purpose to call
for a draft of half a million under the new Enrollment Act. Many voices
joined the one chorus: the country is on the verge of despair; you will
wreck the cause by demanding another colossal sacrifice. But he would
not listen. When, in desperation, they struck precisely the wrong note,
and hinted at the ruin of his political prospects, he had his calm
reply: "it matters not what becomes of me. We must have men. If I go
down, I intend to go like the Cumberland, with my colors flying."(12)

Thus the days passed until the eighteenth of July. Meanwhile the
irresponsible Greeley had made a sad mess of his Canadian adventure.
Though Lincoln had given him definite instructions, requiring him to
negotiate only with agents who could produce written authority from
Davis, and who would treat on the basis of restoration of the Union
and abandonment of slavery, Greeley ignored both these unconditional
requirements.(13) He had found the Confederate agents at Niagara. They
had no credentials. Nevertheless, he invited them to come to Washington
and open negotiations. Of the President's two conditions, he said not a
word. This was just what the agents wanted. It could easily be twisted
into the semblance of an attempt by Lincoln to sue for peace. They
accepted the invitation. Greeley telegraphed to Lincoln reporting what
he had done. Of course, it was plain that he had misrepresented
Lincoln; that he had far exceeded his authority; and that his perverse
unfaithfulness must be repudiated. On July eighteenth, Hay set out for
Niagara with this paper in Lincoln's handwriting.(14)

"To whom it may concern: Any proposition which embraces the restoration
of peace, the integrity of the whole Union, and the abandonment of
slavery, and which comes by and with an authority that can control
the armies now at war against the United States, will be received and
considered by the executive government of the United States, and will be
met by liberal terms on other substantial and collateral points and the
bearer or bearers thereof shall have, safe conduct both ways. ABRAHAM
LINCOLN."

This was the end of the negotiation. The agents could not accept these
terms. Immediately, they published a version of what had happened: they
had been invited to come to Washington; subsequently, conditions had
been imposed which made it impossible for them to accept Was not
the conclusion plain? The Washington government was trying to open
negotiations