CouldtheVindictiveleadersinduceittogotothatlength？
ThequestiontookitsnaturalcourseofreferencetotheJudiciaryCommittee。OntheeighteenthofFebruary，TrumbullopenedwhatwasdestinedtobeaterriblechapterinAmericanhistory，thestrugglebetweenlightanddarknessoverreconstruction。TrumbullhadrangedbehindLincolnthemajorityofhiscommittee。WithitsauthorityhemovedajointresolutionrecognizingthenewgovernmentofLouisiana。
Andthenbeganabattleroyal。Trumbull’soldassociateswerepromptlyjoinedbySumner。Thesethreeralliedagainsttheresolutionallthemalignancy，allthetime-serving，allthestupidity，whichtheSenatepossessed。Bitterlanguagewasexchangedbymenwhohadformerlybeenasthickasthieves。
“YouandI，“thunderedWade，“didnotdifferformerlyonthissubjectWeconsidereditamockery，amiserablemockery，torecognizethisLouisianaorganizationasaStateintheUnion。“
Hesneeredfiercely，“Whencecomesthisnew-bornzealoftheSenatorfromIllinois？……Sir，itisthemostmiraculousconversionthathastakenplacesinceSaintPaul’stime。“[7]
WadedidnotsparethePresident。Metaphoricallyspeaking，heshookafistinhisface，thefistofamercilessoldgiant“Whenthefoundationofthisgovernmentissoughttobesweptawaybyexecutiveusurpation，itwillnotdototurnaroundtomeandsaythiscomesfromaPresidentIhelpedtoelect……ifthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesoperatingthroughhismajorgeneralscaninitiateaStategovernment，andcanbringithereandforceus，compelus，toreceiveonthisfloorthesemeremockeries，thesemenofstrawwhorepresentnobody，yourRepublicisatanend……talknottomeofyourtenpercent。principle。Amoreabsurd，monarchialandanti-AmericanprinciplewasneverannouncedonGod’searth。“[8]
Amidstarainoffuriouspersonalities，Lincoln’sspokesmankepthispoise。Itwassorelytriedbytwothings：bySumner’sfrankuseofeverydeviceofparliamentaryobstructionwithaviewtowearingoutthepatienceoftheSenate，andbythecynicalalliance，inordertobalkLincoln，oftheVindictiveswiththeDemocrats。Whattheywouldnotriskin1862whentheirprincipleshadtowaituponpartyneeds，theynowconsideredsafestrategy。AndifevertheLittleMendeservedtheirlabelitwaswhentheyplayedintothehandsoftheterribleVindictives，thusbecomingresponsiblefortherejectionofLincoln’splanofreconstruction。TrumbullupbraidedSumnerfor“associatinghimselfwiththosewhomhesooftendenounced，forthepurposeofcallingtheyeasandnaysandmakingdilatorymotions“topostponeactionuntilthepressofotherbusinessshouldcompeltheSenatetosettheresolutionaside。Sumner’sanswerwasthathewouldemployagainstthemeasureeveryinstrumenthecouldfind“inthearsenalofparliamentarywarfare。“
WiththeaidoftheDemocrats，theVindictivescarriedtheday。
Theresolutionwas“dispensedwith。“[9]
Aseventsturnedoutitwasacatastrophe。Butthiswasnotapparentatthetime。ThoughLincolnhadbeenbeatenforthemoment，theoppositionwasmadeupofsomanyandsuchirreconcilableelementsthataslongashecouldholdtogetherhisownfollowing，therewasnoreasontosupposehewouldnotinthelongrunprevail。Hewasneverinafirmer，moreself-containedmoodthanonthelastnightofthesession。[10]
Again，asonthatmemorablefourthofJuly，eightmonthsbefore，hewasinhisroomattheCapitolsigningthelast-minutebills。Stantonwaswithhim。OnreceivingatelegramfromGrant，theSecretaryhandedittothePresidentGrantreportedthatLeehadproposedaconferenceforthepurposeof“asatisfactoryadjustmentofthepresentunhappydifficultiesbymeansofamilitaryconvention。“WithoutaskingfortheSecretary’sopinion，Lincolnwroteoutareplywhichhedirectedhimtosignanddespatchimmediately。“ThePresidentdirectsmetosaythathewishesyoutohavenoconferencewithGeneralLee，unlessitbeforthecapitulationofGeneralLee’sarmy，oronsomeminororpurelymilitarymatter。Heinstructsmetosaythatyouarenottodecide，discuss，orconferuponanypoliticalquestions，suchquestionsthePresidentholdsinhisownhandsandwillsubmitthemtonomilitaryconferencesorconventions。Meanwhile，youaretopresstotheutmostyourmilitaryadvantages。“[11]
