months to come. Therefore the sound conception
of the inaugural deserves to be considered as an indication,
one among many, of Lincoln’s capacity for seeing
with entire distinctness the great main fact, and for
recognizing it as such. Other matters, which
lay over and around such a fact, side issues, questions
of detail, affairs of disguise or deception, never
confused or misled him. He knew with unerring
accuracy where the biggest fact lay, and he always
anchored fast to it and stayed with it. For many
years he had been anchored to anti-slavery; now, in
the face of the nation, he shifted his anchorage to
the Union; and each time he held securely.
[114] Breckenridge was the legitimate representative
of the administrationists, and his ticket received
only 847,953 votes out of 4,680,193. Douglas
and Buchanan were at open war.
[115] See remarks of Mr. Elaine upon use of this word.
Twenty Years of Congress, i. 219.
[116] But it should be said that Attorney-General
Black supported these views in a very elaborate opinion,
which he had furnished to the President, and which
was transmitted to Congress at the same time with
the message.
[117] Greeley afterwards truly said that his journal
had plenty of company in these sentiments, even among
the Republican sheets. Amer. Conflict,
i. 359. Reference is made in the text to the utterances
of the Tribune more because it was so prominent
and influential than because it was very peculiar
in its position.
[118] Wilson, Rise and Fall of Slave Power,
iii. 63-69; N. and H. in. 255. See account of
“the Pine Street meeting,” New York, in
Dix’s Memoirs of Dix, i. 347.
[119] For an account of this by General Dix himself,
see Memoirs of John A. Dix, by Morgan Dix,
i. 370-373.
[120] Arkansas, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon,
and Wisconsin
[121] It differed from that of the United States very
little, save in containing a distinct recognition
of slavery, and in being made by the States instead
of by the people.
[122] American Conflict, i. 351.
[123] This includes Delaware, 110,420, and Maryland,
599,846.
[124] Marshal Kane and most of the police were reported
to be Secessionists. Pinkerton, Spy of the
Rebellion, 50, 61.
[125] Lamon says that Mr. Lincoln afterwards regretted
this journey, and became convinced “that he
had committed a grave mistake.” Lamon, 527.
So also McClure, 45, 48.
