his office and the brilliant generalship of Lee had all caused great dissatisfaction in the country. 307 Re-election. Before election day important land and naval victories had been gained. Lincoln received 212 out of 233 electoral votes. 308 Message to congress. The great question before the country at this time was the passing of the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution by which slavery should be made impossible forever in the United States. This was passed 31 January 1865; 119 voted for it, 56 against and 8 did not vote. The issue was considered uncertain up to almost the last and the result was received by the antislavery party with the wildest demonstrations of joy. A salute of 100 guns announced the result. 313 Letter to W. T. Sherman. General W. T. Sherman took the city of Savannah after his famous march to the sea 24 December 1864. Thus the Confederate army was diminished to practically one force, that about Richmond. 314 Peace conference. Lincoln afterwards went himself to meet the peace commissioners but they seemed to desire armistice rather than peace and the conference came to nothing. This was the presi 315 Draft of message to congress. dent's last attempt to save the south from financial ruin; it was not, however, change of opinion but death that put a stop to his efforts and placed in his stead men so much less far-seeing and considerate. At the cabinet meeting, according to Mr. Nicolay, "with the words 'You are all opposed to me,' sadly uttered, the president folded up the paper and ceased the discussion." 316 Second inaugural. This inaugural and the Gettysburg address are the high water mark of Lincoln's eloquence. The London Times called this inaugural the most sublime state paper of the century. Exactly two months later this address was read over Lincoln's grave. 320 Last public address. Lee had surrendered 9 April 1865. The president's last public utterance centres around the question before the country-reconstruction-a process that, had he lived, it is fair to suppose would have been far better and more speedily accomplished. Lincoln was assassinated on the evening of the fourteenth. LIST OF AUTHORITIES Abraham Lincoln: A History. 10 vols. Nicolay and Hay. Life of Abraham Lincoln. Ward H. Lamon. Life of Abraham Lincoln. Isaac N. Arnold. Memoirs. U. S. Grant. McClellan's Own Story. G. B. McClellan. History of the War Between the States. A. H. Stephens. J. F. Rhodes. Lincoln Memorial Bibliography. A. S. Boyd. INDEX Abolitionism, the right way to re- Abolitionist, Lincoln declared an, Abolitionists, southern recruits Admission of states into Union, 118. Africa, return of negroes to, 76, 103. African slave-trade, forbidden, 77, 78; revival of, by Doug- Allen, Col. Robert, letter to, 6. Amnesty, offer of general pardon Anarchy, tendencies toward, 11; shot for desertion, 291. 321. Army of the Potomac, McClel- Baker, Col. E. D., Campbellite Baltimore, Md., address at sani- letter to, regarding impedi- menta, 263. Barnburners, support Gen. Tay- Bedell, Grace, letter to, 178. 239. Bible, as authority for slavery, Bixby, Mrs., mother of five sons Black Hawk war, Lincoln's ser- Blair, Frank P., Jr., gradual Brooks, Preston S., on slavery, Brown, Gratz, gradual eman- crats against Republicans, 160; Browning, O. H., 57, 107; letter Browning, Mrs. O. H., letter to, 21. Buchanan, James, Pierce's opin- Burnside, Maj.-Gen. Ambrose E., Butler, Maj.-Gen. B. F., feeds Cabinet, Seward declares that Cass, Gen. Lewis, invasion of Chicago, Ill., fragment of speech Cincinnati, Ohio, speech at, 147. |