OfthosewhohadvotedforitinJuly，somanynowabandonedtheAdministrationthatthisresolution，theclearembodimentofLincoln’spolicy，waslaidonthetable，seventy-onetosixty-five。[8]Lincoln’shopeforanall-partiesgovernmentwasreceivinglittleencouragementTheDemocratswerebreakingintofactions，whilethecontroloftheirpartyorganizationwasfallingintothehandsofagroupofinferiorpoliticianswhowerecontentto“playpolitics“inthemostunscrupulousfashion。BoththeSecretaryofWarandtheSecretaryofStatehadauthorizedarbitraryarrests。MeninNewYorkandNewEnglandhadbeenthrownintoprison。Theprivilegeofthewritofhabeascorpushadbeendeniedthemonthemerebeliefofthegovernmentthattheywereconspiringwithitsenemies。Becauseofthesearrests，sharpcriticismwasbeingaimedattheAdministrationbothwithinandwithoutCongress。
　　Forallthesereasons，thegovernmentatWashingtonappearedtobetottering。Desperateremediesseemedimperative。Lincolndecidedtomakeeveryconcessionhecouldmakewithoutlettinggohiscentralpurpose。First，hethrewoverCameron；hecompelledhimtoresignthoughhesavedhisfacebyappointinghimministertoRussia。Butwhowastotakehisplace？Atthiscriticalmoment，thechoiceofanewSecretaryofWarwasapoliticalproblemofexactingdifficulty。JustwhyLincolnchoseasullen，dictatoriallawyerwhoseexperienceinnowaypreparedhimfortheoffice，hasneverbeendisclosed。Twofactsappeartoexplainit。EdwinM。StantonwastemperamentallyjustthemantobecomeagoodbrothertoChandlerandWade。BothofthemurgedhimuponLincolnassuccessortoCameron。[9]Furthermore，StantonhithertohadbeenaDemocrat。HisservicesinBuchanan’sCabinetasAttorney-Generalhadmadehimanationalfigure。WhoelselinkedtheDemocratsandtheJacobins？
　　However，foralmostanyonebutLincoln，therewasanobjectionthatitwouldhavebeenhardtoovercome。NoonehaseverchargedStantonwithpoliteness。Agloomyexcitableman，ofuncertainhealth，temperamentallyanover-worker，chronicallyapprehensive，utterlywithoutthesavinggraceofhumor，hewascapableofinsufferablerudeness——onereason，perhaps，whyChandlerlikedhim。HeandLincolnhadmetbutonce。AsassociatecouncilinacaseatCincinnati，threeyearsbefore，LincolnhadbeentreatedsocontemptuouslybyStantonthathehadreturnedhomeinpainedhumiliation。Sincehisinauguration，Stantonhadbeenoneofhismostvituperativecritics。WasthisinsolentscoldtobeinvitedintotheCabinet？HadnotLincolnatthisjuncturebeeninthefulltideofselflessness，surelysomecompromisewouldhavebeenmadewiththeCommittee，asecretaryfoundlessoffensivepersonallytothePresident。Lincolndisregardedthepersonalconsideration。ThecandidateofChandlerandWadebecamesecretary。ItwasthebeginningofanintimatealliancebetweentheCommitteeandtheWarOffice。Lincolnhadlaidupforhimselfmuchtroublethathedidnotforesee。
　　ThedaythenewSecretarytookoffice，hereceivedfromtheCommitteeareportuponGeneralStone：[10]Subsequently，intheSenate，WadedeniedthattheCommitteehadadvisedthearrestofStone。[11]Doubtlessthestatementwastechnicallycorrect。
　　Nevertheless，therecanbenodoubtthattheinquisitorswerewhollyinsympathywiththeSecretarywhen，shortlyafterward，StonewasseizeduponStanton’sorder，conveyedtoafortressandimprisonedwithouttrial。
　　ThiswastheDreyfuscaseoftheCivilWar。Stonewasnevertriedandnevervindicated。Hewaseventuallyreleaseduponparoleandaftermanytantalizingdisappointmentspermittedtorejointhearmy。Whatgivestheeventsignificanceisitsevidenceofthepower，atthatmoment，oftheCommittee，andoftherelativeweaknessofthePresident。Lincoln’seagernesstoprotectcondemnedsoldierssurvivesinmanyanecdotes。Hayconfidestohisdiarythathewassometimes“amusedattheeagernesswithwhichthePresidentcaughtatanyfactwhichwouldjustify“clemency。Andyet，whenStantoninformedhimofthearrestofStone，hegloomilyacquiesced。“Ihopeyouhavegoodreasonsforit，“hesaid。Laterheadmittedthatheknewverylittleaboutthecase。ButhedidnotorderStone’srelease。
