abraham lincoln and the union- 第15部分

The　Democrats　in　the　North　were　anti…Southern　in　larger　proportion；　probably；　than　at　any　other　time　during　the　struggle　of　the　sections。　　We　have　seen　that　numbers　of　them　had　frankly　declared　for　the　Union。　　Politics　had　proved　weaker　than　propinquity。　There　was　a　moment　when　it　seemeddelusively；　as　events　provedthat　the　North　was　united　as　one　man　to　oppose　the　South。

There　is　surely　not　another　day　in　our　history　that　has　witnessed　so　much　nervous　tension　as　Saturday；　April　13；　1861；　for　on　that　morning　the　newspapers　electrified　the　North　with　the　news　that　Sumter　had　been　fired　on　from　Confederate　batteries　on　the　shore　of　Charleston　Harbor。　　In　the　South　the　issue　was　awaited　confidently；　but　many　minds　at　least　were　in　that　state　of　awed　suspense　natural　to　a　moment　which　the　thoughtful　see　is　the　stroke　of　fate。　　In　the　North；　the　day　passed　for　the　most　part　in　a　quiet　so　breathless　that　even　the　most　careless　could　have　foretold　the　storm　which　broke　on　the　following　day。　　The　account　of　this　crisis　which　has　been　given　by　Lincoln's　private　secretary　is　interesting：

〃That　day　there　was　little　change　in　the　business　routine　of　the　Executive　office。　　Mr。　Lincoln　was　never　liable　to　sudden　excitement　or　sudden　activity。。。。　　So　while　the　Sumter　telegrams　were　on　every　tongue。。。leading　men　and　officials　called　to　learn　or　impart　the　news。　　The　Cabinet；　as　by　common　impulse；　came　together　and　deliberated。　　All　talk；　however；　was　brief；　sententious；　formal。　　Lincoln　said　but　little　beyond　making　inquiries　about　the　current　reports　and　criticizing　the　probability　or　accuracy　of　their　details；　and　went　on　as　usual　receiving　visitors；　listening　to　suggestions；　and　signing　routine　papers　throughout　the　day。〃　　Meanwhile　the　cannon　were　booming　at　Charleston。　　The　people　came　out　on　the　sea…front　of　the　lovely　old　city　and　watched　the　duel　of　the　cannon　far　down　the　harbor；　and　spoke　joyously　of　the　great　event。　　They　saw　the　shells　of　the　shore　batteries　ignite　portions　of　the　fortress　on　the　island。　They　watched　the　fire　of　the　defendersdriven　by　the　flames　into　a　restricted　areaslacken　and　cease。　　At　last　the　flag　of　the　Union　fluttered　down　from　above　Fort　Sumter。

When　the　news　flashed　over　the　North；　early　Sunday　morning；　April　14th；　the　tension　broke。　　For　many　observers　then　and　afterward；　the　only　North　discernible　that　fateful　Sabbath　was　an　enraged；　defiant；　impulsive　nation；　forgetful　for　the　moment　of　all　its　differences；　and　uniting　all　its　voices　in　one　hoarse　cry　for　vengeance。　　There　seemed　to　be　no　other　thought。　　Lincoln　gave　it　formal　utterance；　that　same　day；　by　assembling　his　Cabinet　and　drawing　up　a　proclamation　which　called　for　75；000　volunteer　troops。

An　incident　of　this　day　which　is　as　significant　historically　as　any　other　was　on　the　surface　no　more　than　a　friendly　talk　between　two　men。　　Douglas　called　at　the　White　House。　　For　nearly　two　hours　he　and　Lincoln　conferred　in　private。　　Hitherto　it　had　been　a　little　uncertain　what　course　Douglas　was　going　to　take。　　In　the　Senate；　though　condemning　disunion；　he　had　opposed　war。　　Few　matters　can　have　troubled　Lincoln　more　deeply　than　the　question　which　way　Douglas's　immense　influence　would　be　thrown。　　The　question　was　answered　publicly　in　the　newspapers　of　Monday；　April　15th。　　Douglas　announced　that　while　he　was　still　〃unalterably　opposed　to　the　Administration　on　all　its　political　issues；　he　was　prepared　to　sustain　the　President　in　the　exercise　of　all　his　constitutional　functions　to　preserve　the　Union；　and　maintain　the　Government；　and　defend　the　federal　capital。〃

