Daviswaseagertoissuethe“call“atonce。[18]Buthisfellowshesitated。Andwhiletheyhesitated，Andrewandthepeopleacted。Onthesixth，ahugeLincolnrallywasheldatFaneulHall。Andrewpresided。Sumnerspoke。[19]Thatsameday，VermontheldStateelectionsandwentRepublicanbyarousingmajority。
OnthedayfollowingoccurredtheConventionoftheUnionpartyofNewYork。EnthusiasticapplausewaselicitedbyatelegramfromVermont。“ThefirstshellthatwasthrownbyShermanintoAtlantahasexplodedintheCopperheadCampinthisState，andtheUnionistshavepouredinasalutewithshottedguns。“[20]Themixedmetaphorsdidnotreducethetelegram’seffect。TheNewYorkConventionformallyendorsedLincolnasthecandidateoftheUnionpartyforPresident。
Somuchfortheserioussideoftheswiftlychangingpoliticalkaleidoscope。Therewasalsoacomicside。Onlythreedayssufficed——fromDavis’seagernesstoproceedonthefourthtolettersandarticleswrittenorprintedontheseventh——onlythreedays，andtheleadersoftheconspiracybeganturningtheircoats。AtypicalletteroftheseventhatSyracusedescribes“aninterviewwithMr。Opdykethismorning，whotoldmetheresultofhiseffortstoobtainsignaturestoourcallwhichwasbynomeansencouraging。Ihavefoundthesamesentimentprevailinghere。Abeliefthatitistoolatetomakeanyeffectualdemonstration，andthereforethatitisnotwisetoattemptany。Ipresumethatthenew-bornenthusiasmcreatedbytheAtlantanewswillsoencourageLincolnthathecannotbepersuadedtowithdraw。“[21]Twodaysmoreandtheanti-Lincolnnewspapersbegantodrawintheirhorns。ThatIndependent，whoseeditorhadbeenoneofthethreeinthelastditchbutaweekbefore，handsomelyrecanted，scuttlingacrosstowhatnowseemedthewinningside。“Theprospectofvictoryisbrilliant。IfafortnightagotheprospectofMr。Lincoln’sreelectionseemeddoubtful，thecaseisnowchanged。TheodiouscharacteroftheChicagoplatform，thesunshinyeffectofthelatevictories，haverekindledtheoldenthusiasminloyalhearts。“[22]Onedaymore，andGreeleysullenlytookhismedicine。TheTribunebeganprinting“TheUnionTicket——forPresident，AbrahamLincoln。“
Thereremainsthemostdivertinginstanceofthehastewithwhichcoatswereturned。OnthesixthofSeptember，onlythreedaysafterAtlanta!——theverydayofthegreatLincolnrally，thecrownofAndrew’sgeneralship，atFanuelHall——areportwassentoutfromWashingtonthat“SenatorWadeistotakethestumpforMr。Lincoln。“[23]LessthanaweeklaterTheWashingtonChroniclehadlearned“withsatisfaction，thoughnotwithsurprise，thatSenatorWade，notwithstandinghissignaturetoacelebratedManifesto，hadenrolledhimselfamongtheLincolnforces。“[24]ExactlytwoweeksafterAtlanta，WademadehisfirstspeechforLincolnasPresident。Itwasa“terrificassaultupontheCopperheadpolicy。“[25]
Theshipoftheconspiracywassinkingfast，andoneveryhandwasheardascurryingpatterofescapingpoliticians。
XXXIV。“FATHERABRAHAM“
Thekey-notesofLincoln’scoursewiththeExecutiveCommittee，hisrefusaltodoanythingthatappearedtohimtobefutile，hisfirmnessnottocastaboutandexperimentafterapolicy，hisbasingofallhisplansonthevisioninhisownmindoftheirsurefruitage——thesecontinuedtobehiskey-notesthroughoutthecampaign。Theyruledhisactioninadifficultmatterwithwhichhewasquicklyforcedtodeal。
MontgomeryBlair，thePostmasterGeneral，waswidelyandbitterlydisliked。OriginallyaradicalRepublican，hehadquarreledwiththatwingoftheparty。In1863theUnionLeagueofPhiladelphia，whichelectedalltherestoftheCabinethonorarymembersofitsorganization，omittedBlair。A
referencetotheCabinetintheUnionplatformof1864wassupposedtobeahintthatthePostmasterGeneralwouldservehiscountry，ifheresigned。Duringthedarkdaysofthesummerof1864，thePresident’smailwasfilledwithsupplicationsforthedismissalofBlair。[1]HewasdescribedasanincubusthatmightcausethedefeatoftheAdministration。
