All the wire-pulling of the many contestants for the presidential chair
failed to get a prize upon it. It was held that there must be _in
excelsis_ no "swapping of horses in crossing the stream," still turbid
and dangerous. So the National Convention, held at Baltimore, purged by
this time of its former treasonable activity, at the Soldiers' Fair,
held there, the President had alluded to the time when he had to be
whisked through as past a bed of vipers, and said:
"Blessings on the men who have wrought these changes!"
All the States voted for the incumbent save Missouri, which stood for
General Grant, but the votes transferred to Lincoln, the opinion was
unanimous. Within two months he was driven by circumstances to call out
five hundred thousand men. His partizans regretted the necessity, and
on the old story that the people were tired of the war declared it
would prove injurious to his re-election. But it is undisputed that
about half the levies never reached their mustering-point. The arts and
wiles of the marplots were equaled only by the prodigality and
persistency of the parents to save their sons from "the evils of camp
life." It is but fair to the Puritans to accept their plea that the
loss of them fighting the country's battles did not so distress them.
Lincoln replied to the political argument nobly:
"Gentlemen, it is not necessary that I should be re-elected, but it is
necessary that our brave boys in the front should be supported, and the
country saved." (The hackneyed phrase had led to his party being
nicknamed "the Union-savers.") "I shall call out the five hundred
thousand more men, and if I go down under the measure I will go down
like the _Cumberland_, with my colors flying!"
(On the 8th of March, 1862, the Confederate iron-clad ram, _Merrimac_,
ran into and sank the Union sloop of war, _Cumberland_, nearly all of
the latter's company perishing. Acting-captain Morris refused to strike
his flag.)
* * * * *