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ILLUSTRATIONS.
1. PORTRAIT OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, engraved by A. H. RITCHIE
8. FAC-SIMILE OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S LETTER TO MR. RAYMOND .569, 590
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Early Life of Abraham Lincoln.-His Own Record.-His Ancestry.-Changes
of Residence.-Death and Funeral of his Mother.-Entrance upon Polit-
ical Life.-A Member of the Legislature and of Congress.-The Mexican
War.
Page 17
CHAPTER II.
THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE.
Presidential Campaign of 1856.-Douglas at Springfield in 1857.-Lincoln's
Reply. The Great Debate.-Eloquent Defence of the Doctrines of the
Republican Party.-Result of the Contest...
CHAPTER III.
MR. LINCOLN AND THE PRESIDENCY.
Page 46
The Campaign of 1859 in Ohio.-Mr. Lincoln's Speeches at Columbus and
Cincinnati. His Visit to the East.-In New York City.-The Great
Speech at Cooper Institute.-Mr. Lincoln nominated for the Presidency.
-His Election...
Page 78
CHAPTER IV.
FROM THE ELECTION, NOVEMBER 6, 1860, TO THE INAUGURATION, MARCH 4,
1861.
The Presidential Election.-Secession of South Carolina.-Formation of the
Rebel Confederacy.-The Objects of Secession.-Secession Movements in
Washington.-Debates in Congress.-The Crittenden Resolutions.-Con-
ciliatory Action of Congress.-The Peace Conference.-Action of Con-
gress.-The Secession Movement unchecked..
CHAPTER V.
FROM SPRINGFIELD TO WASHINGTON.
Page 107
Speech at Indianapolis.-Arrival and Speech at Cincinnati.-Speech at Co-
lumbus.-Speech at Pittsburg.-Arrival and Speech at Cleveland.-Arri-
val at Buffalo-At Rochester and Syracuse.-At Albany.-Speech at
Poughkeepsie.-In New York.-Reply to the Mayor of New York.-Ia
New Jersey.-Arrival at Philadelphia.-Speech in Philadelphia.-At
Harrisburg.-Arrival and Reception at Washington...
Page 131
CHAPTER VI.
FROM THE INAUGURATION TO THE MEETING OF CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1861.
The Inaugural Address.—Organization of the Government.-The Bombard-
ment of Fort Sumter.-Passage of Troops through Baltimore.-Interview
with the Mayor of Baltimore.-The Blockade of Rebel Ports.-The Pres-
ident and the Virginia Commissioners.-Instruction to our Ministers
abroad. Recognition of the Rebels as Belligerents.-Rights of Neu-
trals...
Page 161
CHAPTER VII.
THE EXTRA SESSION OF CONGRESS, AND THE MILITARY EVENTS OF THE SUMMER
OF 1861.
First Annual Message.-Action of Congress.-Slavery and Confiscation.-The
Defeat at Bull Run.-Treatment of the Slavery Question.-General Fre-
mont and the President.-The Trent Affair...
Page 186
CHAPTER VIII.
THE REGULAR SESSION OF CONGRESS, DECEMBER, 1861.-THE MESSAGE.—
DEBATES, ETO.
Meeting of Congress.-President's Message.-Disposition of Congress.-
Slavery in Territories and District of Columbia.-Proposed Aid to Eman-
cipation by Slave States.-The Debate in Congress.-The President and
General Hunter.-The Border State Representatives.-The Border State
Reply. The Finances.-The Confiscation Bill.-The President's Action
and Opinions.-The President's Message.-Message in Regard to Mr.
Cameron.-The President and his Cabinet.-Close of the Session of Con-
gress. The President's Letter to Mr. Greeley.-The President and the
Chicago Convention.-Proclamation of Emancipation...... ... Page 212
CHAPTER IX.
THE MILITARY ADMINISTRATION OF 1862.-THE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL
M'CLELLAN.
General McClellan succeeds McDowell.-The President's Order for an Ad-
vance. The Movement to the Peninsula.-Rebel Evacuation of Manas-
sas. Arrangements for the Peninsular Movement.-The President's
Letter to General McClellan.-The Rebel Strength at Yorktown.-The
Battle of Williamsburg-McClellan's Fear of being Overwhelmed.-The
President to McClellan.-Jackson's Raid in the Shenandoah Valley.-The
President to McClellan.-Seven Pines and Fair Oaks.-McClellan's Com-
plaints of McDowell.-His Continued Delays.-Prepares for Defeat.-
Calls for more Men.-His Advice to the President.-Preparations to Con-
centrate the Army.-General Halleck to McClellan.-Appointment of
General Pope.-Imperative Orders to McClellan.-McClellan's Failure to
aid Pope.-His Excuses for Delay.-Proposes to Leave Pope Unaided.
-Excuses for Franklin's Delay.-His Excuses proved Groundless.-His
alleged Lack of Supplies.-Advance into Maryland-The President's
Letter to McClellan.-He Protests against Delay.-McClellan Relieved
from Command.-Speech by the President..
Page 262
CHAPTER X.
GENERAL CONDUCT OF THE ADMINISTRATION IN 1862.
Successes in the Southwest.-Recognized Objects of the War.-Relations of
the War to Slavery.-Our Foreign Relations.-Proposed Mediation of the
French Emperor.-Reply to the French Proposal.-Secretary Seward's
Dispatch. The President's Letter to Fernando Wood.-Observance of
the Sabbath..
Page 326
CHAPTER XL
THE CONGRESSIONAL SESSION OF 1862-'63.-MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT
AND GENERAL ACTION OF THE SESSION.
The President's Message.-Are the Rebel States Aliens ?-The Provision for
a Draft.-Message on the Finances and Currency.--Admission of West
Virginia.-Close of the Session.
Page 344
CHAPTER XII.
ARBITRARY ARRESTS.-THE SUSPENSION OF THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS.
-THE DRAFT.
Arbitrary Arrests.-First Suspension of the Habeas Corpus.-Aid and Com-
fort to the Rebels.-Executive Order about Arrests.-Appointment of a
Commissioner on Arrests.-Opposition to the Government.-The Case of
Vallandigham.-Governor Seymour on Vallandigham.-President Lin-
coln on Arrests.-President Lincoln on Military Arrests.-The Presi-
dent's Letter to Mr. Corning.-The President to the Ohio Committee.—
The President on Vallandigham's Case.—The Habeas Corpus Suspended.
-Proclamation Concerning Aliens.-The Draft -The New York Riots.—
Letter to Governor Seymour.-The Draft Resumed and Completed. Page 373