HewentontosaythatGilmoreandJaquessmightbetheverymentoserveagreatpurposeatthismoment。Gilmoreknewtheworld；andanybodycouldseeataglancethatJaquessnevertoldanythingthatwasn’ttrue。IftheywouldgotoRichmondontheirownresponsibility，makeitplaintoPresidentDavisthattheywerenotofficialagents，eventakingthechanceofarrestandimprisonment，theymightgo。Thisconditionwasaccepted。LincolnwentontosaythatnoadvantageshouldbetakenofMr。Davis；thatnothingshouldbeproposedwhichifacceptedwouldnotbemadegood。Afterconsiderablefurtherdiscussionhedrewupamemorandumofthetermsuponwhichhewouldconsenttopeace。Thereweresevenitems：
1。Theimmediatedissolutionofthearmies。
2。Theabolitionofslavery。
3。Ageneralamnesty。
4。TheSecededStatestoresumetheirfunctionsasstatesintheUnionasifnosecessionhadtakenplace。
5。FourhundredmilliondollarstobeappropriatedbyCongressascompensationforlossofslaveproperty；noslaveholder，however，toreceivemorethanone-halftheformervalueofhisslaves。
6。Anationalconventiontobecalledforreadjustmentofallotherdifficulties。
7。IttobeunderstoodthatthepurposeofnegotiationwasafullrestorationoftheUnionasofold。[8]
GilmoreandJaquessmightsaytoDavisthattheyhadprivatebutsureknowledgethatthePresidentoftheUnitedStateswouldagreetopeaceontheseterms。Thusprovided，theysetforth。
Lincoln’sthoughtswerespeedilyclaimedbyaneventwhichhadnoSuggestionofpeace。AtnotimesinceJacksonthrewthegovernmentintoapanicinthespringof1862，hadWashingtonbeenindangerofcapture。Now，briefly，itappearedtobeatthemercyofGeneralEarly。inthelastactofadaringraidabovethePotomac，hecamesweepingdownonWashingtonfromtheNorth。AsGrantwasnowtheactivecommander-in-chief，responsibleforalltheNorthernarmies，Lincolnwithafatalisticcalmmadenomovetotakethecapitaloutofhishands。WhenEarlywasknowntobeheadedtowardWashington，LincolndroveoutasusualtospendthenightattheSoldiers’
Homebeyondthefortifications。Stanton，inwhomtherewasareminiscenceatleastofthehystericalSecretaryof1862，sentafterhimposthasteandinsistedonhisreturning。Thenextday，theeleventhofJuly，1864，WashingtonwasinvestedbytheConfederateforces。Therewassharpfiringinfrontofseveralforts。Lincoln——andforthatmatter，Mrs。Lincolnalso——madeatourofthedefenses。WhileFortStevenswasunderfire，hestoodontheparapet，“apparentlyunconsciousofdanger，watchingwiththatgraveandpassivecountenancetheprogressofthefight，amidthewhizzingbulletsofthesharpshooters，untilanofficerfellmortallywoundedwithinthreefeetofhim，andGeneralWrightperemptorilyrepresentedtohimtheneedlessriskhewasrunning。“Hayrecordedinhisdiary“thePresidentingoodfeatherthisevening……notconcernedaboutWashington’ssafety……onlythought，canwebagordestroytheforceinourfront。’“HewasmuchdisappointedwhenEarlyeludedtheforceswhichGranthurriedtotheCapitol。
Mrs。Lincolnwasoutspokentothesameeffect。Thedoughtylittleladyhadalsobeenunderfire，hertemperbeingeverywhitasboldasherhusband’s。WhenStantonwithamonumentalplayfulnessproposedtohaveherportraitpaintedinacommandingattitudeontheparapetofFortStevens，shegavehimthefreedomofhertongue，becauseoftheinadequacyofhisdepartment。[9]
Thisincidenthaditsaftermath。Acountry-placebelongingtothePostmasterGeneralhadbeenlaidwaste。itsownerthoughtthattheresponsibilityforpermittingEarlytocomesoneartoWashingtonfellchieflyonGeneralHalleck。HemadesomesharpcriticismswhichbecamepublictheGeneralflewintoarageandwrotetotheSecretaryofWar：“ThePostmasterGeneraloughttobedismissedbythePresidentfromtheCabinet。“StantonhandedhislettertothePresident，fromwhomthenextdaytheGeneralreceivedthisnote：“WhethertheremarksweremadeIdonotknow，nordoIsupposesuchknowledgeisnecessarytoacorrectresponse。iftheyweremade，Idonotapprovethem；andyet，underthecircumstances，IwouldnotdismissamemberoftheCabinettherefor。