ck
these troops of ours into shape half as well as he.' I spoke of the
general feeling against McClellan as evinced by the President's mail. He
rejoined: 'Unquestionably, he has acted badly toward Pope; he wanted
him to fail. That is unpardonable, but he is too useful now to
sacrifice.'"(12) At another time, he said: "'If he can't fight himself,
he excels in making others ready to fight.'"(13)

McClellan justified Lincoln's confidence. In this case, Herndon's theory
of Lincoln's powers of judgment does not apply. Though probably unfair
on the one point of McClellan's attitude to Pope, he knew his man
otherwise. Lincoln had also discovered that Halleck, the veriest
martinet of a general, was of little value at a crisis. During the next
two months, McClellan, under the direct oversight of the President, was
the organizer of victory.

Toward the middle of September, when Lee and McClellan were gradually
converging upon the fated line of Antietam Creek, Lincoln's new firmness
was put to the test. The immediate effect of Manassas was another, a
still more vehement outcry for an anti-slavery policy. A deputation of
Chicago clergymen went to Washington for the purpose of urging him
to make an anti-slavery pronouncement. The journey was a continuous
ovation. If at any time Lincoln was tempted to forget Seward's worldly
wisdom, it was when these influential zealots demanded of him to do the
very thing he intended to do. But it was one of the characteristics of
this final Lincoln that when once he had fully determined on a course of
action, nothing could deflect him. With consummate coolness he gave
them no new light on his purpose. Instead, he seized the opportunity
to "feel" the country. He played the role of advocate arguing the case
against an emancipation policy.(14) They met his argument with great
Spirit and resolution. Taking them as an index, there could be little
question that the country was ripe for the new policy. At the close
of the interview Lincoln allowed himself to jest. One of the clergymen
dramatically charged him to give heed to their message as to a direct
commission from the Almighty. "Is it not odd," said Lincoln, "that the
only channel he could send it was that roundabout route by the awfully
wicked city of Chicago?"*

* Reminiscences, 335. This retort is given by Schuyler
Colfax. There are various reports of what Lincoln said. In
another version, "I hope it will not be irreverent for me