-fourths for its adoption. To obvlate
this difficulty Mr.. Lincoln suggested and
procured the admission of Nevada into the
Union In order that her vote might insure
the result. To the critics of later day
who are inclined to sneer at Nevada as a
petty and superhuous State, Mr.. Dana
cites the saying of Lincoln that at is
easier to admit Nevada than to raise an
other million of soldiers"
The second obstacle which lay in the
way OF the amendment was the perilous
closeness of the vote in the House. As
Nv i'm In
necessary TO secure the favor of three
additional members in order 10 pass the
measure. He sent for Dana and made him
his authorized agent to procure these
votes.
Dana went to two Representatives from
New York and one from New Jersey to
solicit their favor for the amendment.
They each made demands for patronage
in return for their support. and
to each of them Mr. Dana gave
the assurance of the appointments
sought. The amendment passed by the
aid of these Congressman, and In the cases
OF two of them Mr.. Lincoln promptly
made good the promise of his emlssary.
In the case of the third the appointment
could not be made Immediately for want
OF vacancy. Before the expected vacancy
occurred Mr.. Lincoln was assassinated
and Andrew Johnson had become Presi-
dent.
When Mr.. Dana went to Andrew John
son and stated to him the facts affecting
the appointment and reminded him of
Mr.. Lincoln's solemn promise that it
should be made, and of the reason and re-
suit OF that promise, Johnson refused to
make good the martyred Presidents word,
upon the ground that "in the course of
his experience he had observed that such
bargains tend to immortality"
1t may not be amiss to note that after
thirty-two years of reflection Mr.. Dana
states it as his profound conviction
that this political incident "was
one of the most judiclous, humane
and wise pieces of executive authority
that ever assisted in or witnessed" The
question which it presents is one which
the political theorists and moral
lists of the present should ponder
deeply upon; which was right, Abra-
ham Lincoln or Andrew Johnson
in their judgment OF the wisdom
and morality of the means by which slav-
cry was abolished throughout our Nation
as revealed by this object lesson in the
practical politics of the time