Injustificationofhischoice，LincolnsaidtoHay：——“Thinkingoverthematter，twoorthreepointsoccurredtome：firsthisthoroughacquaintancewiththebusiness；aschairmanoftheSenateCommitteeofFinance，heknowsasmuchofthisspecialsubjectasMr。Chase；hepossessesanationalreputationandtheconfidenceofthecountry；heisaRadicalwithoutthepetulanceandfretfulnessofmanyradicals。“[5]Inotherwords，thoughhewasnotatheartoneofthem，hestoodforthemomentsoclosetotheVindictivesthattheywouldnotmakeanissueonhisconfirmation。
LincolnhadscoredapointinhisgamewiththeVindictives。
Butthepointwasoflittlevalue。Thegame’srealconcernwasthatReconstructionBillwhichwasnowbeforetheSenatewithWadeasitsparticularsponsor。ThegreattwinbrethrenoftheVindictiveswereWadeandChandler。Bothwerefuriousforthepassageofthebill。“TheExecutive，“saidWadeangrily，“oughtnottobeallowedtohandlethisgreatquestionofhisownliking。“
Onthelastdayofthesession，LincolnwasinthePresident’sroomattheCapitolSigningbills。TheReconstructionBill，dulypassedbybothHouses，wasbroughttohim。SeveralSenators，friendsofthebillanddeeplyanxious，hadcomeintothePresident’sroomhopingtoseehimaffixhissignature。Totheirhorror，hemerelyglancedatthebillandlaiditaside。
Chandler，whowaswatchinghim，bluntlydemandedwhathemeanttodo。“Thisbill，“saidLincoln，“hasbeenplacedbeforemeafewminutesbeforeCongressadjourns。itisamatteroftoomuchimportancetobeswallowedinthatway。“
“Ifitisvetoed，“saidChandler，whoseangerwasmounting，“itwilldamageusfearfullyintheNorthwest。TheimportantpointisthatoneprohibitingslaveryintheReconstructedStates。“
“Thatisthepoint，“repliedthePresident，“onwhichIdoubttheauthorityofCongresstoact。“
“Itisnomorethanyouhavedoneyourself，“retortedChandler。
Lincolnturnedtohimandsaidquietlybutwithfinality：“I
conceivethatImayinanemergencydothingsonmilitarygroundswhichcannotconstitutionallybedonebyCongress。“
Chandlerangrilylefttheroom。Tothosewhoremained，Lincolnadded：“Idonotseehowanyofusnowcandenyandcontradictwhatwehavealwayssaid，thatCongresshasnoconstitutionalpoweroverslaveryintheStates。“[6]
Inaway，hewasbeggingthequestion。TherealissuewasnothowaStateshouldbeconstitutionallyreconstructed，butwhich，PresidentorCongress，hadarighttoassumedictatorialpower。AtlastthetrueVindictiveissue，luredoutoftheirarmsbytheDemocrats，hadescapedlikeabirdfromasnareandwasflutteringhome。Herewastheoldissueofthewarpowersinanewformthatitwassafeforthemtopress。AndthePresidenthadsquarelydefiedthem。itwascivilwarinsidetheUnionparty。Andforbothsides，PresidentandVindictives，therecouldnowbenothingbutruleorruin。
Inthiscrisisoffactionalpolitics，Lincolnwasunmoved，self-contained，lofty，deliberate。“IftheytheVindictives
choosetomakeapointonthis，Idonotdoubtthattheycandoharm。Theyhaveneverbeenfriendlytome。Atallevents，I
mustkeepsomeconsciousnessofbeingsomewherenearright。I
mustkeepsomestandardofprinciplefixedwithinmyself。“
Lincolnhadnowreachedhisfinalstature。Incontactwiththeworldhisnotewasaninscrutableserenity。Thejokeswhichhecontinuedtotellwerebuttransitoryglimmerings。TheycrossedthesurfaceofhismoodlikequickflickersofgoldenlightonastormyMarchday，——witnessesthatthesunwouldyetprevail，——inaforest-amongmountainshadows。Or，theywerelightningglimmersinanightsky；theyrevealed，theydidnotdispel，thedarkbeyond。Overallhiscloseassociateshispersonalascendencywascomplete。NowthatChasewasgone，thelastcallousspotintheCabinethadbeenamputated。EvenStanton，oncesodomineering，sodifficulttomanage，hadbecomeasclayinhishands。
