Abraham Lincoln: A Play Part 14

_Hook_: There's a good deal of feeling against him everywhere, I find.

_Blair_: He's the one man with character enough for this business.

_Hook_: There are other opinions.

_Seward_: Yes, but not here, surely.

_Hook_: It's not for me to say. But I ask you, what does he mean about emanc.i.p.ation? I've always understood that it was the Union we were fighting for, and that abolition was to be kept in our minds for legislation at the right moment. And now one day he talks as though emanc.i.p.ation were his only concern, and the next as though he would throw up the whole idea, if by doing it he could secure peace with the establishment of the Union. Where are we?

_Seward_: No, you're wrong. It's the Union first now with him, but there's no question about his views on slavery. You know that perfectly well. But he has always kept his policy about slavery free in his mind, to be directed as he thought best for the sake of the Union. You remember his words: "If I could save the Union without freeing any slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union." Nothing could be plainer than that, just as nothing could be plainer than his determination to free the slaves when he can.

_Hook_: Well, there are some who would have acted differently.

_Blair_: And you may depend upon it they would not have acted so wisely.

_Stanton_: I don't altogether agree with the President. But he's the only man I should agree with at all.

_Hook_: To issue the proclamation now, and that's what he will propose, mark my words, will be to confuse the public mind just when we want to keep it clear.

_Welles_: Are you sure he will propose to issue it now?

_Hook_: You see if he doesn't.

_Welles_: If he does I shall support him.

_Seward_: Is Lee's army broken?

_Stanton_: Not yet--but it is in grave danger.

_Hook_: Why doesn't the President come? One would think this news was nothing.

_Chase_: I must say I'm anxious to know what he has to say about it all.

A CLERK _comes in_.

_Clerk_: The President's compliments, and he will be here in a moment.

_He goes_.

_Hook_: I shall oppose it if it comes up.

_Chase_: He may say nothing about it.

_Seward_: I think he will.

_Stanton_: Anyhow, it's the critical moment.

_Blair_: Here he comes.

LINCOLN _comes in carrying a small book_.

_Lincoln_: Good-morning, gentlemen.

_He takes his place_.

_The Ministers_: Good-morning, Mr. President.

_Seward_: Great news, we hear.

_Hook_: If we leave things with the army to take their course for a little now, we ought to see through our difficulties.

_Lincoln_: It's an exciting morning, gentlemen. I feel rather excited myself. I find my mind not at its best in excitement. Will you allow me?

_Opening his book_.

It may compose us all. It is Mr. Artemus Ward's latest.

THE MINISTERS, _with the exception of_ HOOK, _who makes no attempt to hide his irritation, and_ STANTON, _who would do the same but for his disapproval of_ HOOK, _listen with good-humoured patience and amus.e.m.e.nt while he reads the following pa.s.sage from Artemus Ward_.

"High Handed Outrage at Utica."

"In the Faul of 1856, I showed my show in Utiky, a trooly grate city in the State of New York. The people gave me a cordyal recepshun. The press was loud in her prases. 1 day as I was givin a descripshun of my Beests and Snaiks in my usual flowry stile what was my skorn and disgust to see a big burly feller walk up to the cage containin my wax figgers of the Lord's last Supper, and cease Judas Iscarrot by the feet and drag him out on the ground. He then commenced fur to pound him as hard as he cood."

"'What under the son are you abowt,' cried I."

"Sez he, 'What did you bring this p.u.s.s.ylanermus cuss here fur?' and he hit the wax figger another tremenjis blow on the bed."

"Sez I, 'You egrejus a.s.s, that airs a wax figger--a representashun of the false 'Postle.'"

"Sez he, 'That's all very well fur you to say; but I tell you, old man, that Judas Iscarrot can't show himself in Utiky with impunerty by a darn site,' with which observashun he kaved in Juda.s.sis hed. The young man belonged to 1 of the first famerlies in Utiky. I sood him, and the Joory brawt in a verd.i.c.k of Arson in the 3d degree."

_Stanton_: May we now consider affairs of state?

_Hook_: Yes, we may.

_Lincoln_: Mr. Hook says, yes, we may.

_Stanton_: Thank you.

_Lincoln_: Oh, no. Thank Mr. Hook.

_Seward_: McClellan is in pursuit of Lee, I suppose.

_Lincoln_: You suppose a good deal. But for the first time McClellan has the chance of being in pursuit of Lee, and that's the first sign of their end. If McClellan doesn't take his chance, we'll move Grant down to the job. That will mean delay, but no matter. The mastery has changed hands.

_Blair_: Grant drinks.

_Lincoln_: Then tell me the name of his brand. I'll send some barrels to the others. He wins victories.