"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met upon a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final restingplace for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here; but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining for us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth."

Among the vast throng listening there were those who had expected a long speech, full of they knew not what, and so were disappointed, and freely declared as much; but Mr. Lincoln had said enough, and all the loyal land responded with a deep-voiced and reverent "Amen!"

414

FAC-SIMILE

OF THE

GETTYSBURG CEMETERY SPEECH,

AS COPIED OUT FOR ENGRAVING,

BY THE

PRESIDENT, AFTER ITS DELIVERY.

Address delivered at the dedication of the Reesmetery at Gettysbing.

Four scow and seven years ago our, brought forth

fathers

on this continent, a new na

tion, conceives in Liberty,

and dedicated

to the proposition that all men are creo

ated equal.

Now ever are

in a

engages great cure war; testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and po dedicated, canlong englure. He and met on a great battle fiel of that wow. We have come to dedicats a portion of that feed, final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might liver. It is actos gether fitting and proper that we should

do this,

as a

But, in a larger sense, we can not dad's

415

eats was cas not consecrats we can not

hallow thes

ing

grounds, the brave menglise and dead, who struggle here have cont secrated it, for above our, •poor power to add or detract, the world will little note, nor long remember what we pay here; but it can crever forget what they did here. It is focas the living other to be desticated here to the unfinished work which they who fou= gho her have thus far so nobly advaweed, To is rather for us to be here destination to the great task remaining before us __ that from these honorees Lead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the fast full measure of devotion__ that

we

here highly resolve that these dead shall now have drew on vain that this nation, under God, thall have a new birth of free sion- and that government of the people; by the people, for the people, shall not pers ish from the earths.

November 19, 1863,

Abraham Lincolns.

CHAPTER L.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

Keeping Good Workmen-Absence of Favoritism-A Political Revolution -A National Prayer-Meeting-The Coming General-Helpless intrigues.

It would be fair to describe Mr. Lincoln's management of the long list of military commanders under his direction as a persistent effort by him to put each man, as nearly as might be, in the place for which he was best fitted and wherein he could perform the most effective service.

If, having appointed any man to an especial duty, he found him insufficient for it, he was quite willing to transfer him to another. If a strong man's usefulness were impaired or destroyed by local or transitory causes, no undue or continuing weight was ever assigned to these.

Fine illustrations of this rare element in the President's capacity as a ruler are furnished by the records of Generals Burnside and Hooker, after each in turn had ceased to command the Army of the Potomac. Neither Fredericksburg nor Chancellorsville was permitted to deprive the country of valuable services. There was no sort of quarrel between either of them and the Commander-in-Chief, and they went on, in new fields and with other armies, to prove the soundness of his judgment concerning them.

The watchfulness required for the exercise of such a judgment was all but sleepless, and called for the constant study of circumstances as well as of men and of apparent results. Mr. Lincoln's hours of hard-won solitude were a perpetual "court of inquiry." He followed every movement of every army

with the map before him, yet never permitted himself to make the error of meddling with the decision of a competent general in the field. He himself, unintentionally but accurately, sets forth his methods of study and control, in his letter of congratulation to General Grant after the Vicksburg triumph. It is dated July 13, 1863.

"MY DEAR GENERAL: I do not remember that you and I have ever met personally. I write this now as a grateful acknowledgment for the almost inestimable service you have done the country. I write to say a word further. When you first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, I thought you should do what you finally did,-march the troops across the neck, run the batteries with the transports, and then go below; and I never had any faith, except a general hope, that you knew. better than I that the Yazoo Pass expedition and the like could succeed. When you got below and took Port Gibson, Grand Gulf, and vicinity, I thought you should go down the river and join General Banks, and when you turned northward, east of the Big Black, I feared it was a mistake. I wish, now, to make the personal acknowledgment that you were right and I was wrong."

Every man who did his duty was sure of precisely such thoughtful and unselfish appreciation, if by any means the facts in the case could be brought to the knowledge of the President. Sometimes, beyond question, the facts were not so brought to his knowledge, and injustice followed; but it was never by any neglect upon the part of Mr. Lincoln. Even injured men came to so understand the matter at last, and few were so unreasonable as to demand from him omniscience as well as justice. As a whole, the record of his assignments to duty will bear a remarkably close scrutiny, and his continual discoveries of the men he was looking for were notably justified by their subsequent careers and achievements. His personal attachments, strong as they admittedly were, never were permitted to come between him and his perception of the re