present their grievances against Seward, they found
themselves, to their great annoyance, confronted with all the Cabinet
except Seward, who had resigned, and they were invited by Lincoln to
discuss the matter in his presence with these Ministers. Chase, to his
still greater annoyance, found himself, as the principal Minister
there, compelled for decency's sake to defend Seward from the very
attack which he had helped to instigate. The deputation withdrew, not
sure that, after all, it wanted Seward removed. Chase next day
tendered, as was natural, his resignation. Lincoln was able, now that
he had the resignations of both men, to persuade both of their joint
duty to continue in the public service. By this remarkable piece of
riding he saved the Union from a great danger. The Democratic
opposition, not actually to the prosecution of the war, but to any and
every measure essential for it, was now developing, and a serious
division, such as at this stage any important resignation would have
produced in the ranks of the Republicans, or, as they now called
themselves, the "Union men," would have been perilous.

On the first day of January, 1863, the President signed the further
Proclamation needed to give effect to emancipation. The small portions
of the South which were not in rebellion were duly excepted; the naval
and military authorities were ordered to maintain the freedom of the
slaves seeking their protection; the slaves were enjoined to abstain
from violence and to "labour faithfully for reasonable wages" if
opportunity were given them; all suitable slaves were to be taken into
armed service, especially for garrison duties. Before the end of 1863,
a hundred thousand coloured men were already serving, as combatants or
as labourers, on military work in about equal number. They were
needed, for volunteering was getting slack, and the work of guarding
and repairing railway lines was specially repellent to Northern
volunteers. The coloured regiments fought well; they behaved well in
every way. Atrocious threats of vengeance on them and their white
officers were officially uttered by Jefferson Davis, but, except for
one hideous massacre wrought in the hottest of hot blood, only a few
crimes by individuals were committed in execution of these threats. To
Lincoln himself it was a stirring thought that when democratic
government was finally vindicated and restored by the victory of the
Union, "then there will be