Part 14 (1/2)
Henry Watterson said that Seward could not have spoken more explicitly and hardly more offensively if he had simply said: ”Mr Lincoln, you are a failure as President, but turn over the direction of affairs exclusively to iven” This stateives a fair and truthful idea of Seward's letter It is not likely that its a assurance has ever been equaled in any nation by ”thoughts” addressed by an inferior officer to his chief The paper itself is here ouessed froiven in full:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, April 1, 1881
”HON W H SEWARD,
”MY DEAR SIR: Since parting with you I have been considering your paper dated this day, and entitled 'Sohts for the President's Consideration' The first proposition in it is, 'First, We are at the end of a month's administration, and yet without a policy either do of that ural, I said, 'The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties and imposts' This had your distinct approval at the tiave General Scott, directing hithen and hold the forts, cole exception that it does not propose to abandon Fort Suain, I do not perceive how the reinforcement of Fort Sumter would be done on a slavery or party issue, while that of Fort Pickens would be on a more national and patriotic one”
”The news received yesterday in regard to St Doe of our foreign policy; but up to that ti circulars and instructions to ministers and the like, all in perfect harn policy”
”Upon your closing propositions that 'whatever policy we adopt, there etic prosecution of it,”
”'For this purpose it must be somebody's business to pursue and direct it incessantly,”
”'Either the President must do it himself, and be all the while active in it, or”
”'Devolve it on some member of his cabinet Once adopted, debates on it ree and abide'”
”I reeneral line of policy is adopted, I apprehend there is no danger of its being changed without good reason or continuing to be a subject of unnecessary debate; still, upon points arising in its progress I wish, and suppose, I am entitled to have the advice of all the cabinet”
”Your ob't serv't, A LINCOLN”
The courtesy, the convincing logic, the spirit of forbearance shown in this letter, were characteristic of the ain tried the experiht He suddenly realized that these cares did not fall chiefly on hientleman ever made any reference to this correspondence The result orth while It bound Seward to his President with hoops of steel For four long, weary, trying years he served his chief with a loyal devotion which did credit to both men
Thus the hallucination that he was premier was forever dispelled The ”Public Man” wrote: ”There can be no doubt of it any longer This man from Illinois is not in the hands of Mr Seward”
There was surely no doubt of it Lincoln was President In the councils, the place where Lincoln sat was the head of the table Seas his secretary And a good secretary he was, as well as a true man
CHAPTER XXIV
FORT SUMTER
The events connected with the fall of Fort Sumter were so dramatic that that na of the war The fort was not a large reat But the events connected with it were great It stood as the representative of great principles and facts
The firing on itthe Rubicon It is vitally connected with events that precede and follow
Wendell Phillips says that when Charles Sumner entered the senate, free speech could hardly be said to exist there To hi of the chain that fettered free speech On all important subjects he spoke his ust, 1852, he made a speech--the more accurate phrase would be, he delivered an oration--under the title, ”Freedouessed that this highly incensed the slave power and the fire-eaters never outgrew their hatred of the Massachusetts senator
In May, 1856, he delivered an excoriating address upon ”the Criressmen After the senate had adjourned, Su