Page 4 - Reasons_For_My_Faith
P. 4
easons For M y Faith
The people of the North called it “ needless and uselss slaughter.”
The people of the North were almost in open rebellion against this
“ needless and useless slaughter.”
The Congress was demanding a “ compromise to settle this war.”
The Cabinet was practically in open revolt against its continuance.
Lincoln remained adamant: “ There can be no compromise between
right and wrong.”
Lincoln called for another draft of 100,000 men.
Lincoln again issued orders “ to move on to Richmond and attack Lee.”
McClelland remained quiet.
Lincoln then went down to the Army o f the Potomac’s General Head
Quarters.
McClelland was out on the battle-field.
Lincoln left orders with the orderly to report to the General that he
was waiting for him in a side room.
McClelland entered. The orderly reported, McClelland, telling the orderly:
“ You tell Mr. Lincoln I am tired and am going upstairs to go to sleep.”
Some friends, sitting with Mr. Lincoln, in the side room, said: “ Why
do you take these insults from your lieutenants, when you could, with the
scratch of a pen, remove him from office?”
Mr. Lincoln turned to his friends and said: “ You don’t UNDERSTAND!
You DON’T understand! Why, I’d get down on my knees and lick that man’s
boots, if he’d just stop this w ar!”
In 1885 some of Lincoln’s correspondence came to light and it revealed
that McClelland was grooming himself to oppose Lincoln at the next Presi
dential election. McClelland KNEW that the more men he could get out of
the North, with the North feeling as it was, the more HE would be in favor
and the more Lincoln would be put in disfavor. McClelland KNEW that
the more men he could get in his army, and keep them inactive, the more
absent votes it manufactured FOR HIM, and the more it took away from
Lincoln.
It’s a question in my mind if McClelland wasn’t actually a traitor to
the cause of the North, that he might work out a scheme for personal a g
grandizement.
Lincoln KNEW all this, yet kept him in charge o f that Army, saying:
“ Show me a better general on the battle field, WHEN HE GETS MOVING,
and I ’ll remove him at once.”
It took from 1863 to 1885, 22 years, to clear up this misunderstanding
that people held against Lincoln.
The Lincoln-Douglas debates were held in 1858.
The contest was over the Senatorship from Illinois.
In the first debate, Douglas asked 9 questions of Lincoln to be answered
at the second debate.
Six weeks intervened between the first and second debate.
During the interim, Lincoln framed four questions for Douglas to answer
at the third debate.
Lincoln took these four questions to his personal and political advisors.
All passed the 1st, 3rd, and 4th, and advised against asking the 2nd.
Said they: “ That 2nd question is fraught with danger; it is dynamite.
Douglas will answer that so-and-so. And, if he does, you cannot answer him.
If he does, he will embarrass you. If he embarrasses you, to where you
cannot answer him, it will cost you enough votes to cost you the Senatorship
from Illinois.”
Lincoln replied: “ I have thought it over carefully. That 2nd question IS
fraught with danger. It IS dynamite. Douglas W ILL answer it as you anti
cipate. If he answers it as you and I anticipate, I W ILL NOT be able to
answer him. This WILL embarrass me and it W ILL cost me enough votes
to lose me the Senatorship from Illinois; but, gentlemen, I AM GOING TO
ASK THAT SECOND QUESTION!”
And, he did. And, it cost him the Senatorship from Illinois.
For two years Lincoln remained silent why he asked it.
The people of the North called it “ needless and uselss slaughter.”
The people of the North were almost in open rebellion against this
“ needless and useless slaughter.”
The Congress was demanding a “ compromise to settle this war.”
The Cabinet was practically in open revolt against its continuance.
Lincoln remained adamant: “ There can be no compromise between
right and wrong.”
Lincoln called for another draft of 100,000 men.
Lincoln again issued orders “ to move on to Richmond and attack Lee.”
McClelland remained quiet.
Lincoln then went down to the Army o f the Potomac’s General Head
Quarters.
McClelland was out on the battle-field.
Lincoln left orders with the orderly to report to the General that he
was waiting for him in a side room.
McClelland entered. The orderly reported, McClelland, telling the orderly:
“ You tell Mr. Lincoln I am tired and am going upstairs to go to sleep.”
Some friends, sitting with Mr. Lincoln, in the side room, said: “ Why
do you take these insults from your lieutenants, when you could, with the
scratch of a pen, remove him from office?”
Mr. Lincoln turned to his friends and said: “ You don’t UNDERSTAND!
You DON’T understand! Why, I’d get down on my knees and lick that man’s
boots, if he’d just stop this w ar!”
In 1885 some of Lincoln’s correspondence came to light and it revealed
that McClelland was grooming himself to oppose Lincoln at the next Presi
dential election. McClelland KNEW that the more men he could get out of
the North, with the North feeling as it was, the more HE would be in favor
and the more Lincoln would be put in disfavor. McClelland KNEW that
the more men he could get in his army, and keep them inactive, the more
absent votes it manufactured FOR HIM, and the more it took away from
Lincoln.
It’s a question in my mind if McClelland wasn’t actually a traitor to
the cause of the North, that he might work out a scheme for personal a g
grandizement.
Lincoln KNEW all this, yet kept him in charge o f that Army, saying:
“ Show me a better general on the battle field, WHEN HE GETS MOVING,
and I ’ll remove him at once.”
It took from 1863 to 1885, 22 years, to clear up this misunderstanding
that people held against Lincoln.
The Lincoln-Douglas debates were held in 1858.
The contest was over the Senatorship from Illinois.
In the first debate, Douglas asked 9 questions of Lincoln to be answered
at the second debate.
Six weeks intervened between the first and second debate.
During the interim, Lincoln framed four questions for Douglas to answer
at the third debate.
Lincoln took these four questions to his personal and political advisors.
All passed the 1st, 3rd, and 4th, and advised against asking the 2nd.
Said they: “ That 2nd question is fraught with danger; it is dynamite.
Douglas will answer that so-and-so. And, if he does, you cannot answer him.
If he does, he will embarrass you. If he embarrasses you, to where you
cannot answer him, it will cost you enough votes to cost you the Senatorship
from Illinois.”
Lincoln replied: “ I have thought it over carefully. That 2nd question IS
fraught with danger. It IS dynamite. Douglas W ILL answer it as you anti
cipate. If he answers it as you and I anticipate, I W ILL NOT be able to
answer him. This WILL embarrass me and it W ILL cost me enough votes
to lose me the Senatorship from Illinois; but, gentlemen, I AM GOING TO
ASK THAT SECOND QUESTION!”
And, he did. And, it cost him the Senatorship from Illinois.
For two years Lincoln remained silent why he asked it.