Inthesecondinaugural[12]deliveredthenextday，thereisnotthefaintestshadowofanxiety。Itbreathesaloftyconfidenceasifhissoulwasgazingmeditativelydownwarduponlife，anduponhisownwork，fromasecureheight。Theworldhasshownasoundinstinctinfixingupononeexpression，“withmalicetowardnone，withcharityforall，“asthekey-noteofthefinalLincoln。Thesewordsformtheopeninglineofthatparagraphofunsurpassableproseinwhichthesecondinauguralculminates：
“Withmalicetowardnone；withcharityforall；withfirmnessintherightasGodgivesustoseetheright，letusstriveontofinishtheworkwearein；tobindupthenation’swounds；
tocareforhimwhoshallhavebornethebattle，andforhiswidowandhisorphan，todoallwhichmayachieveandcherishajustandlastingpeaceamongourselves，andwithallnations。“
DuringthefiveweekswhichremainedtoLincolnonearth，thearmywashismostobviousconcern。HewatchedeagerlytheclosingoftheenormoustrapthathadbeenslowlybuiltupsurroundingLee。TowardtheendofMarchhewenttothefront，andfortwoweekshadhisquartersonasteameratCityPoint。
ItwasduringLincoln’svisitthatShermancameupfromNorthCarolinaforhisflyingconferencewithGrant，inwhichthePresidenttookpart。LincolnwasatCityPointwhenPetersburgfell。EarlyonthemorningofAprilthird，hejoinedGrantwhogivesastrangeglimpseinhisMemoirsoftheirmeetinginthedesertedcitywhichsorecentlyhadbeenthelastbulwarkoftheConfederacy。[1]Thesameday，Richmondfell。LincolnhadreturnedtoCityPoint，andonthefollowingdaywhenconfusionreignedintheburningcity，hewalkedthroughitsstreetsattendedonlybyafewsailorsandbyfourfriends。HevisitedLibbyPrison；andwhenamemberofhispartysaidthatDavisoughttobehanged，Lincolnreplied，“Judgenotthatyebenotjudged。“[2]Hisdeepestthoughts，however，werenotwiththearmy。Thetimewasathandwhenhisstatesmanshipwastobeputtoitsmostseveretest。HehadnotforgottentheanxiouslessonofthatsuccessoftheVindictivesinbalkingmomentarilytherecognitionofLouisiana。itwaswartotheknifebetweenhimandthem。CouldhereconstructtheUnioninawiseandmercifulfashiondespitetheirdesperateopposition？
Hehadsomestrongcardsinhishand。Firstofall，hehadtime。Congresswasnotinsession。Hehadeightmonthsinwhichtopressforwardhisownplans。If，whenCongressassembledthefollowingDecember，itshouldbeconfrontedbyagroupofreconciledSouthernStates，woulditventuretorefusethemrecognition？NoonecouldhaveanyillusionsastowhattheVindictiveswouldtrytodo。TheywouldcontinuethestruggletheyhadbegunoverLouisiana；andiftheirpowerpermitted，theywouldrousethenationtojoinbattlewiththePresidentonthatoldissueofthewarpowers，ofthedictatorship。
ButinLincoln’shandtherewerefourothercards，allofwhichWadeandChandlerwouldfindithardtomatch。Hehadthearmy。Inthelastelectionthearmyhadvotedforhimenthusiastically。Andthearmywasfreefromthespiritofrevenge，theSpiritwhichChandlerbuiltupon。Theyhadtheplainpeople，thegreatmasswhomthemachinepoliticianshadfailedtojudgecorrectlyintheAugustConspiracy。Prettygenerally，hehadtheIntellectuals。Lastly，hehad——orwithskilfulgeneralshiphecouldhave——theAbolitionists。
TheThirteenthAmendmentwasnotyetadopted。Thequestionhadbeenraised，diditrequirethree-fourthsofalltheStatesforitsadoption，oronlythree-fourthsofthosethatwererankedasnotinrebellion。HerewastheissuebymeansofwhichtheAbolitionistsmightallbebroughtintoline。ItwasbynomeanscertainthateveryNorthernStatewouldvotefortheamendment。InthesmallergroupofStates，therewasachancethattheamendmentmightfail。Butifitweresubmittedtothelargergroup；andifeveryReconstructedState，beforeCongressmet，shouldadopttheamendment；andifitwasapparentthatwiththeseSouthernadoptionstheamendmentmustprevail，allthegreatpoweroftheanti-slaverysentimentwouldbethrownonthesideofthePresidentinfavorofrecognizingthenewStategovernmentsandagainsttheVindictives。Lincolnheldahandoftrumps。Confidently，butnotrashly，helookedforwardtohispeacefulwarwiththeVindictives。
Theywereenemiesnottobedespised。Tobeginwith，theywereexperiencedmachinepoliticians；theyhadcontrolofwell-organizedpoliticalrings。Theywerepastmastersoftheartofworkinguppopularanimosities。Andtheyweregoingtousethisartinthatdangerousmomentofreactionwhichinvariablyfollowstheheroictensionofagreatwar。ThealignmentintheSenaterevealedbytheLouisianabattlehadalsoasignificance。ThefactthatSumner，whowasnotquiteoneofthem，becametheirgeneralonthatoccasion，wassomethingtoremember。Theyhadmadeorthoughttheyhadmadeotherpowerfulallies。TheVicePresident，AndrewJohnson-thenewpresidentoftheSenate-appearedatthistimetobecheekbyjowlwiththefiercestVindictivesofthemall。Itwouldbeinterestingtoknowwhenthethoughtfirstoccurredtothem：