Idonotconsiderwhatmayhavebeenhastilysaidinamomentofvexationatsoseverealossissufficientgroundforsograveastep。Besidesthis，truthisgenerallythebestvindicationagainstslander。IproposecontinuingtobemyselfthejudgeastowhenamemberoftheCabinetshallbedismissed。“LincolnspokeoftheaffairathisnextconferencewithhisMinisters。“Imust，myself，bethejudge，“saidhe，“howlongtoretaininandwhentoremoveanyofyoufromhisposition。Itwouldgreatlypainmetodiscoveranyofyouendeavoringtoprocureanother’sremoval，orinanywaytoprejudicehimbeforethepublic。Suchanendeavorwouldbeawrongtome，andmuchworse，awrongtothecountry。Mywishisthatonthissubjectnoremarkbemadenorquestionaskedbyanyofyou，hereorelsewhere，noworhereafter。“[10]
NotyethadanythingresultedeitherfromtheCanadianmissionofGreeley，orfromtheRichmondadventureofGilmoreandJaquess。Therewasasingularominouspauseinevents。
LincolncouldnotbeblindtothestormsignalsthathadattendedthecloseofCongress。WhatweretheVindictivesabout？AsyettheyhadmadenoSign。Butitwasincrediblethattheycouldpassoverhisdefiancewithoutareturnblow。
Whenwoulditcome？Whatwoulditbe？
HespenthisnightsattheSoldiers’Home。Asarule，hisfamilywerewithhim。Sometimes，however，Mrs。Lincolnandhissonswouldbeabsentandhisonlycompanionwasoneoftheardentyoungsecretaries。ThenhewouldindulgeinreadingShakespearealoud，itmightbewithsuchforgetfulnessoftimethatonlythenoddingofthetiredyoungheadrecalledhimtohimselfandbroughtthereadingtoanend。AvisitorhasleftthischarmingpictureofLincolnattheSoldiers’Homeinthesadsweetnessofasummernight：
“TheSoldiers’HomeisafewmilesoutofWashingtonontheMarylandside。Itissituatedonabeautifulwoodedhill，whichyouascendbyawindingpath，shadedonbothsidesbywide-spreadbranches，formingagreenarcadeaboveyou。Whenyoureachthetopyoustandbetweentwomansions，large，handsomeandsubstantial，butwithnothingaboutthemtoindicatethecharacterofeither。ThatontheleftisthePresidentialcountryhouse；thatdirectlybeforeyou，isthe’Rest，’forsoldierswhoaretoooldforfurtherservice……inthegraveyardnearathandtherearenumberlessgraves——somewithoutaspearofgrasstohidetheirnewness——thatholdthebodiesofvolunteers。
“Whilewestoodinthesofteveningair，watchingthefainttremblingofthelongtendrilsofwavingwillow，andfeelingthedewycoolnessthatwasflungoutbytheoldoaksaboveus，Mr。Lincolnjoinedus，andstoodsilent，too，takinginthescene。
“’Howsleepthebravewhosinktorest，Byalltheircountry’swishesblest，“hesaid，softly……
“Aroundthe’Home’growseveryvarietyoftree，particularlyoftheevergreenclass。Theirbranchesbrushedintothecarriageaswepassedalong，andleftuswiththatpleasantwoodysmellbelongingtoleaves。Oneoftheladies，catchingabitofgreenfromoneoftheseintrudingbranches，saiditwascedar，andanotherthoughtitspruce。
“’LetmediscourseonathemeIunderstand，’saidthePresident。’Iknowallabouttreesinrightofbeingabackwoodsman。I’llshowyouthedifferencebetweenspruce，pineandcedar，andthisshredofgreen，whichisneitheronenortheother，butakindofillegitimatecypress。Hethenproceededtogatherspecimensofeach，andexplainthedistinctiveformationoffoliagebelongingtoeach。“[11]
ThosesummernightsofJuly，1864，hadmanysecretswhichthetiredPresidentmusingintheshadowsofthegianttreesorfindingsolacewiththegreatestofearthlymindswouldhavegivenmuchtoknow。HowwereGilmoreandJaquessfaring？WhatwasreallyafootinCanada？AndthatunnaturalsilenceoftheVindictives，whatdidthatmean？Andthetwogreatarmies，Grant’sinVirginia，Sherman’sinGeorgia，wastherenevertobestirringnewsofeitherofthese？Thehushofthemoment，theatmosphereofsuspensethatseemedtoenvelophim，itwasjustwhathadalwaysforhisimaginationhadsuchstrangecharminthestoriesoffatedmen。HeturnedagaintoMacbeth，ortoRichardII，ortoHamlet。Shakespeare，too，understoodthesemysteriouspauses——whobetter!
