“I have read and re-read thy speech, and I look upon it as
thy best. A grand and terrible philippic, worthy of the
great occasion; the severe and awful truth which the sharp
agony of the national crisis demanded. It is enough for
immortality. So far as thy own reputation is concerned,
nothing more is needed. But this is of small importance. We
cannot see as yet the entire results of that speech, but
everything now indicates that it has _saved the country_.”