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great heart is incorruptible, and constantly lives in the pure, high region into which false motive and selfish scheming never come."

The death of Mr. Lovejoy was mourned by Mr. Lincoln as that of a dear friend. When a meeting was to be held in the former home of the deceased veteran in the cause of liberty, to take measures for the erection of a monument to his memory, the President was invited to be present. This being impossible, he sent the following letter:

EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, May 30, 1864.

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HON. JOHN H. BRYANT.-My Dear Sir: Yours of the 14th inst., inclosing a card of invitation to a preliminary meeting contemplating the erection of a monument to the memory of Hon. Owen Lovejoy, was duly received. As you anticihave pate, it will be out of my power to attend. Many of known Mr. Lovejoy longer than I have, and are better able than I to do his memory justice. My personal acquaintance with him commenced only about ten years ago, since when it has been quite intimate; and every step in it has been one of increasing respect and esteem, ending with his life, in no less affection on my part. It can be truly said of him, that, while he was personally ambitious, he bravely endured the obscurity which the unpopularity of his principles imposed, and never accepted official honors until those honors were ready to admit his principles with him. Throughout my heavy and perplexing responsibilities here to the day of his death, it would scarcely wrong any other to say he was my most generous friend. Let him have the marble monument, along with the well-assured and more endearing one in the hearts of those who love liberty unselfishly for all men.

Yours, truly,

A. LINCOLN.

From the time Mr. Stanton succeeded Mr. Cameron as Secretary of War, on the 11th of January, 1862, until this summer, only one change had occurred in the Cabinet of President Lincoln-that occasioned by the appointment of Secretary Smith as Judge of the District Court of Indiana, who was succeeded by Hon. John P. Usher, of the same State, on the 8th of January, 1863. Several months previous, on account of opposition manifested by a number of Senators, Mr. Seward had

tendered his resignation as Secretary of State, and Mr. Chase had, at the same time, proposed to withdraw from the Secretaryship of the Treasury. Both these resignations, the President peremptorily refused to accept.

On the 30th of June, 1864, Secretary Chase, for personal reasons, again tendered his resignation, which Mr. Lincoln. deemed it expedient to accept. A want of cordiality on the part of Mr. Chase toward the President had been noticed for a good while previous, and his attendance on Cabinet meetings had been irregular, or, in fact, practically intermitted altogether. The occasion of his final resignation-the acceptance was perhaps not confidently anticipated-was a disagreement with the President in regard to an important appointment for New York City. There was, perhaps, no period during the war when the financial condition of the country was deemed more critical than at this date and during the few weeks succeeding prior to the 1st of September. The place thus made vacant was first tendered to Ex-Gov. David Tod, of Ohio, who declined the appointment. Senator Wm. P. Fessenden, of Maine, was afterward appointed, and entered upon the duties of the office on the 5th of July.

In the midst of a Presidential canvass, while the people were becoming weary over hopes deferred and indecisive campaigns, it may well be supposed that an executive who was studying the chances of a reëlection would have long hesitated to call for five hundred thousand more men for the army, to be made good by a draft, after a very short period, if not previously filled by volunteers. But the success of our arms demanded it, and President Lincoln promptly determined to do what duty required. The following proclamation was accordingly issued:

WHEREAS, By the act approved July 4, 1864, entitled "An act further to regulate and provide for the enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes," it is provided that the President of the United States may, "at his discretion, at any time hereafter, call for any number of men as volunteers, for the respective terms of one, two, and three years, for military service," and "that in case the quota of any part thereof, or any town, township, ward of a city, precinct, or election district, or of a county not so subdivided,

shall not be filled within the space of fifty days after such call, then the President shall immediately order a draft for one year to fill such quota, or any part thereof, which may be unfilled;"

AND WHEREAS, The new enrollment heretofore ordered is so far completed as that the aforementioned act of Congress may now be put in operation for recruiting and keeping up the strength of the armies in the field, for garrisons and such military operations as may be required for the purpose of suppressing the rebellion and restoring the authority of the United States Government in the insurgent States;

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do issue this my call for five hundred thousand volunteers for the military service: Provided, nevertheless, that this call shall be reduced by all credits which may be established under section eight of the aforesaid act, on account of persons who have entered the naval service during the present rebellion, and by credits for men furnished to the military service in excess of calls heretofore made.

Volunteers will be accepted under this call for one, two, or three years, as they may elect, and will be entitled to the bounty provided by law for the period of service for which they enlist.

And I hereby proclaim, order, and direct, that immediately after the fifth day of September, 1864, being fifty days from the date of this call, a draft for troops, to serve for one year, shall be had in every town, township, ward of a city, precinct, or election district, or county not so subdivided, to fill the quota which shall be assigned to it under this call, or any part thereof which may be unfilled by volunteers on the said fifth day of September, 1864.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington this eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred [L. S.] and sixty-four, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-ninth.

By the President:

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

The governments of the several loyal States at once set about the work of filling their quotas by volunteering, and the response showed an alacrity and confidence among the people which disappointed alike those who had hoped our armies

could not again be replenished, and those who feared disaffection to the cause from the heavy sacrifices demanded. No disheartening circumstances could shake the people from their firm purpose of wrenching from the hands of treason its weapons of revolt. No hour was so dark that loyal eyes could not clearly see the duty of keeping up our armies, and of steadily pressing forward to ultimate and decisive victory, however long deferred the consummation.

CHAPTER V.

Military Operations before Petersburg and Richmond, from June to November, 1864.-Gen. Hunter's Campaign.-Movements in the Shenandoah Valley.--Early's Invasion of Maryland.-His Demonstration against Washington.-His Retreat up the Valley, and Second Advance to the Potomac.--Burning of Chambersburg.--Successes of Gen. Averill.--Battle of Moorfield.--Gen. Sheridan takes Command in the Valley.--Admiral Farragut before Mobile.-Brilliant Naval Victories.-Movements of Sheridan.--Important Successes in the Valley.--Thanksgiving Proclamation of President Lincoln.

AFTER it had become apparent that Petersburg was not at once to be taken, and the several army corps had intrenched themselves in the positions indicated in a previous chapter, it next became an object to work all practical damage on the Rebel communications. Of the three railroads leading southward from Petersburg, the Suffolk road alone was yet in Grant's possession. This, extending south-eastward, connects with another at Suffolk, leading from Norfolk to Weldon, having no military value to the enemy, while Norfolk and Portsmouth are in our hands and the junction within easy command. The Weldon road, running due south, was at this time the one most immediately important of all; yet its loss was by no means a fatal one, with the Danville road, extending south-west from Burkesville, still open, and the Southside road (to Lynchburg) still occupied by the Rebels, from Petersburg to Burkesville. To extend the Union lines across the Weldon and Southside roads, without cutting loose from the base at City Point, was not at once practicable. It only remained, with the present force, to endeavor to reach and hold the Weldon road, and to rely upon the cavalry raids for the remainder of the work of breaking up Rebel communications.

President Lincoln visited the army in its new position, south of Petersburg, on the 21st of June, and was warmly greeted

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