A Man of the People Part 36

What is it?

VAUGHAN

[_With cold precision._]

My mother writes me that my father has been arrested without warrant, is held in prison without bail, and denied the right of trial----

[_He pauses, trembling with excitement._]

LINCOLN

Go on--my boy----

VAUGHAN

I have come to ask for justice----

LINCOLN

He shall have it----

VAUGHAN

I ask that he be confronted by his accusers in open court and given a fair trial----

LINCOLN

[_Interrupting._]

For what was he arrested?

VAUGHAN

For exercising the right of free speech. In a public address, he denounced the war----

LINCOLN

Oh!--And his address was printed?

[LINCOLN _picks up the little booklet and looks again at the t.i.tle page and then at_ VAUGHAN.]

VAUGHAN

He had as much right to print as to speak it----

LINCOLN

No, he hadn't----

[_Pauses and looks at_ VAUGHAN.]

You say your father's name is Richard Vaughan----?

VAUGHAN

Yes--Dr. Richard Vaughan--and I ask for him a fair trial confronted by his accusers--I ask for justice--will you grant him this trial----?

[LINCOLN _lays the pamphlet down on his desk and rises._]

LINCOLN

[_Shakes his head._]

I cannot----! I cannot do it!

[_He folds his arms behind his back and paces the floor, unconscious of the glitter of murder in_ VAUGHAN'S _eyes_. VAUGHAN _slowly draws his revolver and is about to lift to fire, when_ LINCOLN _suddenly turns and speaks._]

[_With sharp emphasis._]

That little pamphlet, sir, found its way into the ranks and caused a number of soldiers to desert----

VAUGHAN

Who says this?

LINCOLN

I happen to know it!

[LINCOLN _pauses and shakes his head sorrowfully._]

You see, my boy, your house is divided against itself--the symbol of our unhappy country. Of course, I didn't know of this particular case.

Such things hurt me so, I refuse to know them unless I must. They tell me that Seward and Stanton have arrested without warrant and hold in jail more than thirty-five thousand men at this moment. I hope the number is exaggerated--still it may be so----

VAUGHAN

[_Angrily._]

It's true--I've learned it since my father's arrest!

LINCOLN

[_Tenderly._]

But, come now, my son, put yourself in my place! I'm here to save the Union for which you are fighting--for which you have poured out your blood. I've armed two million men and we are spending four millions a day, to fight the South for trying to secede. My opponents, taking advantage of our sorrow, harangue the people and elect hostile legislatures in the Northern states. They were about to pa.s.s ordinances of Secession and establish a Northwestern Confederacy! Shall I fight Secession in the South and merely argue with it here? I was compelled to suspend the civil law, arrest these men and hold them without bail or trial----

VAUGHAN