_Ten months later. Seward's room at Washington_. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
_Secretary of State, is seated at his table with_ JOHNSON WHITE _and_
CALEB JENNINGS, _representing the Commissioners of the Confederate
States_.
_White_: It's the common feeling in the South, Mr. Seward, that you're
the one man at Washington to see this thing with large imagination. I
say this with no disrespect to the President.
_Seward_: I appreciate your kindness, Mr. White. But the Union is the
Union--you can't get over that. We are faced with a plain fact. Seven
of the Southern States have already declared for secession. The
President feels--and I may say that I and my colleagues are with
him--that to break up the country like that means the decline of
America.
_Jennings_: But everything might be done by compromise, Mr. Seward.
Withdraw your garrison from Fort Sumter, Beauregard will be instructed
to take no further action, South Carolina will be satisfied with the
recognition of her authority, and, as likely as not, be willing to
give the lead to the other states in reconsidering secession.
_Seward_: It is certainly a very attractive and, I conceive, a humane
proposal.
_White_: By furthering it you might be the saviour of the country from
civil war, Mr. Seward.
_Seward_: The President dwelt on his resolution to hold Fort Sumter in
his inaugural address. It will be difficult to persuade him to go back
on that. He's firm in his decisions.
_White_: There are people who would call him stubborn. Surely if
it were put to him tactfully that so simple a course might avert
incalculable disaster, no man would nurse his dignity to the point of
not yielding. I speak plainly, but it's a time for plain speaking.
Mr. Lincoln is doubtless a man of remarkable qualities: on the two
occasions when I have spoken to him I have not been unimpressed. That
is so, Mr. Jennings?
_Jennings_: Certainly.
_White_: But what does his experience of great affairs of state amount
to beside yours, Mr. Seward? He must know how much he depends on
certain members of his Cabinet, I might say upon a certain member, for
advice.
_Seward_: We have to move warily.
_Jennings_: Naturally. A man is sensitive, doubtless, in his first
taste of office.
_Seward_: My support of the President is, of course, unquestionable.
_White_: Oh, entirely. But how can your support be more valuable than
in lending him your unequalled understanding?
_Seward_: The whole thing is coloured in his mind by the question of
slavery.
_Jennings_: Disabuse his mind. Slavery is nothing. Persuade him to
withdraw from Fort Sumter, and slavery can be settled round a table.
You know there's a considerable support even for abolition in the
South itself. If the trade has to be allowed in some districts, what
is that compared to the disaster of civil war?
_White_: We do not believe that the Southern States wish with any
enthusiasm to secede. They merely wish to establish their right to do
so. Acknowledge that by evacuating Fort Sumter, and nothing will come
of it but a perfectly proper concession to an independence of spirit
that is not disloyal to the Union at heart.
_Seward_: You understand, of course, that I can say nothing
officially.
_Jennings_: These are nothing but informal suggestions.
_Seward_: But I may tell you that I am not unsympathetic.
_White_: We were sure that that would be so.
_Seward_: And my word is not without influence.
_Jennings_: It can be used to bring you very great credit, Mr. Seward.
_Seward_: In the mean time, you will say nothing of this interview,
beyond making your reports, which should be confidential.
_White_: You may rely upon us.
_Seward (rising with the others)_: Then I will bid you good-morning.
_White_: We are profoundly sensible of the magnanimous temper in which
we are convinced you will conduct this grave business. Good-morning,
Mr. Seward.
_Jennings_: And I--
_There is a knock at the door_.
_Seward_: Yes--come in.
A CLERK _comes in_.
_Clerk_: The President is coming up the stairs, sir.
_Seward_: Thank you.
THE CLERK _goes_. This is unfortunate. Say nothing, and go at once.
LINCOLN _comes in, now whiskered and bearded._
_Lincoln_: Good-morning, Mr. Seward. Good-morning, gentlemen.
_Seward_: Good-morning, Mr. President. And I am obliged to you for
calling, gentlemen. Good-morning.
_He moves towards the door_.
_Lincoln_: Perhaps these gentlemen could spare me ten minutes.
_White_: It might not--
_Lincoln_: Say five minutes.
_Jennings_: Perhaps you would--
_Lincoln_: I am anxious always for any opportunity to exchange views
with our friends of the South. Much enlightenment may be gained in
five minutes. Be seated, I beg you--if Mr. Seward will allow us.
_Seward_: By all means. Shall I leave you?
_Lincoln_: Leave us--but why? I may want your support, Mr. Secretary,
if we should not wholly agree. Be seated, gentlemen.
