obligations to party
paramount to duty to the country. This last, if it did not boldly
participate with the rebels, was an auxiliary, and as a party, hostile
to the Administration, and opposed to nearly every measure for
suppressing the insurrection.

There were among the friends of the Administration, and especially
during its last two years, radical differences, which in the first
stages of the war were undeveloped. The mild and persuasive temper of
the President, his generous and tolerant disposition, and his kind and
moderate forbearance toward the rebels, whom he invited and would
persuade to return to their allegiance and their duty, did not
correspond with the schemes and designs of the extreme and violent
leaders of the Republican party. They had other objects than
reconstruction to attain, were implacable and revengeful, and some with
ulterior radical views thought the opportunity favorable to effect a
change of administration.

These had for years fomented division, encouraged strife, and were as
ultra and as unreasonable in their demands and exactions as the
secessionists. Some had welcomed war with grim satisfaction, and were
for prosecuting it unrelentingly with fire and sword to the annihilation
of the rights, and the absolute subversion of the Southern States and
subjection of the Southern people. There was in their ranks unreasoning
fanaticism, and ferocity that partook of barbarism, with a mixture of
political intrigue fatal to our Federal system. These men, dissatisfied
with President Lincoln, accused him of temporizing, of imbecility, and
of sympathy with the rebels because he would not confiscate their whole
property, and hang or punish them as pirates or traitors. These radical
Republicans, as they were proud to call themselves, occupied, like all
extreme men in high party and revolutionary times, the front rank of
their party, and, though really a minority, gave tone and character to
the Republican organization. Fired with avenging zeal, and often
successful in their extreme views, though to some extent checked and
modified by the President, they were presuming, and flattered themselves
they could, if unsuccessful with Mr. Lincoln, effect a change in the
administration of the Government in 1864 by electing a President who
would conform to their ultra demands. Secret meetings and whispered
consultations were held for that purpose, and for a time aspiring and
calculating politicians gave them encou