Threethingsaretobeborneinmind：Herndonwasaliterarymanbynature；buthewasnotbytrainingadevelopedartist；
hewasaromanticofthefullfloodofAmericanromanticismandtherearetraceableinhimthemethodsofromanticportraiture。
HadhebeenanElizabethanonecanimaginehimlaboringhardwithgreatprideoveraninferior“TamburlanetheGreat“——andperhapsnotknowingthatitwasinferior。Furthermore，hehadnot，beforethestormbrokeonhim，anyrealizationoftheexistenceinAmericaofanotherschoolofportraiture，theheroic——conventual，thatcouldnotunderstandtheromantic。IfHerndonstrengthenedasmuchaspossiblethecontrastsofhissubject——suchasthecontrastbetweenthesordidnessofLincoln’soriginandtheloftinessofhisthought——hefeltthatbysodoinghewasmerelyrenderinghissubjectinitsmostbrilliantaspect，givingtoitthelargestdegreeofsignificance。AthirdconsiderationisHerndon’senthusiasmfortheagnosticdeismthatwasrampantinAmericainhisday。
Perhapsthiscauseshisromanticismtoslipacog，torunattimesonaside-track，tobecometheservantofhisreligiouspartisanship。InthreewordsthefaultsofHerndonareexaggeration，literalnessandexploitiveness。
Butallthesearefaultsofdegreewhichthecarefulstudentcanallowfor。By“checkingup“allthepartsofHerndonthatitispossibletocheckuponecanarriveataprettyconfidentbeliefthatoneknowshowtodivesttheimagehecreatesofitsoccasionalunrealities。Whenonedoesso，thestrongestargumentforrelyingcautiously，watchfully，uponHerndonappears。TheLincolnthusrevealed，thoughonlyacharactersketch，iscoherent。AnditstandsthetestofcomparisonindetailwiththeLincolnsofother，lessromantic，observers。
Thatistosay，withallhisfaults，HerndonhastheinnersomethingthatwillenablethediverseimpressionsofLincoln，alwaysthreateningtobecomeirreconcilable，tohangtogetherandoutoftheirveryincongruitytoinvokeapersonthatisnotincongruous。Andherein，inthistouchstonesotospeakisHerndon’svalue。
11。ThereaderwhowouldknowtheargumentagainstHerndon436-446andLamon486-502onthesubjectofLincoln’searlyreligionisreferredtoTheSoulofAbrahamLincoln，byWilliamEleazerBarton。ItistobeobservedthatthepresentstudyisneverdogmaticaboutLincoln’sreligioninitsearlyphases。
AndwhenHerndonandLamongeneralizeabouthisreligiouslife，itmustberememberedthattheyarethinkingofhimastheyknewhiminIllinois。HerndonhadnofamiliaritywithhimafterhewenttoWashington。Lamoncouldnothaveseenverymuchofhim——noonebuthissecretariesandhiswifedid。Andhistaciturnitymustbeborneinmind。NicolayhasrecordedthathedidnotknowwhatLincolnbelieved。Lamon，492。ThatLincolnwasvaguelyadeistinthe’forties——sofarashehadanytheologyatall——maybetrue。Butitisarashleaptoaconclusiontoassumethathisstateofmindeventhenwasthesamethingastheimpressionitmadeonsopractical，bard-headed，unpoeticalacharacterasLamon；oronsocombativelyimaginativebutwhollyunmysticalamindasHerndon’s。NeitherofthemseemstohaveanyunderstandingofthoseagoniesofspiritthroughwhichLincolnsubsequentlypassedwhichwillappearintheaccountoftheyear1862。SeealsoMissNicolay，384-386。ThereisamultitudeofpronouncementsonLincoln’sreligion，mostofthemsuperficial。
12。Lincoln，I，206。
13。Nicolay，73-74；N。andH。，1，242；Lamon，275-277。
14。Lamon，277-278；Herndon，272-273；N。andH。，1，245-249。
2。IhavepermissiontoprintthefollowingletterfromtheHonorableJohnH。Marshall，JudgeFifthJudicialCircuit，Charleston，Illinois：