　　Lincolnhadhisownformofruthlessness。Theselflessman，bydealingwithothersinthesameextraordinarywayinwhichhedealswithhimself，mayeasilyunderthepressureofextremeconditionsbecomeimpersonalinhisthinkinguponduty。Themoralityofsuchastateofmindisaquestionforthephilosopher。Thehistorianmustcontenthimselfwithpointingouttheonlyconditionthatredeemsit——ifanythingredeemsitTheleaderwhothinksimpersonallyaboutothersandpersonallyabouthimself-whatneedamongcivilizedpeopletocharacterizehim？Borgia，LouisXIV，Napoleon。Ifweareevertopardonimpersonalthinkingitisonlyinthecasesofmenwhobeginbyeffacingthemselves。TheLincolnwhoacceptedStantonasaCabinetofficer，whowasalwaysmoreorlessovershadowedbythebeliefthatinsavingthegovernmenthewashimselftoperish，isexplicable，atleast，whenindividualmenbecameforhim，asattimestheydid，impersonalfactorsinaterribledream。
　　ThereareotherconsiderationsintheattempttogiveamoralvaluetohisfailuretointerfereinbehalfofStone。Thefirstfourmonthsof1862arenotonlyhisfeeblestperiodasaruler，theperiodwhenhewasbarelyabletoholdhisown，butalsotheperiodwhenhewasleastdefiniteasapersonality，whenhiscourageandhisvitalityseemedebbingtides。Again，hisspiritwasineclipse。Singularlyenough，thiswasthedarknessbeforethedawn。Juneof1862sawtheemergence，withasuddennessdifficulttoexplain，ofthehistoricLincoln。
　　ButinJanuaryofthatyearhewasfacingdownwardintothemysteryofhislasteclipse。Allthedarkplacesofhishereditymustbesearchedforcluestothisstrangeexperience。
　　Therearemoments，especiallyunderstrainofapersonalbereavementthatfelluponhiminFebruary，whenhiswillseemedscarcelyareality；when，asadirectingforcehemaybesaidmomentarilytohavevanished；whenheishardlymorethanaghostamonghisadvisers。Thefar-offexistenceofweakoldThomascastitspartingshadowacrosshisson’scareer。
　　However，evenourDreyfuscasedrewfromLincolnanotherdisplayofthatsettledconvictionofhisthatpartofhisfunctionwastobescapegoat。“Iserve，“whichinawaymightbetakenashismottoalways，waspeculiarlyhismotto，andlikewisehisredemption，inthisperiodofhisweakness。TheenemiesoftheCommitteeinCongresstookthematterupanddenouncedStanton。Thereupon，Wadeflamedforth，criticizingLincolnforhisleniency，ventinghisfuryonallthosewhoweretenderoftheirenemies，stormingthat“mercytotraitorsiscrueltytoloyalmen。“[12]LincolnrepliedneithertoWadenortohisantagonists；but，withoutexplainingthecase，withoutawordupontherelationtoitoftheSecretaryandtheCommittee，heinformedtheSenatethatthePresidentwasaloneresponsibleforthearrestandimprisonmentofGeneralStone。[13]
　　TheperiodofLincoln’slasteclipseisaperiodofrelativesilence。Buthismindwasnotinactive。HedidnotceasethinkinguponthedeeptheoreticaldistinctionsthatwereseparatinghimbyasteadilywideningchasmfromthemostpowerfulfactioninCongress。Infact，hismentalpowerswere，ifanything，morekeenthaneverbefore。Probably，itwastheveryclearnessofthementalvisionthatenfeebledhimwhenitcametoaction。Hesawhisdifficultieswithsuchcrushingcertainty。DuringthistryingperiodthereisinhimsomethingofHamlet。
　　Thereactiontohisideas，towhatiseitherexpressedorimplied，inthefirstandsecondmessages，wasprompttoappear。TheJacobinsdidnotconfinetheiractivitieswithinthescopeoftheterribleCommittee。WadeandChandlerworkedassiduouslyundermininghisstrengthinCongress。Trumbull，thoughalwayslessextremethanthey，wasstillthevictimofhisdelusionthatLincolnwasapoorcreature，thattheonlywaytosavethecountrywastogoalongwiththosegrimmenofstrengthwhodominatedtheCommittee。InJanuary，aformidableadditionappearedintheranksofLincoln’sopponents。ThaddeusStevensmadeaspeechintheHousethatmarksachapter。ItbroughttoaheadacloudoffloatingoppositionanddearlydefinedanissueinvolvingthecentralpropositioninLincoln’stheoryofthegovernment。TheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates，initsdetailedprovisions，isdesignedchieflytomeettheexigenciesofpeace。Withregardtotheabnormalconditionsofwar，itisrelativelysilent。Certain“warpowers“arerecognizedbutnotclearlydefined；norisitmadeperfectlyplainwhatbranchofthegovernmentpossessesthem。Themachineryfortheirexecutionisassumedbutnotdescribed——aswhentheConstitutionprovidesthattheprivilegesofthewritofhabeascorpusaretobesuspendedonlyintimeofwar，butdoesnotspecifybywhom，orinwhatway，thesuspensionistobeeffected。Arethoseundefined“warpowers，“whicharethemostsovereignfunctionsofourgovernment，vestedinCongressorinthePresident？
