abraham lincoln and the union-第16章
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ne； is the momentous issue of civil war。 The Government will not assail you。。。。 We are not enemies but friends。。。。 The mystic cords of memory； stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone； all over this broad land； will yet swell the chorus of the Union； when again touched； as surely they will be； by the better angels of our nature。〃
Gentle； as was the phrasing of the inaugural； it was perfectly firm； and it outlined a policy which the South would not accept； and which； in the opinion of the Southern leaders； brought them a step nearer war。 Wall Street held the same belief； and as a consequence the price of stocks fell。
CHAPTER VI。 WAR
On the day following the inauguration； commissioners of the newly formed Confederacy appeared at Washington and applied to the Secretary of State for recognition as envoys of a foreign power。 Seward refused them such recognition。 But he entered into a private negotiation with them which is nearly； if not quite； the strangest thing in our history。 Virtually； Seward intrigued against Lincoln for control of the Administration。 The events of the next five weeks have an importance out of all proportion to the brevity of the time。 This was Lincoln's period of final probation。 The psychological intensity of this episode grew from the consciousness in every mind that now； irretrievably； destiny was to be determined。 War or peace； happiness or adversity； one nation or twoall these were in the balance。 Lincoln entered the episode a doubtful quantity； not with certainty the master even in his own Cabinet。 He emerged dominating the situation； but committed to the terrible course of war。
One cannot enter upon this great episode； truly the turning point in American history； without pausing for a glance at the character of Seward。 The subject is elusive。 His ablest biographer* plainly is so constantly on guard not to appear an apologist that he ends by reducing his portrait to a mere outline； wavering across a background of political details。 The most recent study of Seward** surely reveals between the lines the doubtfulness of the author about pushing his points home。 The different sides of the man are hard to reconcile。 Now he seemed frank and honest； again subtle and insincere。 As an active politician in the narrow sense； he should have been sagacious and astute； yet he displayed at the crisis of his life the most absolute fatuity。 At times he had a buoyant and puerile way of disregarding fact and enveloping himself in a world of his own imagining。 He could bluster； when he wished； like any demagogue； and yet he could be persuasive； agreeable； and even personally charming。
*Frederic Bancroft； 〃Life of William H。 Seward〃。 ** Gamaliel Bradford； 〃Union Portraits〃。
But of one thing with regard to Seward； in the first week of March； 1861； there can be no doubt： he thought himself a great statesman and he thought Lincoln 〃a Simple Susan。〃 He conceived his role in the new administration to involve a subtle and patient manipulation of his childlike superior。 That Lincoln would gradually yield to his spell and insensibly become his figurehead； that he； Seward； could save the country and would go down to history a statesman above compare； he took for granted。 Nor can he fairly be called conceited； either； that is part of his singularity。
Lincoln's Cabinet was； as Seward said； a compound body。 With a view to strengthening his position； Lincoln had appointed to cabinet positions all his former rivals for the Republican nomination。 Besides Seward； there was Chase as Secretary of the Treasury； Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania as Secretary of War； Edward Bates of Missouri as Attorney…General。 The appointment of Montgomery Blair of Maryland as Postmaster…General was intended to placate the border Slave States。 The same motive dictated the later inclusion of James Speed of Kentucky in the Cabinet。 The Black…Stanton wing of the Democrats was represented in the Navy Department by Gideon Welles； and in course of time in the War Department also； when Cameron resigned and Stanton succeeded him。 The West of that day was represented by Caleb B。 Smith of Indiana。
Seward disapproved of the composition of the Cabinet so much that； almost at the last moment； he withdrew his acceptance of the State Department。 It was Lincoln's gentleness of argument which overcame his reluctance to serve。 We may be sure； however； that Seward failed to observe that Lincoln's tactlessness in social matters did not extend to his management of men in politics； we may feel sure that what remained in his mind was Lincoln's unwillingness to enter office without William Henry Seward as Secretary of State。
The promptness with which Seward assumed the role of prime minister bears out this inference。 The same fact also reveals a puzzling detail of Seward's character which amounted to obtusenesshis forgetfulness that appointment to cabinet offices had not transformed his old political rivals Chase and Cameron； nor softened the feelings of an inveterate political enemy； Welles； the Secretary of the Navy。 The impression which Seward made on his colleagues in the first days of the new Government has been thus sharply recorded by Welles： 〃The Secretary of State was； of course； apprised of every meeting ＇of ministers＇ and never failed in his attendance； whatever was the subject…matter； and though entirely out of his official province。 He was vigilantly attentive to every measure and movement in other Departments； however trivialas much so as to his ownwatched and scrutinized every appointment that was made； or proposed to be made； but was not communicative in regard to the transaction of the State Department。〃 So eager was Seward to keep all the threads of affairs in his own hands that he tried to persuade Lincoln not to hold cabinet meetings but merely to consult with particular ministers； and with the Secretary of State； as occasion might demand。 A combined protest from the other Secretaries； however； caused the regular holding of Cabinet meetings。
With regard to the Confederacy； Seward's policy was one of non…resistance。 For this he had two reasons。 The first of these was his rooted delusion that the bulk of the Southerners were opposed to secession and； if let alone； would force their leaders to reconsider their action。 He might have quoted the nursery rhyme； 〃Let them alone and they'll come home〃； it would have been like him and in tune with a frivolous side of his nature。 He was quite as irresponsible when he complacently assured the North that the trouble would all blow over within ninety days。 He also believed that any display of force would convert these hypothetical Unionists of the South from friends to enemies and would consolidate opinion in the Confederacy to produce war。 In justice to Seward it must be remembered that on this point time justified his fears。
His dealings with the Confederate commissioners show that he was playing to gain time； not with intent to deceive the Southerners but to acquire that domination over Lincoln which he felt was his by natural right。 Intending to institute a peace policy the moment he gained this ascendency； he felt perfectly safe in making promises to the commissioners through mutual friends。 He virtually told them that Sumter would eventually be given up and that all they need do was to wait。
Seward brought to bear upon the President the opinions of various military men who thought the time had passed when any expedition for the relief of Sumter could succeed。 For some time Lincoln seemed about to consent； though reluctantly； to Seward's lead in the matter of the forts。 He was pulled up standing； however； by the threatened resignation of the Postmaster…General； Blair。 After a conference with leading Republican politicians the President announced to his Cabinet that his policy would include the relief of Sumter。 〃Seward；〃 says Welles； 〃。。。was evidently displeased。〃
Seward now took a new tack。 Fort Pickens； at Pensacola； was a problem similar to that of Sumter at Charleston。 Both were demanded by the Confederates； and both were in need of supplies。 But Fort Pickens lay to one side； so to speak； of
