Chapter VIII

PROGRESS OF REPUBLICANISM. The Dred Scott Decision--Struggle for Freedom in Kansas--Instructive Debates in Congress--Republican Gains in the Thirty-fifth Congress --The English Bill--Its Defeat and the Effect--Defection of Douglas --Its Advantages and its Perils--Strange Course of the New York Tribune and other Papers--Republican Retreat in Indiana--Illinois Republicans stand firm, and hold the Party to its Position--Gains in the Thirty-sixth Congress--Southern Barbarism and Extravagance --John Brown's Raid--Cuba and the Slave-trade--Oregon and Kansas-- Aids to Anti-slavery Progress--The Speakership and Helper's Book-- Southern Insolence and Extravagance--Degradation of Douglas--Slave- code for the Territories--Outrages in the South--Campaign of 1860 --Charleston Convention and Division of the Democrats--Madness of the Factions--Bell and Everett--Republican Convention and its Platform--Lincoln and Seward--Canvass of Douglas--Campaign for Lincoln--Conduct of Seward--Republican Concessions and slave-holding Madness.

CHAPTER IX. THE NEW ADMINISTRATION AND THE WAR. Visit to Mr. Lincoln--Closing Months of Mr. Buchanan's Administration --Efforts to avoid War--Character of Buchanan--Lincoln's Inauguration --His War Policy--The Grand Army of Office-seekers--The July Session of Congress--The Atmosphere of Washington--Battle of Bull Run-- Apologetic Resolve of Congress--First Confiscation Act--Gen. Fremont's Proclamation and its Effect--Its Revocation--Regular Session of Congress--Secretary Cameron--Committee on the Conduct of the War--Its Conference with the President and his Cabinet-- Secretary Stanton and General McClellan--Order to march upon Manassas.

CHAPTER X. THE NEW ADMINISTRATION AND THE WAR (CONTINUED). The Wooden Guns--Conference with Secretary Stanton--His Relations to Lincoln--Strife between Radicalism and Conservatism--Passage of the Homestead Law--Visit to the President--The Confiscation Act and Rebel Land owners--Greeley's "Prayer of Twenty Millions," and Lincoln's Reply--Effort to disband the Republican Party--The Battle of Fredericksburg and General Burnside--The Proclamation of Emancipation--Visit to Mr. Lincoln--General Fremont--Report of the War Committee--Visit to Philadelphia and New York--Gerrit Smith-- The Morgan Raid.

CHAPTER XI. INCIDENTS AND END OF THE WAR. Campaigning in Ohio--Attempted Repeal of the Fugitive Slave Law-- Organized Movement in Favor of Chase for the Presidency--Confiscation of Rebel Lands--Fort Pillow, and the Treatment of Union Soldiers at Richmond--Mr. Lincoln's Letter to Hodges--Southern Homestead Bill, and Controversy with Mr. Mallory--Nomination of Andrew Johnson --Enforcement of Party Discipline--Mr. Lincoln's Change of Opinion as to Confiscation of Rebel Lands--Opposition to him in Congress-- General Fremont and Montgomery Blair--Visit to City Point--Adoption of the XIII Constitutional Amendment--Trip to Richmond, and Incidents --Assassination of the President--Inauguration of Johnson and Announcement of his Policy--Feeling toward Mr. Lincoln--Capitulation of Gen. Johnston.

CHAPTER XII. RECONSTRUCTION AND SUFFRAGE--THE LAND QUESTION. Visit of Indianans to the President--Gov. Morton and Reconstruction --Report of Committee on the Conduct of the War--Discussion of Negro Suffrage and Incidents--Personal Matters--Suffrage in the District of Columbia--The Fourteenth Constitutional Amendment-- Breach between the President and Congress--Blaine and Conkling-- Land Bounties and the Homestead Law.

CHAPTER XIII. MINERAL LANDS AND THE RIGHT OF PRE-EMPTION. The Lead and Copper Lands of the Northwest--The gold-bearing Regions of the Pacific, and their Disposition--A legislative Reminiscence --Mining Act of 1866, and how it was passed--Its deplorable Failure, and its Lesson--Report of the Land Commission--The Right of Pre- emption, and the "Dred Scott Decision" of the Settlers.

CHAPTER XIV. RECONSTRUCTION AND IMPEACHMENT. Gov. Morton and his Scheme of Gerrymandering--The XIV Amendment-- Hasty Reconstruction and the Territorial Plan--The Military Bill-- Impeachment--An amusing Incident--Vote against Impeachment--The Vote reversed--The popular Feeling against the President--The Trial --Republican Intolerance--Injustice to Senators and to Chief Justice Chase--Nomination of Gen. Grant--Re-nomination for Congress--Personal --Squabble of Place-hunters--XVI Amendment.

CHAPTER XV. GRANT AND GREELEY. The new Cabinet--Seeds of Party Disaffection--Trip to California-- Party Degeneracy--The liberal Republican Movement--Re-nomination of Grant--The Cincinnati Convention--Perplexities of the Situation --The Canvass for Greeley--Its Bitterness--Its peculiar Features-- The Defeat--The Vindication of Liberals--Visit to Chase and Sumner --Death of Greeley.

CHAPTER XVI. CONCLUDING NOTES. Party Changes caused by the Slavery Issue--Notable Men in Congress during the War--Sketches of prominent Men in the Senate and House --Scenes and Incidents--Butler and Bingham--Cox and Butler--Judge Kelley and Van Wyck--Lovejoy and Wickliffe--Washburn and Donnelly --Oakes Ames--Abolitionism in Washington early in the War--Life at the Capital--The new Dispensation and its Problems.

INDEX

POLITICAL RECOLLECTIONS.