ButLincolnneverusedpowerforitsownsake，neverabusedhisascendency。Alwayshegothisendifhecouldwithoutevokingthenoteofcommand。Hewouldgotosurprisinglengthstoavoidappearingperemptory。AtypicalremarkwashissmilingreplytoaCongressmanwhomhehadarmedwithanotetotheSecretary，whohadreturnedaghast，theSecretaryhavingrefusedtocomplywiththePresident’srequestandhavingdecoratedhisrefusalwithextraordinarylanguage。
“DidStantonsayIwasadamnedfool？“askedLincoln。“ThenI
daresayImustbeone，forStantonisgenerallyrightandhealwayssayswhathemeans。“
Nevertheless，thetimehadcomewhenLincolnhadonlytosaythewordandStanton，nomatterhowfiercehistempermight’
be，wouldacknowledgehismaster。GeneralFry，theProvostMarshal，witnessedascenebetweenthemwhichisacuriouscommentaryonthetransformationoftheStantonof1862。
Lincolnhadissuedanorderrelativetothedispositionofcertainrecruits。Stantonprotestedthatitwasunwarranted，thathewouldnotputitintoeffect。TheProvostMarshalwascalledinandaskedtostateatlengthallthefactsinvolved。
WhenhehadfinishedStantonbrokeoutexcitedly——
“’Now，Mr。President，thosearethefactsandyoumustseethatyourordercannotbeexecuted。’
“LincolnsatuponasofawithhislegscrossedanddidnotsayaworduntiltheSecretary’slastremark。Thenhesaidinasomewhatpositivetone，’Mr。Secretary，Ireckonyou’llhavetoexecutetheorder。’
“Stantonrepliedwithasperity，’Mr。President，Icannotdoit。Theorderisanimproperone，andIcannotexecuteit。“
LincolnfixedhiseyeuponStanton，andinafirmvoicewithanaccentthatclearlyshowedhisdetermination，hesaid，’Mr。
Secretary，itwillhavetobedone。’“[1]
Atthispoint，GeneralFrydiscreetlylefttheroom。Afewmomentslater，hereceivedinstructionsfromStantontoexecutethePresident’sorder。
InapublicmatterintheJuneof1864Lincolngaveademonstrationofhisoriginalwayofdoingthings。Itdisplayedhisfinalserenityinsuchunexpectedfashionthatnoroutinepolitician，nodealerinthecatchwordsofstatecraft，-couldunderstandit。Sincethatgrimjoke，thedeportationofVallandigham，theCopperheadleaderhadnothadhappytime。
TheConfederacydidnotwanthim。HehadmadehiswaytoCanada。Thence，inthespringof1864heservednoticeonhiscountrythathewouldperformadramaticPart，playtheroleofawillingmartyr-inaword，comehomeanddefythegovernmenttodoitsworst。Hecame。ButLincolndidnothing。TheAmericansenseofhumordidtherest。IfVallandighamhadnotadvertisedatheatricalexploit，ignoringhimmighthavebeendangerous。ButLincolnknewhispeople。Whentheshowdidnotcomeoff，Vallandighamwastransformedinaninstantfromamartyrtoananticlimax。Thoughhewentbusilytowork，thoughhelivedtoattendtheDemocraticNationalConventionandtowritetheresolutionthatwastheheartofitsplatform，histalewastold。
TurningfromVallandigham，partlyinamusement，partlyincontempt，Lincolngrappledwiththeproblemofreinforcingthearmy。SincetheSpringof1863thewastageofthearmyhadbeenreplacedbyconscription。Butthesystemhadnotworkedwell。itcontainedafatalprovision。Adraftedmanmightescapeservicebypayingthreehundreddollars。BoththeSecretaryofWarandtheProvostMarshalhadurgedtheabolitionofthisdetail。LincolnhadcommunicatedtheirargumentstoCongresswithhisapprovalandanewlawhadbeendrawnupaccordingly。Nevertheless，lateinJune，theHouseamendeditbyrestoringtheprivilegeofcommutingserviceformoney。[2]Lincolnbestirredhimself。ThenextdayhecalledtogethertheRepublicanmembersoftheHouse。“Withasad，mysteriouslightinhismelancholyeyes，asiftheywerefamiliarwiththingshiddenfrommortals“heurgedtheCongressmentoreconsidertheiraction。ThetimeofthreehundredeightythousandsoldierswouldexpireinOctober。Hemusthavehalfamilliontotaketheirplaces。ACongressmanobjectedthatelectionswereapproaching；thattherigorouslawheproposedwouldbeintenselyunpopular；thatitmightmeanthedefeat，atthepolls，ofmanyRepublicanRepresentatives；
itmightevenmeanthePresident’sdefeat。Herepliedthathehadthoughtofallthat。
“Myelectionisnotnecessary；Imustputdowntherebellion；I
