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mpressionable Greeley became frantic for peace peace at any price。 At the psychological moment word was conveyed to him that two persons in Canada held authority from the Confederacy to enter into negotiations for peace。 Greeley wrote to Lincoln demanding negotiations because 〃our bleeding； bankrupt； almost dying country longs for peace； shudders at the prospect of fresh conscriptions； of further wholesale devastations； and of new rivers of human blood。〃
Lincoln consented to a negotiation but stipulated that Greeley himself should become responsible for its conduct。 Though this was not what Greeley wanted for his type always prefers to tell others what to dohe sullenly accepted。 He proceeded to Niagara to meet the reputed commissioners of the Confederacy。 The details of the futile conference do not concern us。 The Confederate agents were not empowered to treat for peaceat least not on any terms that would be considered at Washington。 Their real purpose was far subtler。 Appreciating the delicate balance in Northern politics； they aimed at making it appear that Lincoln was begging for terms。 Lincoln； who foresaw this possible turn of events； had expressly limited Greeley to negotiations for 〃the integrity of the whole Union and the abandonment of slavery。〃 Greeley chose to believe that these instructions； and not the subtlety of the Confederate agents and his own impulsiveness； were the cause of the false position in which the agents now placed him。 They published an account of the episode； thus effecting an exposure which led to sharp attacks upon Greeley by the Northern press。 In the bitterness of his mortification Greeley then went from one extreme to the other and joined the Vindictives。
Less than three weeks after the conference at Niagara； the 〃Wade…Davis Manifesto〃 appeared。 It was communicated to the country through the columns of Greeley's paper on the 5th of August。 Greeley； who so short a time before was for peace at any price； went the whole length of reaction by proclaiming that 〃Mr。 Lincoln is already beaten。。。。 We must have another ticket to save us from utter overthrow。 If we had such a ticket as could be made by naming Grant； Butler； or Sherman for President and Farragut for Vice； we could make a fight yet。〃
At about this same time the chairman of the Republican national committee； who was a Lincoln man； wrote to the President that the situation was desperate。 Lincoln himself is known to have made a private memorandum containing the words； 〃It seems extremely probable that this Administration will not be reelected。〃 On the 1st of September； 1864； with three presidential candidates in the field； Northern politics were bewildering； and the country was shrouded in the deepest gloom。 The Wilderness campaign； after slaughter unparalleled； had not in the popular mind achieved results。 Sherman； in Georgia； though his losses were not as terrible as Grant's； had not yet done anything to lighten the gloom。 Not even Farragut's victory in Mobile Bay； in August； far…reaching as it proved to be； reassured the North。 A bitter cry for peace went up even from lovers of the Union whose hearts had failed。
Meanwhile； the brilliant strategist in Georgia was pressing his drive for political as well as for military effect。 To rouse those Unionists who had lost heart was part of his purpose when he hurled his columns against Atlanta； from which Hood was driven in one of the most disastrous of Confederate defeats。 On the 3rd of September Lincoln issued a proclamation appointing a day of thanksgiving for these great victories of Sherman and Farragut。
On that day； it would seem； the tide turned in Northern politics。 Some historians are content with Atlanta as the explanation of all that followed； but there are three separate events of importance that now occurred as incidents in the complicated situation。 In the first place； three weeks later the radical opposition had collapsed； the plan for a new convention was abandoned； the Vindictive leaders came out in support of Lincoln。 Almost simultaneously occurred the remaining two surprising events。 Fremont withdrew from his candidacy in order to do his 〃part toward preventing the election of the Democratic candidate。〃 And Lincoln asked for the resignation of a member of his Cabinet； Postmaster…General Montgomery Blair； who was the especial enemy of the Vindictives。
The official biographers of Lincoln* keep these three events separate。 They hold that Blair's removal was wholly Lincoln's idea； and that from chivalrous reasons he would not abandon his friend as long as he seemed to be losing the game。 The historian Rhodes writes confidently of a bargain with Fremont； holding that Blair was removed to terminate a quarrel with Fremont which dated back even to his own removal in 1861。 A possible third theory turns upon Chase； whose hostility to Blair was quite equal to that of the illbalanced Fremont。 It had been stimulated the previous winter by a fierce arraignment of Chase made by Blair's brother in Congress； in which Chase was bluntly accused of fraud and of making money； or allowing his friends to make money； through illicit trade in cotton。 And Chase was a man of might among the Vindictives。 The intrigue； however； never comes to the foreground in history； but lurks in the background thick with shadows。 Once or twice among those shadows we seem to catch a glimpse of the figure of Thurlow Weed； the master…politician of the time。 Taking one thing with another； we may risk the guess that somehow the two radical groups which were both relentless against Blair were led to pool their issues； and that Blair's removal was the price Lincoln paid not to one faction of radicals but to the whole unmerciful crowd。
*His private secretaries； John G。 Nicolay and John Hay。
Whatever complex of purposes lay back of the triple coincidence； the latter part of September saw a general reunion of the factions within the Union Party； followed by a swift recovery of strength。 When the election came； Lincoln received an electoral vote of 212 against 21； and a popular vote of 2；330；552 against 1；835；985。
The inevitable question arises as to what was the real cause of this success。 It is safe to say that the political campaign contained some adroit strategy； that Sherman was without doubt an enormous factor； that the Democrats made numerous blunders； and that the secret societies had an effect other than they intended。 However； the real clue seems to be found in one sentence from a letter written by Lowell to Motley when the outlook for his party was darkest： 〃The mercantile classes are longing for peace； but I believe that the people are more firm than ever。〃 Of the great； silent mass of the people； the true temper seems to be struck off in a popular poem of the time； written in response to one of the calls for more troops； a poem with refrains built on the model of this couplet：
〃We're coming from the hillside； we're coming from the shore； We're coming； Father Abraham； six hundred thousand more。〃
CHAPTER XIV。 LINCOLN'S FINAL INTENTIONS
The victory of the Union Party in November enabled Lincoln to enjoy for a brief period of his career as President w