to
say that if it is probable that God would reveal His will to
others on a point so connected with my duty, it might be
supposed He would reveal it directly to me." Tarbell, II,
12.

Lincoln's pertinacity, holding fast the program he had accepted, came to
its reward. On the seventeenth occurred that furious carnage along the
Antietam known as the bloodiest single day of the whole war. Military
men have disagreed, calling it sometimes a victory, sometimes a drawn
battle. In Lincoln's political strategy the dispute is immaterial.
Psychologically, it was a Northern victory. The retreat of Lee was
regarded by the North as the turn of the tide. Lincoln's opportunity had
arrived.

Again, a unique event occurred in a Cabinet meeting. On the
twenty-second of September, with the cannon of Antietam still ringing
in their imagination, the Ministers were asked by the President whether
they had seen the new volume just published by Artemus Ward. As they had
not, he produced it and read aloud with evident relish one of those bits
of nonsense which, in the age of Dickens, seemed funny enough. Most
of the Cabinet joined in the merriment--Stanton, of course, as always,
excepted. Lincoln closed the book, pulled himself together, and became
serious.

"Gentlemen," said he, according to the diary of Secretary Chase, "I
have, as you are aware, thought a great deal about the relation of this
war to slavery; and you all remember that several weeks ago I read you
an order I had prepared on this subject, which, on account of objections
made by some of you, was not issued. Ever since, my mind has been much
occupied with this subject, and I have thought all along that the time
for acting on it might probably come. I think the time has come now. I
wish it was a better time. I wish that we were in a better condition.
The action of the army against the Rebels has not been quite what I
should have best liked. But they have been driven out of Maryland; and
Pennsylvania is no longer in danger of invasion. When the Rebel army
was at Frederick, I determined, as soon as it should be driven out of
Maryland, to issue a proclamation of emancipation, such as I thought
most likely to be useful. I said nothing to any one, but I made the
promise to myself, and (hesitating a little) to my Maker. The Rebel army
is now driven out and I am going to fulfill that promise. I have got
you together to hear what I have written down. I do not wish