SEWARD _places a chair for_ LINCOLN, _and they sit at the table_.
You have messages for us?
_White_: Well, no, we can't say that.
_Lincoln_: No messages? Perhaps I am inquisitive?
_Seward_: These gentlemen are anxious to sound any moderating
influences.
_Lincoln_: I trust they bring moderating influences with them. You
will find me a ready listener, gentlemen.
_Jennings_: It's a delicate matter, Mr. Lincoln. Ours is just an
informal visit.
_Lincoln_: Quite, quite. But we shall lose nothing by knowing each
other's minds.
_White_: Shall we tell the President what we came to say, Mr. Seward?
_Lincoln_: I shall be grateful. If I should fail to understand, Mr.
Seward, no doubt, will enlighten me.
_Jennings_: We thought it hardly worth while to trouble you at so
early a stage.
_Lincoln_: So early a stage of what?
_Jennings_: I mean--
_Seward_: These gentlemen, in a common anxiety for peace, were merely
seeking the best channel through which suggestions could be made.
_Lincoln_: To whom?
_Seward_: To the government.
_Lincoln_: The head of the government is here.
_White_: But--
_Lincoln_: Come, gentlemen. What is it?
_Jennings_: It's this matter of Fort Sumter, Mr. President. If you
withdraw your garrison from Fort Sumter it won't be looked upon as
weakness in you. It will merely be looked upon as a concession to a
natural privilege. We believe that the South at heart does not want
secession. It wants to establish the right to decide for itself.
_Lincoln_: The South wants the stamp of national approval upon
slavery. It can't have it.
_White_: Surely that's not the point. There's no law in the South
against slavery.
_Lincoln_: Laws come from opinion, Mr. White. The South knows it.
_Jennings_: Mr. President, if I may say so, you don't quite
understand.
_Lincoln_: Does Mr. Seward understand?
_White_: We believe so.
_Lincoln_: You are wrong. He doesn't understand, because you didn't
mean him to. I don't blame you. You think you are acting for the best.
You think you've got an honest case. But I'll put your case for you,
and I'll put it naked. Many people in this country want abolition;
many don't. I'll say nothing for the moment as to the rights and
wrongs of it. But every man, whether he wants it or not, knows it may
come. Why does the South propose secession? Because it knows abolition
may come, and it wants to avoid it. It wants more: it wants the right
to extend the slave foundation. We've all been to blame for slavery,
but we in the North have been willing to mend our ways. You have not.
So you'll secede, and make your own laws. But you weren't prepared for
resistance; you don't want resistance. And you hope that if you can
tide over the first crisis and make us give way, opinion will prevent
us from opposing you with force again, and you'll be able to get your
own way about the slave business by threats. That's your case. You
didn't say so to Mr. Seward, but it is. Now, I'll give you my answer.
Gentlemen, it's no good hiding this thing in a corner. It's got to be
settled. I said the other day that Fort Sumter would be held as long
as we could hold it. I said it because I know exactly what it means.
Why are you investing it? Say, if you like, it's to establish your
right of secession with no purpose of exercising it. Why do you want
to establish that right? Because now we will allow no extension of
slavery, and because some day we may abolish it. You can't deny it;
there's no other answer.
_Jennings_: I see how it is. You may force freedom as much as you
like, but we are to beware how we force slavery.
_Lincoln_: It couldn't be put better, Mr. Jennings. That's what the
Union means. It is a Union that stands for common right. That is its
foundation--that is why it is for every honest man to preserve it. Be
clear about this issue. If there is war, it will not be on the slave
question. If the South is loyal to the Union, it can fight slave
legislation by constitutional means, and win its way if it can. If
it claims the right to secede, then to preserve this country from
disruption, to maintain that right to which every state pledged itself
when the Union was won for us by our fathers, war may be the only way.
We won't break up the Union, and you shan't. In your hands, and not in
mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. You can have no conflict
without yourselves being the aggressors. I am loath to close. We are
not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may
have strained, do not allow it to break our bonds of affection. That
is our answer. Tell them that. Will you tell them that?
_White_: You are determined?
_Lincoln_: I beg you to tell them.
_Jennings_: It shall be as you wish.
_Lincoln_: Implore them to order Beauregard's return. You can
telegraph it now, from here. Will you do that?
_White_: If you wish it.
_Lincoln_: Earnestly. Mr. Seward, will you please place a clerk at
their service. Ask for an answer.
SEWARD _rings a bell_. A CLERK _comes in_.
