the path of the king-第47节

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sense。〃

〃You　agree　with　it？〃　asked　the　other　eagerly。

〃Why；　no。　I　don't　agree　with　it；　but　I　admire　it　a　lot　and　I　admire　its　writer。〃

〃Mr。　President；〃　said　Seward　solemnly；　〃on　one　point　I　am　adamant。　We　cannot　suffer　the　dispute　to　be　about　slavery。　If　we　fight　on　that　issue　we　shall　have　the　Border　States　against　us。〃

〃I'm　thinking　all　the　time　about　the　Border　States。　We've　got　to　keep　them。　If　there's　going　to　be　trouble　I'd　like　to　have　the　Almighty　on　my　side；　but　I　must　have　Kentucky。〃

〃And　yet　you　will　go　forward　about　Sumter；　which　is　regarded　by　everyone　as　a　slavery　issue。〃

〃The　issue　is　as　God　has　made　it。　You　can't　go　past　the　bed…rock　facts。　I　am　the　trustee　for　the　whole　property　of　the　nation；　of　which　Sumter　is　a　piece；　and　if　I　give　up　one　stick　or　stone　to　a　rebellious　demand　I　am　an　unfaithful　steward。　Surely；　Mr。　Secretary；　if　you　want　to　make　the　issue　union　or　disunion　you　can't　give　up　Sumter　without　fatally　prejudicing　your　case。〃

〃It　means　war。〃

Lincoln　looked　again　at　the　document　in　his　hand。　〃It　appears　that　you　are　thinking　of　war　in　any　event。　You　want　to　pick　a　quarrel　with　France　over　Mexico　and　with　Spain　over　St。　Domingo；　and　unite　the　nation　in　a　war　against　foreigners。　I　tell　you　honestly　I　don't　like　the　proposal。　It　seems　to　me　downright　wicked。

If　the　Lord　sends　us　war；　we　have　got　to　face　it　like　men；　but　God　forbid　we　should　manufacture　war；　and　use　it　as　an　escape　from　our　domestic　difficulties。　You　can　t　expect　a　blessing　on　that。〃

The　Secretary　of　State　flushed。　〃Have　you　considered　the　alternative；　Mr。　President？〃　he　cried。　〃It　is　civil　war；　war　between　brothers　in　blood。　So　soon　as　the　South　fires　a　shot　against　Sumter　the　sword　is　unsheathed。　You　cannot　go　back　then。〃

〃I　am　fully　aware　of　it。　I　haven't　been　sleeping　much　lately；　and　I've　been　casting　up　my　accounts。　It　s　a　pretty　weak　balance　sheet。　I　would　like　to　tell　you　the　main　items；　Mr。　Secretary；　so　that　you　may　see　that　I'm　not　walking　this　road　blindfold。〃

The　other　pushed　back　his　chair　from　the　table　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　But　he　listened。　Lincoln　had　risen　and　stood　in　front　of　the　fire；　his　shoulders　leaning　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　his　head　against　the　lower　part　of　the　picture　of　George　Washington。

〃First；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　a　minority　President；　elected　by　a　minority　vote　of　the　people　of　the　United　States。　I　wouldn't　have　got　in　if　the　Democrats　hadn't　been　split。　I　haven't　a　majority　in　the　Senate。　Yet　I've　got　to　decide　for　the　nation　and　make　the　nation　follow　me。　Have　I　the　people's　confidence？　I　reckon　I　haven'tyet。　I　haven't　even　got　the　confidence　of　the　Republican　party。〃

Seward　made　no　answer。　He　clearly　assented。

〃Next；　I　haven't　got　much　in　the　way　of　talents。　I　reckon　Jeff　Davis　a　far　abler　man　than　me。　My　friends　tell　me　I　haven't　the　presence　and　dignity　for　a　President。　My　shaving…glass　tells　me　I'm　a　common…looking　fellow。〃　He　stopped　and　smiled。　〃But　perhaps　the　Lord　prefers　common…looking　people；　and　that's　why　He　made　so　many　of　them。