musthavefivehundredthousandmoremen。“[3]
Heraisedthetimidpoliticianstohisownlevel，inspiredthemwithnewcourage。TwodayslaterastrugglebeganintheHouseforcarryingoutLincoln’spurpose。OnthelastdayofthesessionalongwiththeoffensiveReconstructionBill，hereceivedthenewEnrollmentActwhichprovidedthat“nopaymentofmoneyshallbeacceptedorreceivedbytheGovernmentascommutationtoreleaseanyenrolledordraftedmanfrompersonalobligationtoper-formmilitaryservice。“
Againstthisinflexibledeterminationtofighttoafinish，thisindifferencetothepoliticalconsequencesofhisdetermination，Lincolnbeheldarisinglikeaportentousspecter，afuryofpacifism。ItfoundexpressioninGreeley。
Alwaystheswiftvictimofhisownaffrightedhope，GreeleyhadpersuadedhimselfthatbothNorthandSouthhadlostheartforthewar；thattherewasneededonlyamovingappeal，andtheywouldthrowdowntheirarmsandthemillenniumwouldcome。
Furthermore，ontheflimsiestsortofevidence，hehadfallenintoatrapdesignedtoplacetheNortherngovernmentintheattitudeofsuingforpeace。HewrotetoLincolndemandingthathesendanagenttoconferwithcertainConfederateofficialswhowerereportedtobetheninCanada；healsosuggestedtermsofpeace。[4]Greeley’stermswereentirelyacceptabletoLincoln；buthehadnofaithintheCanadianmare’snest。However，hedecidedtogiveGreeleytheutmostbenefitofthedoubt，andalsototeachhimalesson。HecommissionedGreeleyhimselftoproceedtoCanada，theretodiscover“ifthereisorisnotanythingintheaffair。“Hewrotetohim，“Inotonlyintendasincereeffortforpeace，butIintendthatyoushallbeapersonalwitnessthatitismade。“[5]
Greeley，whodidnotwanttohaveanyresponsibilityforanythingthatmightensue，whosejoywastostormandtofindfault，acceptedthedutyhecouldnotwellrefuse，andsetoutinabadhumor。
Meanwhiletwoothermenhadconceivedanundertakingsomewhatanalogousbutinatemperwidelydifferent。ThesewereColonelJaquess，aclergymanturnedsoldier，amanofhighsimplicityofcharacter，andJ。R。Gilmore，awriter，knownbythepennameofEdmundKirke。JaquesshadtoldGilmoreofinformationhehadreceivedfromfriendsintheConfederacy；hewasconvincedthatnothingwouldinducetheConfederategovernmenttoconsideranytermsofpeacethatembracedreunion，whetherwithorwithoutemancipation。“Itatonceoccurredtome，“
saysGilmore，“thatifthisdeclarationcouldbegotinsuchamannerthatitcouldbegiventothepublic，itwould，ifscatteredbroadcastovertheNorth，destroythepeace-partyandreelectMr。Lincoln。“GilmorewenttoWashingtonandobtainedaninterviewwiththePresident。Heassuredhim——andhewasanewspapercorrespondentwhoseexperiencewasworthconsidering——thatthenewpacifism，theincipient“peaceparty，“
wasschoolingthecountryinthebeliefthatanofferofliberaltermswouldbefollowedbyaSouthernsurrender。ThemasseswantedpeaceonanytermsthatwouldpreservetheUnion；
andtheDemocratsweregoingtotelltheminthenextelectionthatLincolncouldsavetheUnionbynegotiation，ifhewould。
Unlessthepopularmindweredisabusedofthisfictitioushope，theDemocratswouldprevailandtheUnionwouldcollapse。Butifanoffertonegotiateshouldbemade，andif“Davisshouldrefusetonegotiate——asheprobablywould，exceptonthebasisofSouthernindependence——thatfactalonewouldreunitetheNorth，reelectLincoln，andthussavetheUnion。“[6]
“Then，“saidLincoln，“youwouldfightthedevilwithfire。
YouwouldgetthatdeclarationfromDavisanduseitagainsthim。“
Gilmoredefendedhimselfbyproposingtoofferextremelyliberalterms。Therewasapauseintheconversation。Lincolnwhowasseatedathisdesk“leanedslightlyforwardlookingdirectlyintoGilmore’seyes，butwithanabsent，far-awaygazeasifunconsciousofhispresence。“Suddenly，relapsingintohisusualbadinage，hesaid，“GodselectsHisowninstrumentsandsometimestheyarequeerones：forinstance，Hechosemetoseetheshipofstatethroughagreatcrisis。“[7]