_Seward:_ Give these gentlemen a private wire. Place yourself at their
disposal.
_Clerk_: Yes, sir.
WHITE _and_ JENNINGS _go out with the_ CLERK. _For a moment_ LINCOLN
_and_ SEWARD _are silent,_ LINCOLN _pacing the room_, SEWARD _standing
at the table.
_Lincoln:_ Seward, this won't do.
_Seward_: You don't suspect--
_Lincoln_: I do not. But let us be plain. No man can say how wisely,
but Providence has brought me to the leadership of this country, with
a task before me greater than that which rested on Washington himself.
When I made my Cabinet, you were the first man I chose. I do not
regret it. I think I never shall. But remember, faith earns faith.
What is it? Why didn't those men come to see me?
_Seward_: They thought my word might bear more weight with you than
theirs.
_Lincoln_: Your word for what?
_Seward_: Discretion about Fort Sumter.
_Lincoln_: Discretion?
_Seward_: It's devastating, this thought of war.
_Lincoln_: It is. Do you think I'm less sensible of that than you?
War should be impossible. But you can only make it impossible by
destroying its causes. Don't you see that to withdraw from Fort Sumter
is to do nothing of the kind? If one half of this country claims
the right to disown the Union, the claim in the eyes of every true
guardian among us must be a cause for war, unless we hold the Union to
be a false thing instead of the public consent to decent principles
of life that it is. If we withdraw from Fort Sumter, we do nothing to
destroy that cause. We can only destroy it by convincing them that
secession is a betrayal of their trust. Please God we may do so.
_Seward_: Has there, perhaps, been some timidity in making all this
clear to the country?
_Lincoln_: Timidity? And you were talking of discretion.
_Seward_: I mean that perhaps our policy has not been sufficiently
defined.
_Lincoln_: And have you not concurred in all our decisions? Do not
deceive yourself. You urge me to discretion in one breath and tax me
with timidity in the next. While there was hope that they might call
Beauregard back out of their own good sense, I was determined to
say nothing to inflame them. Do you call that timidity? Now their
intention is clear, and you've heard me speak this morning clearly
also. And now you talk about discretion--you, who call what was
discretion at the right time, timidity, now counsel timidity at the
wrong time, and call it discretion. Seward, you may think I'm simple,
but I can see your mind working as plainly as you might see the
innards of a clock. You can bring great gifts to this government, with
your zeal, and your administrative experience, and your love of men.
Don't spoil it by thinking I've got a dull brain.
_Seward (slowly):_ Yes, I see. I've not been thinking quite clearly
about it all.
_Lincoln (taking a paper from his pocket_): Here's the paper you sent
me. "Some Thoughts for the President's Consideration. Great Britain
... Russia ... Mexico ... policy. Either the President must control
this himself, or devolve it on some member of his Cabinet. It is
not in my especial province, but I neither seek to evade nor assume
responsibility."
_There is a pause, the two men looking at each, other without
speaking_. LINCOLN _hands the paper to_ SEWARD, _who holds it for a
moment, tears it up and throws it into his basket_.
_Seward:_ I beg your pardon.
_Lincoln (taking his hand_): That's brave of you.
JOHN HAY, _a Secretary, comes in_.
_Hay:_ There's a messenger from Major Anderson, sir. He's ridden
straight from Fort Sumter.
_Lincoln_: Take him to my room. No, bring him here.
HAY _goes_.
_Seward_: What does it mean?
_Lincoln_: I don't like the sound of it.
_He rings a bell_. A CLERK _comes in_.
Are there any gentlemen of the Cabinet in the house?
_Clerk_: Mr. Chase and Mr. Blair, I believe, sir.
_Lincoln_: My compliments to them, and will they be prepared to see
me here at once if necessary. Send the same message to any other
ministers you can find.
_Clerk_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_.
_Lincoln_: We may have to decide now--now.
HAY _shows in a perspiring and dust-covered_
MESSENGER, _and retires_. From Major Anderson?
_The Messenger_: Yes, sir. Word of mouth, sir.
_Lincoln_: Your credentials?
_The Messenger (giving_ LINCOLN _a paper_): Here, sir.
_Lincoln (glancing at it_): Well?
_The Messenger_: Major Anderson presents his duty to the government.
He can hold the Fort three days more without provisions and
reinforcements.
LINCOLN _rings the bell, and waits until a third_ CLERK _comes in_.
_Lincoln_: See if Mr. White and Mr. Jennings have had any answer yet.
Mr.--what's his name?
_Seward_: Hawkins.
