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ion and a contemptible government； too weak to arrest and punish him if he shall desert。 I think that in such a case to silence the agitator and save the boy is not only constitutional； but； withal； a great mercy。〃
His real argument may be summed up in these words of his：
〃You ask； in substance； whether I really claim that I may override all the guaranteed rights of individuals； on the plea of conserving the public safetywhen I may choose to say the public safety requires it。 This question； divested of the phraseology calculated to represent me as struggling for an arbitrary prerogative； is either simply a question who shall decide； or an affirmation that nobody shall decide； what the public safety does require in cases of rebellion or invasion。
〃The Constitution contemplates the question as likely to occur for decision； but it does not expressly declare who is to decide it。 By necessary implication； when rebellion or invasion comes； the decision is to be made； from time to time； and I think the man； whom for the time； the people have under the Constitution； made the commander…in…chief of their army and navy； is the man who holds the power and bears the responsibility of making it。 If he uses the power justly； the same people will probably justify him； if he abuses it； he is in their hands to be dealt with by all the modes they have reserved to themselves in the Constitution。〃
Lincoln virtually appealed to the Northern people to secure efficiency by setting him momentarily above all civil authority。 He asked them in substance； to interpret their Constitution by a show of hands。 No thoughtful person can doubt the risks of such a method； yet in Ohio； in 1863； the great majorityperhaps everyone who believed in the waraccepted Lincoln's position。 Between their traditional system of legal juries and the new system of military tribunals the Ohio voters made their choice without hesitation。 They rejected Vallandigham and sustained the Lincoln candidate by a majority of over a hundred thousand。 That same year in New York the anti…Lincoln candidate for Secretary of State was defeated by twenty…nine thousand votes。
Though these elections in 1863 can hardly be called the turning…point in the history of the Lincoln Government； yet it was clear that the tide of popularity which had ebbed so far away from Lincoln in the autumn of 1862 was again in the flood。 Another phase of his stormy course may be thought of as having ended。 And in accounting for this turn of the tide it must not be forgotten that between the nomination and the defeat of a Vallandigham the bloody rebellion in New York had taken place； Gettysburg had been fought； and Grant had captured Vicksburg。 The autumn of 1863 formed a breathing space for the war party of the North。
CHAPTER IX。 THE CRUCIAL MATTER
It is the custom of historians to measure the relative strength of North and South chiefly in terms of population。 The North numbered 23；000；000 inhabitants； the South； about 9；000；000； of which the slave population amounted to 3；500；000。 But these obvious statistics only partially indicate the real situation。 Not what one has； but what one is capable of using is； of course； the true measure of strength。 If； in 1861； either side could have struck swiftly and with all its force； the story of the war would have been different。 The question of relative strength was in reality a question of munitions。 Both powers were glaringly unprepared。 Both had instant need of great supplies of arms and ammunition； and both turned to European manufacturers for aid。 Those Americans who； in a later war； wished to make illegal the neutral trade in munitions forgot that the international right of a belligerent to buy arms from a neutral had prevented their own destruction in 1861。 In the supreme American crisis； agents of both North and South hurried to Europe in quest of munitions。 On the Northern side the work was done chiefly by the three ministers； Charles Francis Adams； at London； William L。 Dayton； at Paris； and Henry S。 Sanford； at Brussels； by an able special agent； Colonel George L。 Schuyler； and by the famous banking…house of Baring Brothers； which one might almost have called the European department of the United States Treasury。
The eager solicitude of the War Department over the competition of the two groups of agents in Europe informs a number of dispatches that are； today； precious admonitions to the heedless descendants of that dreadful time。 As late as October； 1861； the Acting Secretary of War wrote to Schuyler； one of whose shipments had been delayed： 〃The Department earnestly hopes to receive。。。the 12；000 Enfield rifles and the remainder of the 27；000； which you state you have purchased； by the earliest steamer following。 Could you appreciate the circumstances by which we are surrounded； you would readily understand the urgent necessity there is for the immediate delivery of all the arms you are authorized to purchase。 The Department expects to hear that you have been able to conclude the negotiations for the 48；000 rifles from the French government arsenals。〃 That the Confederate Government acted even more promptly than the Union Government appears from a letter of Sanford to Seward in May： 〃I have vainly expected orders；〃 he complains； 〃for the purchase of arms for the Government； and am tempted to order from Belgium all they can send over immediately。。。。 Meanwhile the workshops are filling with orders from the South。。。。 It distresses me to think that while we are in want of them； Southern money is taking them away to be used against us。〃
At London； Adams took it upon himself to contract for arms in advance of instructions。 He wrote to Seward： 〃Aware of the degree to which I exceed my authority in taking such a step； nothing but a conviction of the need in which the country stands of such assistance and the joint opinion of all the diplomatic agents of the United States。。。in Paris； has induced me to overcome my scruples。〃 How real was the necessity of which this able diplomat was so early conscious； is demonstrated at every turn in the papers of the War Department。 Witness this brief dispatch from Harrisburg： 〃All ready to leave but no arms。 Governor not willing to let us leave State without them； as act of Assembly forbids。 Can arms be sent here？〃 When this appeal was made； in December； 1861； arms were pouring into the country from Europe； and the crisis had passed。 But if this appeal had been made earlier in the year； the inevitable answer may be guessed from a dispatch which the Ordnance Office sent； as late as September； to the authorities of West Virginia； refusing to supply them with arms because the supplies were exhausted； and adding； 〃Every possible exertion is being made to obtain additional supplies by contract； by manufacture； and by purchase； and as soon as they can be procured by any means； in any way； they will be supplied。〃
Curiously enough； not only the Confederacy but various States of the North were more expeditious in this all…important matter than Cameron and the War Department。 Schuyler's first dispatch from London gives this singular information： 〃All private establishments in Birmingham and Londo