A Man of the People Part 19

John, I'm rested now--I'm ready for any work----!

NICOLAY

The National Committee have just arrived, sir.

LINCOLN

All right--let them in!

[LINCOLN _resumes his place beside his desk and the Committee headed by_ HENRY RAYMOND, _Editor of the New York Times, enter and solemnly range themselves about the President._]

[_To_ HENRY RAYMOND--_taking his hand formally._]

Raymond, this is an unexpected honor you and your Committee do me. I thought you were at your desk in the _Times_ office pouring hot shot into the flanks of our enemies, and the boys were all at home fighting for the victory that must be ours on the first Tuesday in November. Not that you're unwelcome. You are the leaders of public opinion. The people rule this country, and I am their servant--what is it----?

RAYMOND

You may be sure, Mr. President, that our mission is of the gravest importance. These gentlemen have brought such startling reports from their several states as to the bitterness and closeness of the fight, that they have reached a unanimous conclusion----

LINCOLN

And that is----?

RAYMOND

That with your personality and record against General McClellan's, your Democratic opponent--the election for us is lost.

LINCOLN

Your statement is blunt. But, as I have been renominated for a second term, my administration has been endorsed by our party, and the election is only eight weeks off--there is but one conclusion possible--and that is, that you should roll up your sleeves and get to work.

RAYMOND

The National Committee, Mr. President, has reached a different conclusion----

LINCOLN

Yes----?

RAYMOND

In view of your unpopularity, in view of the criticism of your policies, and your conduct of the war--they have decided to ask you to withdraw from the ticket and permit them to name a new candidate----

LINCOLN

[_Springing to his feet._]

What----!

RAYMOND

I _have_ stated it bluntly----

LINCOLN

And this is your unanimous verdict, gentlemen----?

ALL

Yes.

LINCOLN

[_Paces the floor a moment and then faces the Committee._]

It surpa.s.ses human belief! Future generations will hold it incredible--that you, my party leaders, should heap this insult upon the man who led you to your first and only victory. That you should come here to-day to ask me to quit under fire, to sacrifice without a blow all I hold worth fighting for on this earth----!

RAYMOND

The Committee made their request solely on the ground of patriotic duty--and ask you for the sacrifice upon the same grounds. They have found it impossible to defend your policies----

LINCOLN

[_Brusquely._]

What policies?

RAYMOND

Understand me, Mr. President--I am telling you the conclusion of this Committee----

LINCOLN

All right, Raymond--fire away--spare me the oratory, please--just give me the plain reasons, one at a time, why you wish me to get off the ticket----

RAYMOND

The first policy found indefensible has been your handling of the border slave states of Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri. You have not yet declared the slaves free in these states, the only ones in which you actually have the power to do so--at all.

LINCOLN

The first policy of my Administration has been to save for the Union the great border states--for the simple reason--with these border slave states, we have such a balance of power that the Union _may_ be saved! Without these states, the Union _cannot_ be saved!

Therefore in my Proclamation of Emanc.i.p.ation, I purposely did not raise the question of the right or wrong of slavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. But the Const.i.tution of the United States, which I have sworn to uphold in the border states of Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri, guarantees to their people the right to hold slaves if they choose.

RAYMOND

But why pat on the back the slaveholder of Maryland and strike at the slaveholder of South Carolina?

LINCOLN