〃Next；〃　he　went　on；　〃I've　a　heap　of　critics　and　a　lot　of　enemies。　Some　good　men　say　I've　no　experience　in　Government；　and　that's　about　true。　Up　in　New　England　the　papers　are　asking　who　is　this　political　huckster；　this　county　court　advocate？　Mr。　Stanton　says　I'm　an　imbecile；　and　when　he's　cross　calls　me　the　original　gorilla；　and　wonders　why　fools　wander　about　in　Africa　when　they　could　find　the　beast　they　are　looking　for　in　Washington。　The　pious　everywhere　don't　like　me；　because　I　don't　hold　that　national　policy　can　be　run　on　the　lines　of　a　church　meeting。　And　the　Radicals　are　looking　for　me　with　a　gun；　because　I'm　not　prepared　right　here　and　now　to　abolish　slavery。　One　of　them　calls　me　'the　slave　hound　of　Illinois。'　I'd　like　to　meet　that　man；　for　I　guess　he　must　be　a　humorist。〃

Mr。　Seward　leaned　forward　and　spoke　earnestly。　〃Mr。　President；　no　man　values　your　great　qualities　more　than　I　do　or　reprobates　more　heartily　such　vulgar　libels。　But　it　is　true　that　you　lack　executive　experience。　I　have　been　the　Governor　of　the　biggest　State　in　the　Union；　and　possess　some　knowledge　of　the　task。　It　is　all　at　your　service。　Will　you　not　allow　me　to　ease　your　burden？〃

Lincoln　smiled　down　kindly　upon　the　other。　〃I　thank　you　with　all　my　heart。　You　have　touched　on　that　matter　in　your　letter。　。　。　。　　But；　Mr。　Secretary；　in　the　inscrutable　providence　of　God　it　is　I　who　have　been　made　President。　I　cannot　shirk　the　duty。　I　look　to　my　Cabinet；　and　notably　to　you　for　advice　and　loyal　assistance；　and　I　am　confident　that　I　shall　get　it。　But　in　the　end　I　and　I　only　must　decide。〃

Seward　looked　up　at　the　grave　face　and　said　nothing。　Lincoln　went　on：

〃I　have　to　make　a　decision　which　may　bring　warcivil　war。　I　don't　know　anything　about　war；　though　I　served　a　month　or　two　in　the　Black　Hawk　campaign　and　yet；　if　war　comes；　I　am　the　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　Union。　Who　among　us　knows　anything　of　the　business。　General　Scott　is　an　old　man；　and　he　doesn't　just　see　eye　to　eye　with　me；　for　I'm　told　he　talks　about　'letting　the　wayward　sisters　go　in　peace。'　Our　army　and　navy's　nothing　much　to　boast　of；　and　the　South　is　far　better　prepared。　You　can't　tell　how　our　people　will　take　war；　for　they're　all　pulling　different　ways　just　now。　Blair　says　the　whole　North　will　spring　to　arms；　but　I　guess　they've　first　got　to　find　the　arms　to　spring　to。　。　。　。　　I　was　reviewing　some　militia　the　other　day；　and　they　looked　a　deal　more　like　a　Fourth　of　July　procession　than　a　battlefield。　Yes；　Mr。　Secretary；　if　we　have　to　fight；　we've　first　got　to　make　an　army。〃

Remember；　too；　that　it　will　he　civil　warkin　against　kin；　brother　against　brother。〃

〃I　remember。　All　war　is　devilish；　but　ours　will　be　the　most　devilish　that　the　world　has　ever　known。　It　isn't　only　the　feeding　of　fresh　young　boys　to　rebel　batteries　that　grieves　me；　though　God　knows　that's　not　a　thing　that　bears　thinking　about。　It's　the　bitterness　and　hate　within　the　people。　Will　it　ever　die　down；　Mr。　Secretary？〃

Lincoln　was　very　grave；　and　his　face　was　set　like　a　man　in　anguish。　Seward；　deeply　moved；　rose　and　stood　beside　him；　laying　a　hand　on　his　shoulder