_Lincoln_: Mr. Hawkins is attending to them. And ask Mr. Hay to come
here.
_Clerk_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_. LINCOLN _sits at the table and writes_. HAY _comes in_.
_Lincoln (writing):_ Mr. Hay, do you know where General Scott is?
_Hay_: At headquarters, I think, sir.
_Lincoln_: Take this to him yourself and bring an answer back.
_Hay_: Yes, sir.
_He takes the note, and goes_.
_Lincoln:_ Are things very bad at the Fort?
_The Messenger_: The major says three days, sir. Most of us would have
said twenty-four hours.
_A knock at the door_.
_Seward:_ Yes.
HAWKINS _comes in_.
_Hawkins_: Mr. White is just receiving a message across the wire, sir.
_Lincoln_: Ask him to come here directly he's finished.
_Hawkins_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_. LINCOLN _goes to a far door and opens it. He speaks to the_
MESSENGER.
_Lincoln_: Will you wait in here?
_The_ MESSENGER _goes through_.
_Seward_: Do you mind if I smoke?
_Lincoln_: Not at all, not at all.
SEWARD _lights a cigar_.
Three days. If White's message doesn't help us--three days.
_Seward_: But surely we must withdraw as a matter of military
necessity now.
_Lincoln_: Why doesn't White come?
SEWARD _goes to the window and throws it up. He stands looking down
into the street_. LINCOLN _stands at the table looking fixedly at the
door. After a moment or two there is a knock._
Come in.
HAWKINS _shows in_ WHITE _and_ JENNINGS, _and goes out_. SEWARD
_closes the window_.
Well?
_White_: I'm sorry. They won't give way.
_Lincoln_: You told them all I said?
_Jennings_: Everything.
_Lincoln_: It's critical.
_White_: They are definite.
LINCOLN _paces once or twice up and down the room, standing again at
his place at the table_.
_Lincoln:_ They leave no opening?
_White_: I regret to say, none.
_Lincoln_: It's a grave decision. Terribly grave. Thank you,
gentlemen. Good-morning.
_White and Jennings_: Good-morning, gentlemen.
_They go out_.
_Lincoln_: My God! Seward, we need great courage, great faith.
_He rings the bell. The_ SECOND CLERK _comes in._
Did you take my messages?
_The Clerk_: Yes, sir. Mr. Chase and Mr. Blair are here. The other
ministers are coming immediately.
_Lincoln_: Ask them to come here at once. And send Mr. Hay in directly
he returns.
_The Clerk_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_.
_Lincoln (after a pause_): "There is a tide in the affairs of men ..."
Do you read Shakespeare, Seward?
_Seward_: Shakespeare? No.
_Lincoln_: Ah!
SALMON P. CHASE, _Secretary of the Treasury, and_ MONTGOMERY BLAIR,
_Postmaster-General, come in_.
Good-morning, Mr. Chase, Mr. Blair.
_Seward_: Good-morning, gentlemen.
_Blair_: Good-morning, Mr. President. How d'ye do, Mr. Seward.
_Chase_: Good-morning, Mr. President. Something urgent?
_Lincoln_: Let us be seated.
_As they draw chairs up to the table, the other members of the
Cabinet_, SIMON CAMERON, CALEB SMITH, BURNET HOOK, _and_ GIDEON
WELLES, _come in. There is an exchange of greetings, while they
arrange themselves round the table_.
Gentlemen, we meet in a crisis, the most fateful, perhaps, that has
ever faced any government in this country. It can be stated briefly.
A message has just come from Anderson. He can hold Fort Sumter three
days at most unless we send men and provisions.
_Cameron_: How many men?
_Lincoln_: I shall know from Scott in a few minutes how many are
necessary.
_Welles_: Suppose we haven't as many.
_Lincoln_: Then it's a question of provisioning. We may not be able to
do enough to be effective. The question is whether we shall do as much
as we can.
_Hook_: If we withdrew altogether, wouldn't it give the South a lead
towards compromise, as being an acknowledgment of their authority,
while leaving us free to plead military necessity if we found public
opinion dangerous?
_Lincoln_: My mind is clear. To do less than we can do, whatever that
may be, will be fundamentally to allow the South's claim to right of
secession. That is my opinion. If you evade the question now, you will
have to answer it to-morrow.
_Blair_: I agree with the President.
_Hook_: We ought to defer action as long as possible. I consider that
we should withdraw.
_Lincoln_: Don't you see that to withdraw may postpone war, but that
it will make it inevitable in the end?
_Smith_: It is inevitable if we resist.