There　remained　of　Douglas's　life　but　a　few　months。　　The　time　was　filled　with　earnest　speechmaking　in　support　of　the　Government。　　He　had　started　West　directly　following　his　conference　with　Lincoln。　His　speeches　in　Ohio；　Indiana；　Illinois；　were　perhaps　the　greatest　single　force　in　breaking　up　his　own　following；　putting　an　end　to　the　principle　of　doing　nothing；　and　forcing　every　Democrat　to　come　out　and　show　his　colors。　　In　Shakespeare's　phrase；　it　was〃Under　which　king；　Bezonian？　speak　or　die！〃　　In　Douglas's　own　phrase：　〃There　can　be　no　neutrals　in　this　war；　ONLY　PATRIOTSOR　TRAITORS。〃

Side　by　side　with　Douglas's　manifesto　to　the　Democrats　there　appeared　in　the　Monday　papers　Lincoln's　call　for　volunteers。　　The　militia　of　several　Northern　States　at　once　responded。

On　Wednesday；　the　17th　of　April；　the　Sixth　Massachusetts　Regiment　entrained　for　Washington。　　Two　days　later　it　was　in　Baltimore。　There　it　was　attacked　by　a　mob；　the　soldiers　fired；　and　a　number　of　civilians　were　killed　as　well　as　several　soldiers。

These　shots　at　Baltimore　aroused　the　Southern　party　in　Maryland。　Led　by　the　Mayor　of　the　city；　they　resolved　to　prevent　the　passage　of　other　troops　across　their　State　to　Washington。　　Railway　tracks　were　torn　up　by　order　of　the　municipal　authorities；　and　bridges　were　burnt。　　The　telegraph　was　cut。　　As　in　a　flash；　after　issuing　his　proclamation；　Lincoln　found　himself　isolated　at　Washington　with　no　force　but　a　handful　of　troops　and　the　government　clerks。　And　while　Maryland　rose　against　him　on　one　side；　Virginia　joined　his　enemies　on　the　other。　　The　day　the　Sixth　Massachusetts　left　Boston；　Virginia　seceded。　　The　Virginia　militia　were　called　to　their　colors。　　Preparations　were　at　once　set　on　foot　for　the　seizure　of　the　great　federal　arsenal　at　Harper's　Ferry　and　the　Navy　Yard　at　Norfolk。　　The　next　day　a　handful　of　federal　troops；　fearful　of　being　overpowered　at　Harper's　Ferry；　burned　the　arsenal　and　withdrew　to　Washington。　　For　the　same　reason　the　buildings　of　the　great　Navy　Yard　were　blown　up　or　set　on　fire；　and　the　ships　at　anchor　were　sunk。　　So　desperate　and　unprepared　were　the　Washington　authorities　that　they　took　these　extreme　measures　to　keep　arms　and　ammunition　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Virginians。　　So　hastily　was　the　destruction　carried　out；　that　it　was　only　partially　successful　and　at　both　places　large　stores　of　ammunition　were　seized　by　the　Virginia　troops。　　While　Washington　was　isolated；　and　Lincoln　did　not　know　what　response　the　North　had　made　to　his　proclamation；　Robert　E。　Lee；　having　resigned　his　commission　in　the　federal　army；　was　placed　in　command　of　the　Virginia　troops。

The　secretaries　of　Lincoln　have　preserved　a　picture　of　his　desperate　anxiety；　waiting；　day　after　day；　for　relief　from　the　North　which　he　hoped　would　speedily　come　by　sea。　　Outwardly　he　maintained　his　self…control。　　〃But　once；　on　the　afternoon　of　the　23d；　the　business　of　the　day　being　over；　the　Executive　office　being　deserted；　after　walking　the　floor　alone　in　silent　thought　for　nearly　half　an　hour；　he　stopped　and　gazed　long　and　wistfully　out　of　the　window　down　the　Potomac　in　the　direction　of　the　expected　ships；　and；　unconscious　of　other　presence　in　the　room；　at　length　broke　out　with　irrepressible　anguish　in　the　repeated　exclamation；　〃Why　don't　they　come！　Why　don't　they　come！〃

