Buttherewasanobstacleinhispath。ItwasLincoln。Ofcourse，itwasfollytoproposeaschemewhichtheincomingPresidentwouldnotsustain。LincolnandSewardmustcometoanunderstanding。TobringthataboutSewarddespatchedapersonallegatetoSpringfield。ThurlowWeed，editor，manoftheworld，politicalwire-pullerbeyondcompare，Seward’sdevotedhenchman，wasthelegate。OneofthegreateventsofAmericanhistorywastheconversationbetweenWeedandLincolninDecember，1860。Byarareproprietyofdramaticeffect，itoccurredprobably，ontheverydaySouthCarolinabroughttoanenditscampaignofmenaceandadopteditsOrdinanceofSecession，Decembertwentieth。[1]
WeedhadbroughttoSpringfieldadefiniteproposal。TheCrittendencompromisewasbeinghotlydiscussedinCongressandthroughoutthecountry。AlltheNorthernadvocatesofconciliationwereeagertoputitthrough。TherewassomegroundtobelievethattheSouthernmachineatWashingtonwouldacceptit。IfLincolnwouldagree，Sewardwouldmakeitthebasisofhispolicy。
ThisCompromisewouldhaverestoredtheoldlineoftheMissouriCompromiseandwouldhaveplaceditundertheprotectionofaconstitutionalamendment。This，togetherwithaguaranteeagainstcongressionalinterferencewithslaveryintheStateswhereitexisted，aguaranteetheRepublicanshadalreadyoffered，seemedtoSeward，toWeed，toGreeley，tothebulkoftheparty，asatisfactorymeansofpreservingtheUnion。Whatwasitbutafallingbackontheoriginalpolicyoftheparty，theundoingofthosemeasuresof1854whichhadcalledthepartyintobeing？WasitconceivablethatLincolnwouldbalkthewishesofthepartybyobstructingsuchanaturalmodeofextrication？ButthatwaswhatLincolndid。
Hisviewshadadvancedsince1854。Then，hewasmerelyforrestoringtheolddualityofthecountry，thetwo“dominions，“
NorthernandSouthern，eachwithitsownsocialorder。Hehadadvancedtothebeliefthatthisdualitycouldnotpermanentlycontinue。JusthowfarLincolnrealizedwhathewasdoinginrefusingtocompromisewillneverbeknown。Threemonthsafterward，hetookacoursewhichseemstoimplythathisvisionduringtheinterimhadexpanded，hadopenedbeforehimanewrevelationofthenatureofhisproblem。AttheearlierdateLincolnandtheSouthernpeople——nottheSouthernmachine——
werelookingattheoneproblemfromoppositepointsofview，andwerelocatingthesignificanceoftheproblemindifferentfeatures。ToLincoln，theheartofthematterwasslavery。TotheSoutherners，includingthemenwhohadvotedlackofconfidenceinBreckinridge，theheartofthematterwasthesphereofinfluence。WhattheSouthernmajoritywantedwasnotthepolicyoftheslaveprofiteersbutasecurefutureforexpansion，aguaranteethatSouthernlife，social，economic，cultural，wouldnotbemergedwiththelifeoftheoppositesection：inaword，preservationof“dominion“status。InLincoln’smind，slaverybeingthemainissue，this“dominion“
issuewasincidental——amereoutgrowthofslaverythatshouldbegintopassawaywithslavery’srestriction。IntheSouthernmind，acommunityconsciousness，thedeterminationtobeapeoplebythemselves，nationwithinthenation，wastheissue，andslaverywastheincident。Torepeat，itisimpossibletosaywhatLincolnwouldhavedonehadhecomprehendedtheSouthernattitude。HisnearhorizonwhichhadkepthimallalongfromgraspingthenegativesideoftheSouthernmovementpreventedhisperceptionofthistragicinstanceofcross-purposes。
Lackingthisperception，histhoughtshadcenteredthemselvesonarecentactivityoftheslaveprofiteers。Theyhadclamoredfortheannexationofnewterritorytothesouthofus。VariousattemptshadbeenmadetocreateaninternationalcrisislookingtowardtheseizureofCuba。Then，too，boldadventurershadstakedtheirheads，seekingtofoundslave-holdingcommunitiesinCentralAmerica。Whymightnotsuchattemptssucceed？WhymightnotnewSlaveStatesbecreatedoutsidetheUnion，eventuallytobedrawnin？Whynot？