“Yourletterofthe24thinst。athandreferringtoslavetrialinwhichLincolnwasinterested，referredtobyProfessorHenryJohnson。Twenty-fiveyearsago，whileIwassecretaryoftheColesCountyBarAssociation，apaperwasreadtotheAssociationbytheoldestmemberconcerningthetrialreferredto，andhispaperwasfiledwithrue。SomeyearsagoIspokeofthemattertoProfessorJohnson，andatthetimewasunabletofindtheoldmanuscript，anddecidedthatthesamehadbeeninadvertentlydestroyed。However，quiterecentlyIfoundthispapercrumpledupundersomeoldbookrecords。Theauthorofthisarticleisareputablememberofthebarofthiscountryofveryadvancedage，andatthattimequotedashisauthoritywell-knownandverysubstantialmenofthecounty，whohadtakenanactiveinterestinthelitigation。Hispaperreferredtoincidentsoccurringin1847，andthereisnownolivingpersonwithanyknowledgeofit。Thestoryinbriefisasfollows：
“In1845，GeneralRobertMatson，ofKentucky，beinghardpressedfinancially，inordertokeepthemfrombeingsoldinpaymentofhisdebts，broughtJaneBryant，withherfoursmallchildrentothiscounty。Herhusband，AnthonyBryant，wasafreenegro，andalicensedexhorterintheMethodistChurchofKentucky。ButhiswifeandchildrenwereslavesofMatson。In1847，Matson，determinedtotaketheBryantsbacktoKentuckyashisslaves，causedtobeissuedbyajusticeofthepeaceofthecountyawritdirectedtoJaneBryantandherchildrentoappearbeforehimforthwithandanswertheclaimofRobertMatsonthattheirservicewasduetohim，etc。Thisactionproducedgreatexcitementinthiscounty。Practicallytheentirecommunitydivided，largelyonthelinesofpro-slaveryandanti-slavery。UsherF。Linder，themosteloquentlawyerinthisvicinity，appearedforMatson，andOrlandoB。Ficklin，twiceamemberofCongress，appearedforthenegroes。Underthepracticethedefendantobtainedahearingfromthreejusticesinsteadofone，andatrialensuedlastingseveraldays，andattendedbygreatexcitement。Armedmenmadedemonstrationsandbloodshedwasnarrowlyaverted。Twoofthejusticeswerepro-slavery，andoneanti-slavery。ThetrialwasheldinCharleston。Thedecisionofthejusticewasdiscreet。Itwasheldthatthecourthadnojurisdictiontodeterminetherightofproperty，butthatJaneandherchildrenwereofAfricandescentandfoundinthestateofIllinoiswithoutacertificateoffreedom，andthattheybecommittedtothecountyjailtobeadvertisedandsoldtopaythejailfees。
“Atthenexttermofthecircuitcourt，Ficklinobtainedanorderstayingproceedingsuntilthefurtherorderofthecourt。
FinallywhenthecasewasheardinthecircuitcourtLinderandAbrahamLincolnappearedforMatson，whowasinsistingupontheexecutionofthejudgmentofthethreejusticesofthepeacesothathecouldbuythemattheproposedsale，andFicklinandCharlesConstable，afterwardacircuitjudgeofthiscircuit，appearedforthenegroes。Thejudgmentwasinfavorofthenegroesandtheyweredischarged。
“Theaboveisamuchabbreviatedaccountofthisoccurrence，strippedofitslocalcoloring，givinghoweveritssalientpoints，andIhavenodoubtofitssubstantialaccuracy。“
20。ThegreatauthorityofMr。FrederickBancroftisstillonthesideoftheolderinterpretationofSeward’sThoughts，Bancroft，II，Chap。XXIX。ItmustberememberedthatfollowingthewartherewasareactionagainstSeward。WhenNicolayandHaypublishedtheThoughtstheyappearedtogivehimthecoupdegrace。Oflateyearsithasalmostbeenthefashiontotreathimcontemptuously。EvenMr。Bancrofthasbeenverycautiousinhisdefense。Thisisnottheplacetodiscusshisgeniusorhispoliticalmorals。ButononethingI