“IfanythingshouldhappentoLincoln，hissuccessorwouldbeoneofus!“
TheninthofAprilarrivedandthenewsofLee’ssurrender。
“ThepopularexcitementoverthevictorywassuchthatonMonday，thetenth，crowdsgatheredbeforetheExecutiveMansionseveraltimesduringthedayandcalledoutthePresidentforspeeches。Twiceherespondedbycomingtothewindowandsayingafewwordswhich，however，indicatedthathismindwasmoreoccupiedwithworkthanwithexuberantrejoicing。Asbrieflyashecouldheexcusedhimself，butpromisedthatonthefollowingeveningforwhichaformaldemonstrationwasbeingarranged，hewouldbepreparedtosaysomething。“[3]
ThepaperwhichhereadtothecrowdthatthrongedthegroundsoftheWhiteHouseonthenightofAprileleventh，washislastpublicutterance。Itwasalsooneofhismostremarkableones。
Inaway，itwashisdeclarationofwaragainsttheVindictives。[4]Itisthefinalstatementofapolicytowardhelplessopponents——herefusedtocallthemenemies——whichamongtheconquerorsofhistoryishardly，ifatall，tobeparalleled。[5]
“Bytheserecentsuccessesthereinaugurationofthenationalauthority-reconstruction-whichhashadalargeshareofthoughtfromthefirst，ispressedmorecloselyuponourattention。Itisfraughtwithgreatdifficulty。Unlikeacaseofwarbetweenindependentnations，thereisnoauthorizedorganforustotreatwith-noonemanhasauthoritytogiveuptherebellionforanyotherman。Wesimplymustbeginwith，andmouldfrom，disorganizedanddiscordantelements。Norisitasmalladditionalembarrassmentthatwe，theloyalpeople，differamongourselvesastothemode，mannerandmeasureofreconstruction。Asageneralrule，Iabstainfromreadingthereportsofattacksuponmyself，wishingnottobeprovokedbythattowhichIcannotproperlyofferananswer。Inspiteofthisprecaution，however，itcomestomyknowledgethatIammuchcensuredforsomesupposedagencyinsettingupandseekingtosustainthenewStategovernmentofLouisiana。
HereviewedinfullthehistoryoftheLouisianaexperimentFromthathepassedtothetheoriesputforthbysomeofhisenemieswithregardtotheconstitutionalstatusoftheSecededStates。HisowntheorythattheStatesneverhadbeenoutoftheUnionbecauseconstitutionallytheycouldnotgoout，thattheirgovernmentalfunctionshadmerelybeentemporarilyinterrupted；thistheoryhadalwaysbeenroundlyderidedbytheVindictivesandevenbyafewwhowerenotVindictives。SumnerhadpreachedtheideathattheSouthernStatesbyattemptingtosecedehadcommitted“Statesuicide“andshouldnowbetreatedasTerritories。StevensandtheVindictivesgenerally，whileavoidingSumner’ssubtlety，calledthem“conqueredprovinces。“
AndallthesewantedtotakethemfromundertheprotectionofthePresidentandplacethemhelplessatthefeetofCongress。
TopreventthisisthepurposethatshinesbetweenthelinesinthelatterpartofLincoln’svaledictory：
“WeallagreethattheSecededStates，socalled，areoutoftheirproperpracticalrelationwiththeUnion，andthatthesoleobjectofthegovernment，civilandmilitary，inregardtothoseStates，istoagaingetthemintothatproperpracticalrelation。Ibelievethatitisnotonlypossible，butinfacteasier，todothiswithoutdecidingorevenconsideringwhethertheseStateshaveeverbeenoutoftheUnion，thanwithitFindingthemselvessafelyathome，itwouldbeutterlyimmaterialwhethertheyhadeverbeenabroad。LetusalljoinindoingtheactsnecessarytorestoringtheproperpracticalrelationsbetweentheseStatesandtheUnion，andeachforeverafterinnocentlyindulgehisownopinionwhetherindoingtheactshebroughttheStatesfromwithoutintotheUnion，oronlygavethemproperassistance，theyneverhavingbeenoutofit。
Theamountofconstituency，sotospeak，onwhichthenewLouisianagovernmentrestswouldbemoresatisfactorytoallifitcontained50，000or30，000，oreven20，000insteadofonlyabout12，000，asitdoes。Itisalsounsatisfactorytosomethattheelectivefranchiseisnotgiventothecoloredman。I
wouldmyselfpreferthatitwerenowconferredontheveryintelligent，andonthosewhoservedourcauseassoldiers。