The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-02-16
ARTICLE vi
THE GREATER TRIUMPH

triad Mcclellan, and he failed. He
tried Burnside, and Lee defeated
him at Fredericksburg. He tried
Fighting Joe Hooker, and Lee
whipped him at Charlottesville,
and Lincoln's face grew sadder and
sadder. Then he tried Meade, and
on July Meade defeated Lee in
the dreadful battle of Gettysburg.
The union armies won, but Meade
did not pursue Lee, and Lee got
back across the Potomac. On July
4 Grant announced the fall OF
Nicksburg. These victories turned
the tide of the war. They came
when they were most needed:
men were ceasing to enlist; there
were draft riots in, New York and
troubles with southern sympa-
thizers called Copperheads, No
vember 10 Lincoln delivered an adj
dress on the battlefield of Gettys-
burg. one of the most beautiful
pieces in our literature. The bat
tie of Chickamauga, and Grants
victories at Lookout mountain and
Missionary ridge, defeated the
confederates in the west. In Grant.
Lincoln felt that at last he had
found his ,ssNeral, and on March
3. 1864, placed Grant in COM
mand of all the armies. Grant
came to Washington, and it must
have been fine moment when
these two great westerners met
for the first time. Then Grant be-
gan the long campaign in the
wilderness which was to end only
with Lees surrender at Apo
mattox.
Meanwhile Lincoln was troubled
with politics. The radical aboli-
tiOnists were dissatisfied with him.
and some of those who should have
been his best friends were opposed
to him. However, in June, 1864, the
republican convention at Baltimore
renominated him. This pleased
him. He said he supposed they
thought it best not to swap horses
while crossing the river For a
time it looked as il Lincoln could
not be reelected. and he himself
had gloomy thought of defeat. The
democrats nominated Mcclellan on
alpiatform which said the war was
d failure; but Farragut's victory in
Mobile bay, the fall of Atlanta and
Sheridan's ride proved that they
were mistaken, and on November
8, 1864. Lincoln was reelected.
During this whole war, though
he had been abused more than
any man ever was, Lincoln had
never said one bitter word about
his enemies. In all of his speech
es and messages there is not one
ugly thing. even about the south
erners. Every day men and
women came to him about their
sons who were in the army and
had been sentenced, perhaps, to be
shot for desertion. Lincoln felt
sorry for these boys; he knew how
day he pardoned many, He would
! visit the hospitals and the camps,
! and talk to sick and wounded sol
diers, and they loved him. and
called him Father Abraham" He
saw that the war was soon to end.
and he wished the United States
to treat the confederates with for
giveness and generosity. This fine
spirit was breathed into his second
inaugural address, March 4, 1863
That month Grant invited Lin
coin to visit him at City Point
telling him that he was about to
close in on Lee and end the war
Grant thought the rest would dc
Lincoln good. for he was weary
and ill., so great had his burden
been. So he took Mrs. Lincoln and
little Tad. who went nearly every
where with him, and went down
the Potomac to Grants headQuar
ters. He stayed there until Grant
had his last fight with Lee and
tOoN hNh WIN oo
and Admiral Porter. Lincoln went
on to Richmond, for he wished to
see the place himself.
After four year war; then.
the great president with his little
boy and simple escort of sail
Ors, entered the fallen capital,
Richmond was In flames. and there
was disorder everywhere, but Lin
coin walked safely, bringing not
the hatred of conqueror. but the
love of liberator. The negroes
fiocked about him weeping and
shouting hallelujahs, and when one
old negro barred his white hair and
bowed low, Lincoln lifted his high
hat in acknowledgement. 1t was
one of the significant moments of
history.
LET them down easy" said
Lincoln to the military governor
of Richmond. and when someone
said that Jefferson Davis ought to
be hanged he replied: Judge not
that We be not judged" 1t was in
this temper that he was preparing