insist，Whateverelsehewas-unscrupulousorwhatyouwill-hewasnotafool。Howeverreckless，attimes，hisspread-eagleismtherewasshrewdnessbehindit。Theideathatheproposedaridiculousforeignpolicyatamomentwhenallhisotheractionsrevealcoolnessandcalculation；theideathatheproposeditmerelyasaspectacularstrokeinpartymanagement；thisistoomuchtobelieve。Amotivemustbefoundbetterthanmerechicanery。
Furthermore，iftherewasonefixedpurposeinSeward，duringMarchandearlyApril，itwastoavoidadomesticconflict；andtheonlywayhecouldseetoaccomplishthatwastoside-trackMontgomery’sexpansiveall-Southernpolicy。Isitnotfair，withsoastuteapoliticianasSeward，todemandinexplanationofanyofhismoves’heuncoveringofsomedefinitepoliticalforcehewasplayingupto？TheoldinterpretationoftheThoughtsoffersnoforcetowhichtheyformaresponse。
EspeciallyitisimpossibletofindinthemanyschemetogetaroundMontgomery。ButtheoldviewlookedupontheVirginiacompromisewithblindeyes。Thatwasnopartofthementalprospect。InaccountingforSeward’spurposesitdidnotexist。
Butthemomentone’seyesareopenedtoitssignificance，especiallytothemenaceithadfortheMontgomeryprogram，isnottheentirescenetransformed？Isnot，underthesenewconditions，thepurposeintimatedinthetext，thepurposetoopenanewfieldofexploitationtotheSouthernexpansionistsinordertoreconcilethemtotheVirginiascheme，isnotthisatleastplausible？AnditescapesmakingSewardafool。
21。Lincoln，VI，23~237。
22。Welles，1，17。
23。Thereisstilllackingacompleteunriddlingofthethree-corneredgameofdiplomacyplayedinAmericainMarchandApril，1861。OfthethreeparticipantsRichmondisthemostfullyrevealed。Itwasplayingdesperatelyforacompromise，anysortofcompromise，thatwouldsavetheoneprincipleofstatesovereignty。Forthat，slaverywouldbesacrificed，oratleastallowedtobeputinjeopardy。Munford，Virginia’sAttitudetowardSlaveryandSecession；Tyler，LettersandTimesoftheTylers；JournaloftheVirginiaConventionof1861。
However，practicallynoVirginianwouldputhimselfinthepositionofforcinganySouthernStatetoabandonslaveryagainstitswill。HencetheVirginiacompromisedealtonlywiththeexpansionofslavery，wouldgonofurtherthantogivetheNorthavetoonthatexpansion。Anditscompensatingrequirementplainlywouldbeavirtualdemandfortheacknowledgmentofstatesovereignty。
PreciselywhatpassedbetweenRichmondandWashingtonisstillsomethingofamystery。JohnHayquotesLincolnassayingthathetwiceofferedtoevacuateSumter，oncebeforeandonceafterhisinauguration，iftheVirginians“wouldbreakuptheirconventionwithoutanyrowornonsense。“HayMS，I，91；Thayer，I，118-119。Fromothersourceswehaveknowledgeofatleasttwoconferencessubsequenttotheinaugurationandprobablythree。OneoftheconferencesmentionedbyLincolnseemsprettywellidentified。ColemanII，337-338。Itwasinformalandmaybesetasideashavinglittleifanyhistoricsignificance。WhenandtowhomLincoln’ssecondofferwasmadeisnotfullyestablished。RiddleinhisRecollectionssaysthathewaspresentataninformalinterview“withloyaldelegatesoftheVirginiaStateConvention，“whowerewhollysatisfiedwithLincoln’sposition。Riddle，25。Possibly，thiswasthesecondconferencementionedbyLincoln。IthasscarcelyafeatureincommonwiththeconferenceofApril4，whichhasbecomethesubjectofacrimoniousdebate。N。andH。，III，422-428；Boutwell，II，62-67；Bancroft，II，102-104；
