ple of the South and its bestowment upon negroes and
camp-followers as fast as the Union army should penetrate into the
States in rebellion.

Senator Winter's argument was based on sound reasoning theoretically
whatever might be said of its wisdom as a National policy.

"Your Emancipation Proclamation," he declared to the President,
"provides for the arming and drilling of negro soldiers to fight for the
Republic. If they are good enough to fight they are good enough to vote.
The ballot is only another form of the bayonet which we use in time of
peace----"

"Correct, Senator," was the calm reply, "if we are to allow the negro
race to remain in America in physical contact with ours. But we are not
going to do this. No greater calamity could befall our people.
Colonization and separation must go hand in hand with the emancipation
of these children of Africa. I incorporated this principle in my act of
emancipation. I have set my life on the issue of its success. As a
matter of theory and abstract right we may grant the suffrage to a few
of the more intelligent negroes and the black soldiers we may enroll
until they can be removed----"

"Again we deal with a Southerner, Mr. President!" the Senator sneered.

"So be it," was the quiet answer. "I have never held any other views.
They were well known before the war. But two years before my election I
said in my debate with Douglas:

"'I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way,
the social and political equality of the white and black races. I am
not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes,
nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to inter-marry with white
people. I will say in addition to this that there is a physical
difference between the white and black races which, I believe, will
forever forbid the two living together on terms of social and political
equality."

"Yet," the Senator sneered, "you can change your mind. You said in your
Inaugural that you had no intention or right to interfere with the
institution of Slavery. You did so just the same."

"As an act of war to save the Union only. But mark you, I have always
hated Slavery from principle for the white man's sake as well as the
negro's. I am equally determined _on principle_ that the negro race
after it is free shall never be absorbed into our social or political
life!"

"You'll change your principles or retire to private life!" the old man
snapped.