bitterly, but
Lincoln was not an easy man to fix a quarrel on.

In the following winter, 1864-5, the new Louisiana Legislature,
recognized and encouraged by the President, elected two senators who
applied at Washington for admission. The judiciary committee, headed by
Lyman Trumbull, reported in their favor, and the large majority of the
Senate took the same view. But Sumner was strongly opposed to beginning
the readmission of the rebel States to congressional power until the
rights of the freedmen were fully and finally established. Aided by two
other radicals, Wade of Ohio and Zachariah Chandler of Michigan, he
"talked against time," and defeated action until the end of the session.
Under senatorial usage it was legitimate--but it was exasperating. The
little world of Washington, always greatly given to tempests in a
teapot, looked for a break between the President and the foremost man of
his supporters. What it saw instead was, at the inauguration ball, Mr.
Sumner entering in company with the President and with Mrs. Lincoln on
his arm! No, Lincoln was not going to quarrel with Sumner--nor with any
one, if it lay with him.

Richmond was taken, and through its streets moved the gaunt form of the
President, his eyes taking grave, kind note of all. Back to Washington,
and the supreme word comes at last. Lee has surrendered, the war is
over, the victory won! A cheering, exultant crowd beset the White
House. Lincoln came out on the balcony, said a word of response, and
invited them to come back two days later for a fuller word. When they
came again, he talked to them and to the country. His whole theme was,
What is our next duty? Here is the next step, the first of the "erring
sisters" to return is to be welcomed back. Louisiana has adopted a
constitution abolishing slavery, establishing public schools for black
and white alike, and allowing the Legislature at its discretion to
extend suffrage to the blacks. Under this constitution 12,000 voters
have been enrolled. The Legislature has met and ratified the Thirteenth
Amendment. Can we do better than to accept and restore them to the full
privileges of statehood? For them would it not also be wise to extend
the suffrage to the most intelligent negroes, and to those who have
served in the Union army? As to all the seceded States, the question
whether they have ever been out of the Union is "a merely pernicious
abstraction." The real question is, how to get them again into pr