InthehesitancyattheWhiteHouseduringthelasteclipse，inthepublicdistressandthepersonalgrief，Lincolnwithheldhimselffromthisdebate。Nogreatutterancesbreakthegloomofthisperiod。Nevertheless，whatmaybeconsideredhisreplytoStevensistobefound。BuriedintheforgottenportionsoftheCongressionalGlobeisaspeechthatsurelywasinspired-or，ifnotdirectlyinspired，socloseareflectionofthePresident’sthinkingthatitcomestothesamethingattheend。
Itsauthor，orapparentauthor，wasoneofthefewserenefiguresinthatThirty-SeventhCongresswhichwassweptsopitilesslybyepidemicsofpassion。WhenDouglas，aftercomingoutvaliantlyfortheUnionandholdingupLincoln’shandsatthehourofcrisis，suddenlydied，theIllinoisLegislaturenamedashissuccessorintheSenate，OrvilleHenryBrowning。ThenewSenatorwasLincoln’sintimatefriend。
Theirpointsofview，theirtemperamentsweresimilar。
BrowningsharedLincoln’smagnanimity，hishatredofextremes，hiseagernessnottoallowthewartodegenerateintorevolution。Intheearlypartof1862hewasLincoln’sspokesmanintheSenate。NowthatthetemperofWadeandChandler，theruthlessnessthatdominatedtheCommittee，haddrawnuntoitselfsuchacohortofallies；nowthatalltheirthinkinghadbeenorganizedbyafearlessmind；therewasurgentneedforamasterlyreply。DidLincolnfeelunequal，atthemoment，tothisgreattask？Veryprobablyhedid。Anyhow，itwasBrowningwhomadethereply，[8]areplysoexactlyinhisfriend’svein，that——thereyouare!
Hisaimwastoexplainthenatureofthosewarpowersofthegovernment“whichliedormantduringtimeofpeace，“andthereforehefranklyputthequestion，“IsCongressthegovernment？“SenatorFessenden，echoingStevenshadsaid，“ThereisnolimitonthepowersofCongress；everythingmustyieldtotheforceofmartiallawasresolvedbyCongress。“