IfthePresident’ssecretarieswerenotprejudicedwitnesses，BlairhadwornouthiswelcomeintheCabinet。Hehadgrownsuspicious。HetriedtomakeLincolnbelievethatSewardwasplottingwiththeCopperheads。Nevertheless，Lincolnturnedadeafeartotheclamoragainsthim。Merelypersonalconsiderationswerenotcompelling。Ifitwastrue，asforawhilehebelieveditwas，thathiselectionwasalreadylost，hedidnotproposetothrowBlairoverasamereexperiment。
Truetohisprincipleshewouldnotbecomeajugglerwithfutility。
Theturnofthetideinhisfavorputthematterinanewlight。AlltheenemiesofBlairrenewedtheirattackonaslightlydifferentline。OneofthosepowerfulNewEnglanderswhohadcometoLincoln’saidatsuchanopportunemomentledoff。OntheseconddayfollowingthenewsofAtlanta，HenryWilsonwrotetohim，“Blair，everyonehates。Tensofthousandsofmenwillbelosttoyou，orwillgiveyouareluctantvotebecauseoftheBlairs。“[2]
Ifthiswasreallytrue，theselflessmanwouldnothesitateto’requireofBlairthesamesortofsacrificehewould，inotherconditions，requireofhimself。Lincolndebatedthisinhisownmindnearlythreeweeks。
Meanwhile，variousotherpoliticiansjoinedthehueandcry。
AnoldfriendofLincoln’s，EbenezerPeck，cameeastfromIllinoistoworkuponhimagainstBlair。[3]Chandler，wholikeWadewaseagertogetoutofthewrongship，appearedatWashingtonasafriendoftheAdministrationandanenemyofBlair。[4]ButstillLincolndidnotrespond。Afterall，wasitcertainthatoneofthesevoteswouldchangeifBlairdidnotresign？Wouldanythingbeaccomplished，shouldLincolnrequirehisresignation，exceptthehumiliationofafriend，thegratificationofapackofmalcontents？AndthensomeonethoughtofamodeforgivingdefinitepoliticalvaluetoBlair’sremoval。Whodidit？TheanonymousauthoroftheonlybiographyofChandlerclaimsthisdoubtfulhonorforthegreatJacobin。Lincoln’ssecretaries，includingColonelStoddardwhohadchargeofhiscorrespondence，areignorantonthesubject。[5]
ItmaywellhavebeenChandlerwhonegotiatedabargainwithFremont，ifthestoryistobetrusted，whichconcernedBlair。
Along-standing，relentlessquarrelseparatedthesetwo。ThatFremontasacandidatewasnobodyhadlongbeenapparent；andyetitwasworthwhiletogetridofhim。Chandler，oranother，extractedapromisefromFremontthatifBlairwereremoved，hewouldresign。Onthestrengthofthispromise，alastappealwasmadetoLincoln。Suchisthelegend。TheknownfactisthatonSeptembertwenty-secondFremontwithdrewhiscandidacy。ThenextdayLincolnsentthisnotetoBlair：
“Youhavegenerouslysaidtomemorethanoncethatwheneveryourresignationcouldbearelieftome，itwasatmydisposal。Thetimehascome。Youverywellknowthatthisproceedsfromnodissatisfactionofmine，withyoupersonallyorofficially。Youruniformkindnesshasbeenunsurpassedbythatofanyfriend。“[6]
NoincidentdisplaysmoreclearlytheholdwhichLincolnhadacquiredontheconfidenceandtheaffectionofhisimmediateassociates。Blairatoncetenderedhisresignation：“Icannottakeleaveofyou，“saidhe，“withoutrenewingtheexpressionofmygratitudefortheuniformkindnesswhichhasmarkedyourcoursewithregardtomyself。“[7]Thathewasnotperfunctory，thathisgreatchiefhadacquiredoverhimanascendencywhichwassuperiortoanystrain，wasdemonstratedafewdayslaterinNewYork。Onthetwenty-seventh，CooperInstitutewasfilledwithanenthusiasticLincolnmeeting。Blairwasaspeaker。HewasreceivedwithloudcheersandtookoccasiontotouchuponhisrelationswiththePresident。“Iretired，“saidhe，“ontherecommendationofmyownfather。Myfatherhaspassedthatperiodoflifewhenitshonorsoritsrewards，oritsglorieshaveanycharmforhim。Helooksbackwardonly，andforwardonly，tothegrandeurofthisnationandthehappinessofthisgreatpeoplewhohavegrownupundertheprosperousconditionoftheUnion；andhewouldnotpermitasonofhistostandinthewayofthegloriousandpatrioticPresidentwholeadsusontosuccessandtothefinaltriumphthatisinstoreforus。“[8]
ItwascharacteristicofthisultimateLincolnthatheofferednoexplanations，eveninterminatingthecareerofaminister；
thathegavenoconfidences。Gentlyinexorable，heimposedhiswillinapparentunconsciousnessthatitmightbequestioned。
