Year: 1865

the territories, in a series of debates
which rivited the attention of the nation,
by the clearness of their statements and
the immense logical power which they
disployed. 1t was perhaps to the public
ity of these efforts that he was mainly
indebted for the great distinction con-
ferred on him by the Convention of 1860
in singing him out above all competitors
as the standard bearer of the army OF
freedom, in that memorable campaign.


And this brief narrative-oOmpied
from authenticated sources, and making
no pretension to the accuracy of 6iogra-
phy-isa a summary Of his career until
called by Providence to enact a part that
has been assigned to few men in history.
How he performed his duty is perhaps
best evidenced by the difficulties he had
to meet, and the final result OF the war
which pervaded his whole administration.
He bargaiued only for a peaceful rule
like that Of his predecessors. If he could
have forseen the magnitude Of the task
that was before him, he might well have
shrunk from the trial. He would have
been bold man who, with such fore
knowledge, would willingly have taken
the helm in such storm as howled around
him ON his advent. and strained the tim
bers Of the ship-of state for 50 many long
and weary years To HIM the place, now
ever exalted and honorable, was one Jf
anxious and slcepless care. No man
can tell how much OF agony II cost a
heart Ike his. 1t is to that point Of his
career however. that our inquiries are to
be directed if we would know the man.
The history Of the great rebellion, com
pretending all or nearly all Of his pub
lie life, is enphatically his history 10
began aud ended with his administration
of the Government lie succeeded to
divided sceptre lie lived just long
enough to re.uuite the broken fragments
to re-plant the starry banner OF our
fathers ON the battlemcnts whence trea-
son had expelled ito see the arch
apostate, Who hal selueei third part Of
the States from their allegiance, a wan
derer and fugaMve-and tp leave his
successor once more undivided Union.


With this slender preparation however
and with no previous training III the
mysteries Of government, he was transla


ted to the Federal Capitol IN the most
eventful crisis of our history, 20 take upon


his shoulders such hwtheu Of rcspn-
sibiity as no President before him had


ever been called upon % bear. The ass
,as,in lurked upon his path. Already
the Southern horl,on was rel with the
fires OF iucipent rebellion. Already
| State after State, encouraged ellher by
| the premedjtated treason, ur the helpless
| pul Ilauimity ui the miscra le imlecll
| who stood pale and trembling at the
Capital, had shot madly from its orbit
| The stronghulds of the Union, onsru It.
ed at great expense for the protection Of
the South, has been either seizcd by yio-
lence, or basely surrendered by thor gar
rsons The seat OF our NaIunul Gov
ernment was recking with disIuyal,y.--
While treason was the badge Of raSpecta-
bility there, Republican@m was tabyoed
as something that was only vulgar and
vile The Bureaus Of the several De-
partme1ts were swurmng with malignants
who were looking anxiously IN the dlrec-
ton of the South for an irruptlon Of the
rebel hordes, and ready to surrender the
keys of their Offices on the first summons
of the public enemy There was no di-
Iection in which the President could turn
for support in the contingency of any
concerted movement to prevent his lnau-
guration. The army, inconsderabIe in
itself, had been detached to distant can
tonments where it could afford no aid


and was sure to become an easy pray
Its ofiicers-the cieUes Of our military
school the most of Southern birth, but
some of Northern origin, debauched by
their associations, or with naturally sla-
wish instincts and unbounded admiration
for Southern institutions and Southern
men, were generally disaiiected to the
Union, whose bread they ate, and whose
| flag they were sworn to defend. Not a
ship of war was to be found upon our
coast; not soldier at the Capital to de-


fend the person of the Chief Magistrate
of the country, except, perhaps, sen-
der escort, of more than doubtful loyalty


improvised for the urgent importantly of
men who realized the danger Of coup
d'etdt, as the new President himself did
not. There was nothing, in fact, but the
mere prestige of the office, the habtua


respect for the person of the Chief Mags-
trate, ana the probable reaction that
would ensue upon any demonstration of
violence, and, above all, the well under
stood determination of the thousands of
brave men who were assembled there from
the free States, seeretely armed and ready
for such emergency, to prevent or punish
any attempt that might be made on the
! life of the President And yet he did
not shrink from the ordeal, but there, on
the steps Of the Capitol, under the bla


zing sunlight in the presence of all that
innumerable eoncourse, aud in the hear
ing of a listening world, in terms of
kindness, and not of menace, but with a
seriousness and solemnity that were not
to be mistaken, he proclaimed his firm
and unalterable determination to employ
all the powers vested in him By the Con
stitution, in maintaining the integrity and
inviolability of the Union, from sea to
sea, and from the lakes to the gulf. and
restoring TO its authority every State and