Thesenseoftheimpendingwasstrengthenedbythealarmsofsomeofhisbestfriends。TheybesoughthimtoabandonhisavowedpurposetocallforadraftofhalfamillionunderthenewEnrollmentAct。Manyvoicesjoinedtheonechorus：thecountryisonthevergeofdespair；youwillwreckthecausebydemandinganothercolossalsacrifice。Buthewouldnotlisten。
When，indesperation，theystruckpreciselythewrongnote，andhintedattheruinofhispoliticalprospects，hehadhiscalmreply：“itmattersnotwhatbecomesofme。Wemusthavemen。
ifIgodown，IintendtogoliketheCumberland，withmycolorsflying。“[12]
ThusthedayspasseduntiltheeighteenthofJuly。MeanwhiletheirresponsibleGreeleyhadmadeasadmessofhisCanadianadventure。ThoughLincolnhadgivenhimdefiniteinstructions，requiringhimtonegotiateonlywithagentswhocouldproducewrittenauthorityfromDavis，andwhowouldtreatonthebasisofrestorationoftheUnionandabandonmentofslavery，Greeleyignoredboththeseunconditionalrequirements。[13]HehadfoundtheConfederateagentsatNiagara。Theyhadnocredentials。
Nevertheless，heinvitedthemtocometoWashingtonandopennegotiations。OfthePresident’stwoconditions，hesaidnotaword。Thiswasjustwhattheagentswanted。ItcouldeasilybetwistedintothesemblanceofanattemptbyLincolntosueforpeace。Theyacceptedtheinvitation。GreeleytelegraphedtoLincolnreportingwhathehaddone。Ofcourse，itwasplainthathehadmisrepresentedLincoln；thathehadfarexceededhisauthority；andthathisperverseunfaithfulnessmustberepudiated。OnJulyeighteenth，HaysetoutforNiagarawiththispaperinLincoln’shandwriting。[14]
“Towhomitmayconcern：Anypropositionwhichembracestherestorationofpeace，theintegrityofthewholeUnion，andtheabandonmentofslavery，andwhichcomesbyandwithanauthoritythatcancontrolthearmiesnowatwaragainsttheUnitedStates，willbereceivedandconsideredbytheexecutivegovernmentoftheUnitedStates，andwillbemetbyliberaltermsonothersubstantialandcollateralpointsandthebearerorbearersthereofshallhave，safeconductbothways。ABRAHAM
LINCOLN。“
Thiswastheendofthenegotiation。Theagentscouldnotaccepttheseterms。Immediately，theypublishedaversionofwhathadhappened：theyhadbeeninvitedtocometoWashington；
subsequently，conditionshadbeenimposedwhichmadeitimpossibleforthemtoacceptWasnottheconclusionplain？
TheWashingtongovernmentwastryingtoopennegotiationsbutitwasalsointhefearofitsownsupportersplayingcraftilyadoublegame。TheseastutediplomatssawthattherewasapsychologicalcrisisintheNorth。Byaddingtotheconfusionofthehourtheyhadwellservedtheircause。Greeley’sfiascowassusceptibleofadoubleinterpretation。Tothepacifistsitmeantthatthegovernment，whatevermayhavebeenintendedatthestart，hadendedbysettingimpossibleconditionsofpeace。Tothesupportersofthewar，itmeantthatwhateverwerethelastthoughtsofthegovernment，ithadforatimecontemplatedpeacewithoutanyconditionsatall。Lincolnwasseverelycondemned，Greeleywasridiculed，bybothgroupsofinterpreters。WhydidnotGreeleycomeoutbravelyandtellthetruth？WhydidhenotconfessthathehadsuppressedLincoln’sfirstsetofinstructions；thatitwashe，onhisownresponsibility，whohadledtheConfederateagentsastray；thathe，notLincolnwassolelytoblameforthefalseimpressionthatwasnowbeingusedsoadroitlytoinjurethePresident？
Lincolnproposedtopublishtheircorrespondence，butmadeaconditionthatwascharacteristic。Greeley’slettersrangwithcriesofdespair。HewasbyfarthemostinfluentialNortherneditor。Lincolnaskedhimtostrikeoutthesehopelesspassages。Greeleyrefused。Thecorrespondencemustbepublishedentireornotatall。Lincolnsuppressedit。Helettheblameofhimselfgoon；andhesaidnothinginextenuation。[15]
Hetooksomeconsolationina“card“thatappearedintheBostonTranscript，July22。itgaveabriefaccountoftheadventureofGilmoreandJaquess，andstatedtheanswergiventothembythePresidentoftheConfederacy。Thatanswer，asrestatedbytheConfederateSecretaryofState，was：“hehadnoauthoritytoreceiveproposalsfornegotiationsexceptbyvirtueofhisofficeasPresidentofanindependentConfederacyandonthisbasisalonemustproposalsbemadetohim。“[16]
TherewasanothercircumstancethatmaywellhavebeenLincoln’sconsolationinthistangleofcross-purposes。Onlyboldnesscouldextricatehimfromthemeshofhisdifficulties。
Themeshwasdestinedtogrowmoreandmoreofasnare；hisboldnesswastogrowwithhisdanger。Hestruckthenotethatwastorulehisconductthereafter，when，onthedayhesentthefinalinstructionstoGreeley，indefianceofhistimidadvisers，heissuedaproclamationcallingforanewdraftofhalfamillionmen。[17]