e of the army, engaged in such a war, to send slaves
back to bondage, was most repugnant. At first some commanders took one
course, some another. General Butler, a volunteer from Massachusetts,
hit on a happy solution; he declared that slaves, being available to the
enemy for hostile purposes, were like arms, gunpowder, etc., "contraband
of war," and could not be reclaimed. The stroke was welcomed with cheers
and laughter; and "contraband" became a catchword. Congress, in March,
1862, forbade the army and navy to return fugitives.

General Fremont was in command in Missouri. He was ardent and
uncompromising, and in August, 1861, he issued a drastic proclamation,
declaring the State under martial law, threatening death to all taken
with arms in their hands, and giving freedom to the slaves of all
rebels. The President remonstrated by letter against this too heroic
surgery, and when Fremont declined to modify his order, used his
authority to cancel it. The public reception of the incident marked and
heightened the growing division of sentiment; the conservatives and
especially the border State men, were alarmed and indignant at Fremont's
action, while he became at once a favorite of the strong anti-slavery
men.

This divergence among his own supporters added another to the
complications which beset Lincoln and taxed him to the utmost. He had
extraordinary tact and shrewdness in managing men, and in dealing with
tangled situations. He showed this power toward his Cabinet officers,
who included the most various material,--Seward, accomplished,
resourceful, somewhat superficial, but thoroughly loyal to his chief
after he knew him, managing the foreign relations with admirable skill,
and somewhat conservative in his views; Chase, very able as a financier
and jurist, but intensely ambitious of the Presidency, regarded as a
radical as to slavery; Stanton, a great war minister but of harsh and
intractable temper. These men and their colleagues Lincoln handled so
skilfully as to get the best each had to contribute, and keep them and
the political elements they represented in working harmony. No less
successfully did he deal with Congress, guiding it to a great extent,
but acquiescing in occasional defeats and disappointments so patiently
that he disarmed hostility. He kept in closest touch with the common
people; he was accessible to every one, listened to each man's
grievance, remonstrance, or advice; and acquired an instinctiv