saidtheslaveprofiteer，andgavemoneyandassistancetothefilibustersinNicaragua。Whynot？saidLincoln，also。Whatprotectionagainstsuchanextensionofboundaries？Wasthelimitationofslaveareatobeononesideonly，theNorthernside？Andhereatlast，forLincoln，waswhatappearedtobethetrueissueofthemoment。TodualizetheUnion，assumingitsboundariestobefixed，wasonething。TodualizetheUnioninthefaceofamovementforextensionofboundarieswasanother。Henceitwasnowvital，asLincolnreasoned，togiveslaveryafixedboundaryonallsides。Silently，whileothersfulminated，orrhapsodized，orwailed，hehadmovedinexorablytoanewpositionwhichwasnothingbutalogicaldevelopmentoftheold。Theoldpositionwas-noextensionofslaveterritory；thenewpositionwas——nomoreSlaveStates。[2]BecauseCrittenden’sCompromiseleftitpossibletohaveanewSlaveStateinCuba，anewSlaveStateinNicaragua，perhapsadozensuchnewStates，Lincolnrefusedtocompromise。[3]
Itwasaterribledecision，carryingwithinitthepossibilityofcivilwar。ButLincolncouldnotbemoved。Thiswasthefirstacquaintanceoftheestablishedpoliticalleaderswithhisinflexibleside。Intherecessesofhisownthoughtsthedecisionhadbeenreached。Itwasuselesstoarguewithhim。
Weedcarriedbad：hisultimatum。SewardabandonedCrittenden’sscheme。Theonlychanceforcompromisepassedaway。TheSouthernleaderssetabouttheirplansfororganizingaSouthernConfederacy。
XIII。ECLIPSE
Lincoln’sultimatumofDecembertwentiethcontainedthreeproposalsthatmightbemadetotheSouthernleaders：
ThattheenforcementoftheFugitiveSlaveLawwhichhithertohadbeenlefttoStateauthoritiesshouldbetakenoverbyCongressandsupportedbytheRepublicans。
ThattheRepublicanstotheextentoftheirpowershouldworkfortherepealofallthose“PersonalLibertyLaws“whichhadbeenestablishedincertainNorthernStatestodefeattheoperationoftheFugitiveSlaveLaw。
ThattheFederalUnionmustbepreserved。[1]
InpresentingtheseproposalsalongwitharefusaltoconsidertheCrittendenCompromise，Sewardtamperedwiththeirclear-cutform。FearfuloftheeffectontheextremistsoftheRepublicangroup，hewithheldLincoln’sunconditionalpromisetomaintaintheFugitiveSlaveLawandinsteadofpledginghispartytotherepealofPersonalLibertyLawshepromisedonlytohaveCongressrequesttheStatestorepealthem。HesuppressedaltogethertheassertionthattheUnionmustbepreserved。[2]Aboutthesametime，inapublicspeech，hesaidhewasnotgoingtobe“humbugged“bythebogyofsecession，andgavehisfatuouspromisethatallthetroublewouldbeendedinsideninetydays。Forallhisbrilliancyofasort，hewasspirituallyobtuse。Onhim，asonDouglas，Fatehadlavishedopportunitiestoseelifeasitis，tounderstandthemotivesofmen；butitcouldnotmakehimusethem。Hewasincorrigiblycynical。Hecouldnotdivesthimselfoftheideathatallthisconfusionwashubbub，wasbutanordinarypoliticalgame，thathisonlycuewastoassisthisadversariesinsavingtheirfaces。Inspiteofhisrichexperience，——inspiteofbeinganaccomplishedmanoftheworld，——atleastinhisownestimation——hewasasblindtotherealmotivesofthatSouthernmajoritywhichhadrejectedBreckinridgeaswastheinexperiencedLincoln。ThecoolnesswithwhichhemodifiedLincoln’sproposalswasevidencethatheconsideredhimselfthegreatRepublicanandLincolnanaccident。Hewastodothesameagain——tohisownregret。
WhenLincolnissuedhisultimatum，hewasapproachingthesummit，ifnotattheverysummit，ofanotherofhissuccessivewavesofvitality，ofself-confidence。Thatdepressionwhichcameuponhimabouttheendof1858，whichkepthimundecided，inamoodofexcessivecautionduringmostof1859，hadpassedaway。Thepresidentialcampaignwithitsthrillingtension，itsexcitement，hadchargedhimanewwithconfidence。Althoughonemoreeclipsewasinstoreforhim——thedarkesteclipseofall——hewasverynearlythedefinitiveLincolnofhistory。Atleast，hehadthecouragewhichthatLincolnwastoshow。
Hewasnowthetargetforabesiegingarmyofpoliticiansclamoringfor“spoils“intheshapeofpromisesofpreferment。
Itwasamiserableanddisgracefulassaultwhichprofoundlyoffendedhim。[3]Tohismindthiswasnotthesamethingasthesimple-heartedpersonalpoliticsofhisyoungerdays——friendsstandingtogetherandhelpingoneanotheralong——butagrossandmonstrousrapacity。Itwasthefirstchillshadowthatfollowedtheelectionday。
ThereweredifficultintriguesovertheCabinet。PromisesmadebyhismanagersatChicagowerepresentedforredemption。
