interest of the whole country for the last month of the
campaign had centred in New York. As nearly as Mr. Lincoln was
willing to regard a political contest as personal to himself, he
had so regarded the contest between Mr. Seymour and Mr. Fenton.
Governor Seymour's speech in the Chicago Convention had been an
indictment of a most malignant type against the Administration.
The President felt that he was himself wholly wrong or Governor
Seymour was wholly wrong, and the people of New York were to decide
which. They rendered their verdict in the election of Reuben E.
Fenton to the Governorship by a majority of thousands over Mr.
Seymour. Without that result Mr. Lincoln's triumph would have been
incomplete. For its accomplishment great credit was awarded to
the Republican candidate for the admirable thoroughness of his
canvass and for the judicious direction of public thought to the
necessity of vindicating the President against the aspersions of
Mr. Seymour. The victory in the Nation was the most complete ever
achieved in an election that was seriously contested.

CHAPTER XXV.

President's Message, December, 1864.--General Sherman's March.--
Compensated Emancipation abandoned.--Thirteenth Amendment.--Earnestly
recommended by the President.--He appeals to the Democratic Members.
--Mr. Ashley's Energetic Work.--Democratic Opportunity.--Unwisely
neglected.--Mr. Pendleton's Argument.--Final Vote.--Amendment
adopted.--Cases arising under it.--Supreme Court.--Change of Judges
at Different Periods.--Peace Conference at Fortress Monroe.--
Secretary Chase resigns.--Mr. Fessenden succeeds him.--Mr. Fessenden's
Report.--Surrender of Lee.--General Grant's Military Character.--
Assassination of President Lincoln.--His Characteristics.--Cost of
the War.--Compared with Wars of Other Nations.--Our Navy.--Created
during the War.--Effective Blockade.--Its Effect upon the South.--
Its Influence upon the Struggle.--Relative Numbers in Loyal and
Disloyal States.--Comparison of Union and Confederate Armies.--
Confederate Army at the Close of the War.--Union Armies compared
with Armies of Foreign Countries.--Area of the War.--Its Effect
upon the Cost.--Character of Edwin M. Stanton.

Sustained by so emphatic a vote of popular confidence, President
Lincoln greeted Congress on the first Monday of December, 1864,
with a hopeful and cheerful message. He reported that our armies,
holding all the lines and positions gained, "have steadil