　　Lincoln，fromthemomenthedefinedhispolicy，heldtenaciouslytothetheorythatalltheseextraordinarypowersarevestedinthePresident。Byimplication，atleast，thisideaisinthefirstmessage。Throughoutthelatterpartof1861，heputthetheoryintopractice。Whateverseemedtohimnecessaryinastateofwar，hedid，eventothearrestingofsuspectedpersons，refusingthemtheprivilege-ofthehabeascorpus，andretainingtheminprisonwithouttrial。During1861，helefttheexerciseofthissovereignauthoritytothediscretionofthetwoSecretariesofWarandofState。
　　Naturally，theAbolitionists，theJacobins，theDemocraticmachine，conscientiousbelieversinthecongressionaltheoryofthegovernment，everyonewhoforanyreason，wantedtohittheAdministration，unitedinachorusofwrathoverarbitraryarrests。Thegreatestoratorofthetime，WendellPhillips，thefinalvoiceofAbolition，flayedthegovernmentinpublicspeechesforreducingAmericatoanabsolutedespotism。
　　TrumbullintroducedintotheSenatearesolutioncallinguponthePresidentforastatementofthefactsastowhathehadactuallydone。[1]
　　Butthesubjectofarrestswasbutthepreludetotheplay。
　　Therealissuewasthetheoryofthegovernment。WhereinlastanalysisdoestheConstitutionplacetheultimatepowersofsovereignty，thewarpowers？InCongressorinthePresident？
　　Therefore，inconcreteterms，isCongressthePresident’smaster，orisitonlyonebranchofthegovernmentwithadefinitebutunitedactivityofitsown，withoutthatsweepingsovereignauthoritywhichincourseoftimehasbeenacquiredbyitsparentbody，theParliamentofGreatBritain？
　　OnthispointLincolnneverwavered。Fromfirsttolast，hewasdeterminednottoadmitthatCongresshadthepowersofParliament。Nosoonerhadthepoliticiansmadeoutthisattitudethantheirattackonitbegan。ItdidnotceaseuntilLincoln’sdeath。Itaddedasecondconstitutionalquestiontotheissuesofthewar。NotonlytheissuewhetheraStatehadarighttosecede，butalsotheissueofthePresident’spossessionofthewarpowersoftheConstitution。Timeandagaintheleadersofdisaffectioninhisownparty，tosaynothingoftheviolentDemocrats，exhaustedtheirrhetoricdenouncingLincoln’sposition。Theydidnotdenythemselvesthedelightsofthesneer。SenatorGrimesspokeofacallonthePresidentasanattempt“toapproachthefootstoolofpowerenthronedattheotherendoftheAvenue。“[2]Wadeexpandedtheidea：“Weoughttohaveacommitteetowaitonhimwheneverwesendhimabill，toknowwhathisroyalpleasureiswithregardtoit……Wearetoldthatsomegentlemen……havebeentoseethePresident。Somegentlemenareveryfortunateinthatrespect。
　　Nobodycanseehim，itseems，exceptsomeprivilegedgentlemenwhoarechargedwithhisconstitutionalconscience。“[3]AsLincolnkepthisdoorsopentoalltheworld，asnoonecameandwentwithgreaterfreedomthantheChairmanoftheCommittee，thesneerwas-whatonemightexpectoftheCommittee。Sumnersaid：“IclaimforCongressallthatbelongstoanygovernmentintheexerciseoftherightsofwar。“
　　Disagreementwithhim，hetreatedwithunspeakabledisdain：
　　“Borninignoranceandperniciousinconsequence，itoughttobereceivedwithhissingsofcontempt，andjustinproportionasitobtainsacceptance，withexecration。“[4]HenryWilsondeclaredthat，comewhatmight，thepolicyoftheAdministrationwouldbeshapedbythetwoHouses。“IhadrathergiveapolicytothePresidentoftheUnitedStatesthantakeapolicyfromthePresidentoftheUnitedStates。“[5]
　　TrumbullthunderedagainstthePresident’stheoryasthelastwordindespotism。[6]
　　SuchisthementalperspectiveinwhichtoregardthespeechofStevensofJanuary22，1862。Withmasterlyclearness，heputhisfingerontheheartofthematter：theexceptionalproblemsofatimeofwar，problemsthatcannotbeforeseenandpreparedforbyanticipatorylegislation，maybesolvedinbutoneway，bythetemporarycreationofthedictator；thisisastrueofmodernAmericaasofancientRome；sofar，mostpeopleareagreed；butthisextraordinaryfunctionmustnotbevestedintheExecutive；onthecontrary，itmustbe，itis，vestedintheLegislature。Stevensdidnothesitatetopushhistheorytoitslimit。HewasnotafraidofmakingtheLegislatureintimeofwartheirresponsiblejudgeofitsownacts。Congress，saidhe。hasallpossiblepowersofgovernment，eventhedictator’spower；itcoulddeclareitselfadictator；undercertaincircumstanceshewaswillingthatitshoulddoso。[7]
　　TheintellectualboldnessofLincolnwasmatchedbyanequalboldness。Betweenthem，heandStevenshadperfectlydefinedtheirissue。Grantedthatadictatorwasneeded，whichshoulditbe——thePresidentorCongress？