Rivalcandidatesbiddingforhisfavor，triedtocuteachother’sthroats。Forexample，therewastheintrigueoftheWarDepartment。TheLincolnmanagershadpromisedaCabinetappointmenttoPennsylvania；thefollowersofSimonCameronwereapower；ithadbeennecessarytowinthemoverinordertonominateLincoln；theyinsistedthattheirleaderwasnowentitledtothePennsylvaniaseatintheCabinet；buttherewasananti-CameronfactionalmostaspotentinPennsylvaniaastheCameronfaction。BothsenttheiragentstoSpringfieldtolaysiegetoLincoln。Inthisduel，theCameronforceswonthefirstround。LincolnofferedhimtheSecretaryship。
Subsequently，hisenemiesmadesogoodacasethatLincolnwasconvincedoftheunwisdomofhisdecisionandwithdrewtheoffer。ButCameronhadnotkepttheofferconfidential。Thewithdrawalwoulddiscredithimpoliticallyandputatrumpcardintothehandsofhisenemies。Alongdisputefollowed。NotuntilLincolnhadreachedWashington，immediatelybeforetheinauguration，wasthedisputeended，thewithdrawalwithdrawn，andCameronappointed。[4]
ItwasadrearywinterforthePresident-elect。Itwasalsoabrand-newexperience。Forthefirsttimehewasadispenseroffavoronagrandscale。Innumerablemenshowedtheirmeanestside，eithertoadvancethemselvesortoinjureothers。
Astheweekspassedandthespectaclegrewinshamelessness，hisfriendsbecamemoreandmoreconsciousofhispeculiarmelancholy。Theelationofthecampaignsubsidedintoadeepunhappinessoverthevanityofthisworld。Otherphasesoftheshadowysideofhischaracteralsoassertedthemselves。
ConspicuouswasacertaintrendinhisthinkingthatwaspartofHerndon’swarrantforcallinghimafatalist。Lincoln’smysticismveryearlyhadtakenaturntowardpredestination，coupledwithabeliefindreams。[5]Hedidnotinanywaybelieveinmagic；heneverhadanyfaithindivinations，intheoccult，inanysecretmodeofalluringtheunseenpowerstotakeone’sside。Nevertheless，hemadenobonesaboutbeingsuperstitious。Andhethoughtthatcomingeventscasttheirshadowsbefore，thatsomething，atleast，ofthefuturewassometimesrevealedthroughdreams。“Nature，“hewouldsay，“istheworkshopoftheAlmighty，andweformbutlinksinthechainofintellectualandmateriallife。“[6]Byron’sDreamwasoneofhisfavoritepoems。Heponderedthoseancient，historicaltaleswhichmakefreeuseofportents。TherewasafascinationforhiminthestoryofCaracalla——howhismurderofGetawasforetold，howhewasupbraidedbytheghostsofhisfatherandbrother。Thisdream-faithofhiswasasrealaswasasimilarfaithheldbytheauthorsoftheOldTestament。Hehadhistheoryoftheinterpretationofdreams。Becausetheywereauniversalexperience——ashebelieved，theuniversalmodeofcommunicationbetweentheunseenandtheseen——hisbeloved“plainpeople，“the“childrenofNature，“themostuniversaltypesofhumanity，weretheirbestinterpreters。Healsobelievedinpresentiment。Asfaithfullyasthesimplestofthebroodoftheforest——thoserecreatedprimitiveswhoregulatedtheirfarmingbythebrightnessorthedarknessofthemoon，whoplantedcornorslaughteredhogsasArtemisdirected——hetrustedapresentimentifonceitreallytookpossessionofhim。Apresentimentwhichhadbeenformedbeforethistime，weknownotwhen，wasclothedwithauthoritybyadream，orratheravision，thatcametohiminthedaysofmelancholydisillusionduringthelastwinteratSpringfield。Lookingintoamirror，hesawtwoLincolns，——onealive，theotherdead。
Itwasthisvisionwhichclenchedhispre-sentimentthathewasborntoagreatcareerandtoatragicend。Heinterpretedthevisionthathisadministrationwouldbesuccessful，butthatitwouldclosewithhisdeath。[7]
TherecordofhisinnerlifeduringthelastwinteratSpringfieldisverydim。Buttherecanbenodoubtthatadesolatingchangeattackedhisspirit。Aslateasthedayofhisultimatumhewasstillincomparativesunshine，or，atleasthiscloudswerenotcloseabouthim。Hiswillwassteel，thatday。Nevertheless，afriendwhovisitedhiminJanuary，totalkovertheirdaystogether，foundnotonlythat“theold-timezest“waslacking，butthatitwasreplacedby“gloomanddespondency。“[8]Theghoststhathoveredsofrequentlyatthebackofhismind，thebroodingtendencieswhichfeduponhismelancholyandmadehimattimesirresolute，wereissuingfromtheshadows，troopingforward，toencompasshimroundabout。
Inthemidstofthisspiritualreaction，hewasfurtherdepressedbythesternnewsfromtheSouthandfromWashington。