rly in 1865, of seeing the ranks
of the opposition begin to break. Naturally, the Thirteenth Amendment
to the Constitution, abolishing slavery throughout the United States,
appeared to Lincoln as in a way the consummation of his labors. When
the House voted on the resolution to send this amendment to the States,
several Democrats joined the government forces. Two nights afterward,
speaking to a serenading party at the White House, Lincoln made a brief
speech, part of which is thus reported by his secretaries: "He thought
this measure was a very fitting if not an indispensable adjunct to the
winding up of the great difficulty. He wished the reunion of all the
States perfected, and so effected as to remove all causes of disturbance
in the future; and to attain this end, it was necessary that the
original disturbing cause should, if possible, be rooted out."

An event which in its full detail belongs to Confederate rather than to
Union history took place soon after this. At Hampton Roads, Lincoln and
Seward met Confederate commissioners who had asked for a parley--with
regard to peace. Nothing came of the meeting, but the conference gave
rise to a legend, false in fact and yet true in spirit, according to
which Lincoln wrote on a sheet of paper the word "Union," pushed it
across to Alexander H. Stephens and said, "Write under that anything you
please."

This fiction expresses Lincoln's attitude toward the sinking
Confederacy. On his return from Hampton Roads he submitted to his
Cabinet a draft of a message which he proposed to send to Congress. He
recommended the appropriation of $400,000,000 to be distributed among
the slave states on condition that war cease before April 1, 1865. Not a
member of the Cabinet approved. His secretary, Mr. Nicolay, writes: "The
President, in evident surprise and sorrow at the want of statesmanlike
liberality shown by his executive council, folded and laid away the
draft of his message...." With a deep sigh he added, "But you are all
opposed to me, and I will not send the message."

His second inauguration passed without striking incidents. Chase, as
Chief Justice, administered the oath. The second inaugural address
contained words which are now famous: "With malice towards none; with
charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the
right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the
nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, an