Munford，270；SouthernHistoricalPapers，1，449；Botts，195-
201；Crawford，311；ReportoftheJointCommitteeonReconstruction，firstsession，Thirty-NinthCongress；Atlantic，April，1875。Thedateofthisconferenceisvariouslygivenasthefourth，fifthandsixthofApril。CuriouslyenoughNicolayandHayseemtohaveonlyanexternalknowledgeofIt；theiraccountismadeupfromdocumentsandlacksentirelytheauthoritativenote。TheydonotrefertothepassageintheHayMS，alreadyquoted。
TherearethreeversionsoftheinterviewbetweenLincolnandBaldwin。OnewasgivenbyBaldwinhimselfbeforetheCommitteeonReconstructionsomefiveyearsafter；onecomprisestherecollectionsofColonelDabney，towhomBaldwinnarratedtheincidentinthelatterpartofthewar；athirdisintherecollectionsofJohnMinorBottsofaconversationwithLincolnApril7，1862。Notwooftheversionsentirelyagree。
BaldwininsiststhatLincolnmadenoofferofanysort；while’
BottsinhistestimonybeforetheCommitteeonReconstructionsaysthatLincolntoldhimthathehadtoldBaldwinthathewassoanxious“forthepreservationofthepeaceofthiscountryandtosaveVirginiaandtheotherBorderStatesfromgoingoutthathewouldtaketheresponsibilityofevacuatingFortSumter，andtakethechancesofnegotiatingwiththeCottonStates。“Baldwin’slanguagebeforethecommitteeisalittlecuriousandhasbeenthoughtdisingenuous。Boutwell，I，66。
However，practicallynooneinthisconnectionhasconsideredthepassageintheHayMSorthestatementinRiddle。PuttingthesetogetherandrememberingthegeneralsituationofthefirstweekofApriltherearisesaveryplausibleargumentforacceptingthemainfactinBaldwin’sversionofhisconferenceandconcludingthatBottseithermisunderstoodLincolnasBaldwinsayshedidorgotthemattertwistedinmemory。A
furtherbitofplausibilityistheguessthatLincolntalkedwithBottsnotonlyoftheinterviewwithBaldwinbutalsooftheearlierinterviewmentionedbyRiddleandthatthetwobecameconfusedinrecollection。
Toventureonanassumptionharmonizingtheseconfusions。WhenLincolncametoWashington，beingstillinhisdelusionthatslaverywastheissueandthereforethatthecrisiswas“artificial，“hewaswillingtomakealmostanyconcession，andfreelyofferedtoevacuateSumteriftherebyhecouldinduceVirginiatodropthesubjectofsecession。Evenlater，whenhewasbeginningtoappreciatetherealsignificanceofthemoment，hewasstillwillingtoevacuateSumteriftheissuewouldnotbepushedfurtherintheBorderStates，thatis，ifVirginiawouldnotdemandadefiniteconcessionoftherightofsecession。UptothispointIcannotthinkthathehadtakenseriouslySeward’sproposedconventionoftheStatesandthegeneraldiscussionofpermanentFederalrelationsthatwouldbeboundtoensue。Butnowhemakeshisfatefuldiscoverythattheissueisnotslaverybutsovereignty。HeseesthatVirginiaisindeadearnestonthisissueandthatageneralconventionwillnecessarilyinvolveafinaldiscussionofsovereigntyintheUnitedStatesandthatthepriceoftheVirginiaAmendmentwillbetheconcessionoftherightofsecession。OnthisassumptionitishardlyconceivablethatheofferedtoevacuateSumteraslateasthefourthofApril。ThesignificancethereforeoftheBaldwininterviewwouldconsistinfinallyconvincingLincolnthathecouldnoteffectanycompromisewithoutconcedingtheprincipleofstatesovereignty。Asthiswastheonethinghewasresolvednevertoconcedetherewasnothinglefthimbuttoconsiderwhatcoursewouldmoststrategicallyrenouncecompromise。