Alongwithhisovermasteringkindness，hehadsomethingoftheobjectivityofanaturalforce。Itwasthemoodattainedbyafewextraordinarymenwhohavereachedapointwhere，withoutbecomingegoists，theynolongerdistinguishbetweenthemselvesandcircumstance；themoodofthosecreativeartistswhohavelostthemselves，inthestrangewaywhichthedreamershave，whohavealsofoundthemselves。
Eveninthenewfascinationoftheprobableturnofthetide，Lincolndidnotwaverinhisfixedpurposetogiveallhisbestenergies，andthecountry’sbestenergies，tothewar。InOctober，therewasanewpanicoverthedraft。CameronimploredhimtosuspenditinPennsylvaniauntilafterthepresidentialelection。AnOhiocommitteewenttoWashingtonwiththesamerequest。Whyshouldnottheargumentsthathadprevailedwithhim，orweresupposedtohaveprevailedwithhim，fortheremovalofaminister，prevailalsointhewayofabriefflaggingofmilitarypreparation？ButLincolnwouldnotlookuponthetwocasesinthesamespirit。“WhatisthePresidencyworthtome，“heaskedtheOhiocommittee，“ifI
havenocountry？“[9]
Fromtheactivecampaignheheldhimselfaloof。Hemadenopoliticalspeeches。Hewrotenopoliticalletters。Thearmyreceivedhisconstantdetailedattention。InhisletterstoGrant，hebesoughthimtobeunwaveringinarelentlesspersistency。
AsHayrecords，hewasagingrapidly。Theimmensestrainofhislaborwasbeginningtotellbothinhisfeaturesandhisexpression。Hewasmovinginashadow。Buthisoldhabitofmerrimenthadnotlefthim；thoughitwasnow，moreoften，asurfacemerriment。OnthenightoftheOctoberelections，LincolnsatinthetelegraphroomoftheWarOfficewhilethereportswerecomingin。“ThePresidentinalullofdespatches，tookfromhispockettheNasebyPapersandreadseveralchaptersoftheSaintandMartyr，PetroleumV。Theywereimmenselyamusing。StantonandDanaenjoyedthemscarcelylessthanthePresident，whoreadon，conamore，untilnineo’clock。“[10]
ThepresidentialelectionwasheldontheeighthofNovember。
Thatnight，LincolnwithhisSecretarywasagainintheWarOffice。TheearlyreturnsshowedthatthewholeNorthwasturningtohiminenormousmajorities。Heshowednoexultation。WhentheAssistantSecretaryoftheNavyspokesharplyofthecompleteeffacementpoliticallyofHenryWinterDavisagainstwhomhehadagrudge，Lincolnsaid，“YouhavemoreofthatfeelingofpersonalresentmentthanI。PerhapsI
havetoolittleofit；butIneverthoughtitpaid。Amanhasnotimetospendhalfhislifeinquarrels。ifanymanceasestoattackmeIneverrememberthepastagainsthim。“[11]
“Towardsmidnight，“saysHayinhisdiary，“wehadsupper。ThePresidentwentawkwardlyandhospitablytoworkshovellingoutthefriedoysters。Hewasmostagreeableandgenialalltheevening……CaptainThomascameupwithabandabouthalf-pasttwoandmadesomemusic。ThePresidentansweredfromawindowwithratherunusualdignityandeffect，andwecamehome。“[12]
“IamthankfultoGod，“Lincolnsaid，inresponsetotheserenade，“forthisapprovalofthepeople；butwhilegratefulforthismarkoftheirconfidenceinme，ifIknowmyheart，mygratitudeisfreefromanytaintofpersonaltriumph。Idonotimpugnthemotivesofanyoneopposedtome。Itisnopleasuretometotriumphoveranyone，butIgivethankstotheAlmightyforthisevidenceofthepeople’sresolutiontostandbyfreegovernmentandtherightsofhumanity。“[13]
Duringthenextfewdaysatorrentofcongratulationscamepouringin。Whatmostimpressedthesecretarieswashiscompletefreedomfromelation。“Heseemedtodeprecatehisowntriumphandsympathizeratherwiththebeatenthanthevictoriousparty。“HisformalrecognitionoftheeventwasapreparedreplytoaserenadeonthenightofNovembertenth。A
greatcrowdfilledthespaceinfrontofthenorthporticooftheWhiteHouse。Lincolnappearedatawindow。Asecretarystoodathissideholdingalightedcandlewhilehereadfromamanuscript。Thebriefaddressisjustlyrankedamonghisablestoccasionalutterances。Astothemodeofthedeliverance，hesaidtoHay，“Notverygraceful，butIamgrowingoldenoughnottocaremuchforthemannerofdoingthings。“[14]