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