During　these　days　of　isolation；　when　Washington；　with　the　telegraph　inoperative；　was　kept　in　an　appalling　uncertainty；　the　North　rose。　　There　was　literally　a　rush　to　volunteer。　　〃The　heather　is　on　fire；〃　wrote　George　Ticknor；　〃I　never　before　knew　what　a　popular　excitement　can　be。〃　　As　fast　as　possible　militia　were　hurried　South。　　The　crack　New　York　regiment；　the　famous；　dandified　Seventh；　started　for　the　front　amid　probably　the　most　tempestuous　ovation　which　until　that　time　was　ever　given　to　a　military　organization　in　America。　　Of　the　march　of　the　regiment　down　Broadway；　one　of　its　members　wrote；　〃Only　one　who　passed　as　we　did；　through　the　tempest　of　cheers　two　miles　long；　can　know　the　terrible　enthusiasm　of　the　occasion。〃

To　reach　Washington　by　rail　was　impossible。　　The　Seventh　went　by　boat　to　Annapolis。　　The　same　course　was　taken　by　a　regiment　of　Massachusetts　mechanics；　the　Eighth。　　Landing　at　Annapolis；　the　two　regiments；　dandies　and　laborers；　fraternized　at　once　in　the　common　bond　of　loyalty　to　the　Union。　　A　branch　railway　led　from　Annapolis　to　the　main　line　between　Washington　and　Baltimore。　　The　rails　had　been　torn　up。　　The　Massachusetts　mechanics　set　to　work　to　relay　them。　　The　Governor　of　Maryland　protested。　　He　was　disregarded。　　The　two　regiments　toiled　together　a　long　day　and　through　the　night　following；　between　Annapolis　and　the　Washington　junction；　bringing　on　their　baggage　and　cannon　over　relaid　tracks。　There；　a　train　was　found　which　the　Seventh　appropriated。　　At　noon；　on　the　25th　of　April；　that　advance　guard　of　the　Northern　hosts　entered　Washington；　and　Lincoln　knew　that　he　had　armies　behind　him。



CHAPTER　VII。　LINCOLN

The　history　of　the　North　had　virtually　become；　by　April；　1861；　the　history　of　Lincoln　himself；　and　during　the　remaining　four　years　of　the　President's　life　it　is　difficult　to　separate　his　personality　from　the　trend　of　national　history。　　Any　attempt　to　understand　the　achievements　and　the　omissions　of　the　Northern　people　without　undertaking　an　intelligent　estimate　of　their　leader　would　be　only　to　duplicate　the　story　of　〃Hamlet〃　with　Hamlet　left　out。　According　to　the　opinion　of　English　military　experts*；　〃Against　the　great　military　genius　of　certain　Southern　leaders　fate　opposed　the　unbroken　resolution　and　passionate　devotion　to　the　Union；　which　he　worshiped；　of　the　great　Northern　President。　　As　long　as　he　lived　and　ruled　the　people　of　the　North；　there　could　be　no　turning　back。〃

*　Wood　and　Edmonds。　〃The　Civil　War　in　the　United　States。〃


Lincoln　has　been　ranked　with　Socrates；　but　he　has　also　been　compared　with　Rabelais。　　He　has　been　the　target　of　abuse　that　knew　no　mercy；　but　he　has　been　worshiped　as　a　demigod。　　The　ten　big　volumes　of　his　official　biography　are　a　sustained；　intemperate　eulogy　in　which　the　hero　does　nothing　that　is　not　admirable；　but　as　large　a　book　could　be　built　up　out　of　contemporaneous　Northern　writings　that　would　paint　a　picture　of　unmitigated　blacknessand　the　most　eloquent　portions　of　it　would　be　signed　by　Wendell　Phillips。

The　real　Lincoln　is；　of　course；　neither　the　Lincoln　of　the　official　biography　nor　the　Lincoln　of　Wendell　Phillips。　　He　was　neither　a　saint　nor　a　villain。　　What　he　actually　was　is　not；　however；　so　easily　stated。　　Prodigious　men　are　never　easy　to　sum　up；　and　Lincoln　was　a　prodigious　man。　　The　more　one　studies　him；　the　more　individual　he　appears　to　be。　　By　degr