me also. It did
not seem a time to speak. We walked slowly and quietly, meeting here and
there a guard, our thoughts leading us to reflect on that wonderful
situation. A nation in peril--the whole world looking at America--a
million men in arms--the whole machinery of war engaged throughout the
country, while I stood by that kind-hearted, simple-minded man who might
be regarded as the Director-General, looking at the beautiful sunrise
and the magnificent scene before us. Nothing was to be said, nothing
needed to be said. Finally, reaching a commanding point where almost
that entire camp could be seen--the men were just beginning their
morning duties, and evidences of life and activity were becoming
apparent--we involuntarily stopped. The President, waving his hand
towards the scene before us, and leaning towards me, said in an almost
whispering voice: 'Hatch--Hatch, what is all this?' 'Why, Mr. Lincoln,'
said I, 'this is the Army of the Potomac' He hesitated a moment, and
then, straightening up, said in a louder tone: 'No, Hatch, no. This is
_General McClellan's body-guard_.' Nothing more was said. We walked to
our tent, and the subject was not alluded to again."

CHAPTER XXI

Lincoln and Slavery--Plan for Gradual Emancipation--Anti-slavery
Legislation in 1862--Pressure Brought to Bear on the Executive--The
Delegation of Quakers--A Visit from Chicago Clergymen--Interview
between Lincoln and Channing--Lincoln and Horace Greeley--The
President's Answer to "The Prayer of Twenty Millions of
People"--Conference between Lincoln and Greeley--Emancipation
Resolved on--The Preliminary Proclamation--Lincoln's Account of
It--Preparing for the Final Act--The Emancipation
Proclamation--Particulars of the Great Document--Fate of the
Original Draft--Lincoln's Outline of his Course and Views regarding
Slavery.

The emancipation of slaves in America--the crowning act of Lincoln's
eventful career and the one with which his fame is most indissolubly
linked--is a subject of supreme interest in a study of his life and
character. For this great act all his previous life and training had
been but a preparation. From the first awakening of his convictions of
the moral wrong of human slavery, through all his public and private
utterances, may be traced one logical and consistent development of the
principles which at last found sublime expression in the Proclamation of
Emancipat