〃And　for　what；　Mr。　President？〃　he　cried。　〃That　is　the　question　I　ask　myself。　We　are　faced　by　such　a　problem　as　no　man　ever　before　had　to　meet。　If　five　and　a　half　million　white　men　deeply　in　earnest　are　resolved　to　secede；　is　there　any　power　on　earth　that　can　prevent　them？　You　may　beat　them　in　battle；　but　can　you　ever　force　them　again　inside　the　confines　of　the　nation？　Remember　Chatham's　saying：　'Conquer　a　free　population　of　three　million　soulsthe　thing　is　impossible。'　They　stand　on　the　rights　of　democracy；　the　right　of　self…government；　the　right　to　decide　their　own　future。〃

Lincoln　passed　a　hand　over　his　brow。　His　face　had　suddenly　became　very　worn　and　weary。

〃I've　been　pondering　a　deal　over　the　position　of　the　South；〃　he　said。　〃I　reckon　I　see　their　point　of　view；　and　I'll　not　deny　there's　sense　in　it。　There's　a　truth　in　their　doctrine　of　State　rights；　but　they've　got　it　out　of　focus。　If　I　had　been　raised　in　South　Carolina；　loving　the　slave…system　because　I　had　grown　up　with　it　and　thinking　more　of　my　State　than　of　the　American　nation；　maybe　I'd　have　followed　Jeff　Davis。　I'm　not　saying　there's　no　honesty　in　the　South；　I'm　not　saying　there's　not　truth　on　their　side；　but　I　do　say　that　ours　is　the　bigger　truth　and　the　better　truth。　I　hold　that　a　nation　is　too　sacred　a　thing　to　tamper　witheven　for　good　reasons。　Why；　man；　if　you　once　grant　the　right　of　a　minority　to　secede　you　make　popular　government　foolish。　I'm　willing　to　fight　to　prevent　democracy　becoming　a　laughing…stock。〃

〃It's　a　fine　point　to　make　war　about；〃　said　the　other。

〃Most　true　points　are　fine　points。　There　never　was　a　dispute　between　mortals　where　both　sides　hadn't　a　bit　of　right。　I　admit　that　the　margin　is　narrow；　but　if　it's　made　of　good　rock　it's　sufficient　to　give　us　a　foothold。　We've　got　to　settle　once　for　all　the　question　whether　in　a　free　Government　the　minority　have　a　right　to　break　up　the　Government　whenever　they　choose。　If　we　fail；　then　we　must　conclude　that　we've　been　all　wrong　from　the　start；　and　that　the　people　need　a　tyrant；　being　incapable　of　governing　themselves。〃

Seward　wrung　his　hands。　〃If　you　put　it　that　way　I　cannot　confute　you。　But；　oh；　Mr。　President；　is　there　not　some　means　of　building　a　bridge？　I　cannot　think　that　honest　Southerners　would　force　war　on　such　a　narrow　issue。

〃They　wouldn't　but　for　this　slavery。　It　is　that　accursed　system　that　obscures　their　reason。　If　they　fight；　the　best　of　them　will　fight　out　of　a　mistaken　loyalty　to　their　State；　but　most　will　fight　for　the　right　to　keep　their　slaves。　。　。　。　　If　you　are　to　have　bridges；　you　must　have　solid　ground　at　both　ends。　I've　heard　a　tale　of　some　church　members　that　wanted　to　build　a　bridge　over　a　dangerous　river。　Brother　Jones　suggested　one　Myers；　and　Myers　answered　that；　if　necessary；　he　could　build　one　to　hell。　This　alarmed　the　church　members；　and　Jones；　to　quiet　them；　said　he　believed　his　friend　Myers　was　so　good　an　architect　that　he　could　do　it　if　he　said　he　could；　though　he　felt　bound　himself　to　express　some　doubt　about　the　abutment　on　the　infernal　side。〃

A　queer　quizzical　smile　had　relieved　the