_Lincoln_: I fear it will be so. But in that case we shall enter it
with uncompromised principles. Mr. Chase?
_Chase_: It is difficult. But, on the whole, my opinion is with yours,
Mr. President.
_Lincoln_: And you, Seward?
_Seward_: I respect your opinion, but I must differ.
_A knock at the door_.
_Lincoln_: Come in.
HAY _comes in. He gives a letter to_ LINCOLN _and goes_.
_(Reading):_ Scott says twenty thousand men.
_Seward_: We haven't ten thousand ready.
_Lincoln_: It remains a question of sending provisions. I charge
you, all of you, to weigh this thing with all your understanding. To
temporise now, cannot, in my opinion, avert war. To speak plainly to
the world in standing by our resolution to hold Fort Sumter with
all our means, and in a plain declaration that the Union must be
preserved, will leave us with a clean cause, simply and loyally
supported. I tremble at the thought of war. But we have in our hands a
sacred trust. It is threatened. We have had no thought of aggression.
We have been the aggressed. Persuasion has failed, and I conceive it
to be our duty to resist. To withhold supplies from Anderson would be
to deny that duty. Gentlemen, the matter is before you.
_A pause_.
For provisioning the fort?
LINCOLN, CHASE, _and_ BLAIR _hold up their hands._
For immediate withdrawal?
SEWARD, CAMERON, SMITH, HOOK, _and_ WELLES _hold up their hands. There
is a pause of some moments_.
Gentlemen, I may have to take upon myself the responsibility of
over-riding your vote. It will be for me to satisfy Congress and
public opinion. Should I receive any resignations?
_There is silence_.
I thank you for your consideration, gentlemen. That is all.
_They rise, and the Ministers, with the exception of_ SEWARD, _go out,
talking as they pass beyond the door_.
You are wrong, Seward, wrong.
_Seward_: I believe you. I respect your judgment even as far as that.
But I must speak as I feel.
_Lincoln_: May I speak to this man alone?
_Seward_: Certainly. _He goes out_. LINCOLN _stands motionless for a
moment. Then he moves to a map of the United States, much larger than
the one in his Illinois home, and looks at it as he did there. He goes
to the far door and opens it_.
_Lincoln:_ Will you come in?
_The_ MESSENGER _comes_.
Can you ride back to Major Anderson at once?
_The Messenger_: Yes, sir.
_Lincoln_: Tell him that we cannot reinforce him immediately. We
haven't the men.
_The Messenger_: Yes, sir.
_Lincoln_: And say that the first convoy of supplies will leave
Washington this evening.
_The Messenger_: Yes, sir.
_Lincoln_: Thank you.
_The_ MESSENGER goes. LINCOLN _stands at the table for a moment; he
rings the bell_. HAWKINS _comes in_.
Mr. Hay, please.
_Hawkins_: Yes, sir.
_He goes, and a moment later_ HAY _comes in.
Lincoln:_ Go to General Scott. Ask him to come to me at once.
_Hay_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_.
THE CURTAIN FALLS.
_The two Chroniclers_: You who have gone gathering
Cornflowers and meadowsweet,
Heard the hazels glancing down
On September eves,
Seen the homeward rooks on wing
Over fields of golden wheat,
And the silver cups that crown
Water-lily leaves;
You who know the tenderness
Of old men at eve-tide,
Coming from the hedgerows,
Coming from the plough,
And the wandering caress
Of winds upon the woodside,
When the crying yaffle goes
Underneath the bough;
_First Chronicler_: You who mark the flowing
Of sap upon the May-time,
And the waters welling
From the watershed,
You who count the growing
Of harvest and hay-time,
Knowing these the telling
Of your daily bread;
_Second Chronicler_: You who cherish courtesy
With your fellows at your gate,
And about your hearthstone sit
Under love's decrees,
You who know that death will be
Speaking with you soon or late.
_The two together_: Kinsmen, what is
mother-wit
But the light of these?
Knowing these, what is there more
For learning in your little years?
Are not these all gospels bright
Shining on your day?
How then shall your hearts be sore
With envy and her brood of fears,
How forget the words of light
From the mountain-way? ...
Blessed are the merciful....
Does not every threshold seek
Meadows and the flight of birds
For compassion still?
Blessed are the merciful....
Are we pilgrims yet to speak
Out of Olivet the words
Of knowledge and good-will?
_First Chronicler_: Two years of darkness, and this man but grows
Greater in resolution, more constant in compassion.
He goes
The way of dominion in pitiful, high-hearted fashion.