end--a
declaration which, on the whole, was of service to the Union cause,
since, to a great extent, it stopped the clamor of the peace factionists
during the presidential campaign. Not entirely, however. There was still
criticism enough to induce Henry J. Raymond, chairman of the executive
committee of the Republican party, to write a letter on August 22,
suggesting to Mr. Lincoln that he ought to appoint a commission in due
form to make proffers of peace to Davis on the sole condition of
acknowledging the supremacy of the Constitution; all other questions to
be settled in a convention of the people of all the States.

Mr. Lincoln answered this patiently and courteously, framing, to give
point to his argument, an experimental draft of instructions with which
he proposed, in case such proffers were made, to send Mr. Raymond
himself to the rebel authorities. On seeing these in black and white,
Raymond, who had come to Washington to urge his project, readily agreed
with the President and Secretaries Seward, Stanton, and Fessenden, that
to carry it out would be worse than losing the presidential contest: it
would be ignominiously surrendering it in advance.

"Nevertheless," wrote an inmate of the White House, "the visit of
himself and committee here did great good. They found the President and
cabinet much better informed than themselves, and went home encouraged
and cheered."

The Democratic managers had called the national convention of their
party to meet on the fourth of July, 1864; but after the nomination of
Fremont at Cleveland, and of Lincoln at Baltimore, it was thought
prudent to postpone it to a later date, in the hope that something in
the chapter of accidents might arise to the advantage of the opposition.
It appeared for a while as if this manoeuver were to be successful. The
military situation was far from satisfactory. The terrible fighting of
Grant's army in Virginia had profoundly shocked and depressed the
country; and its movement upon Petersburg, so far without decisive
results, had contributed little hope or encouragement. The campaign of
Sherman in Georgia gave as yet no positive assurance of the brilliant
results it afterward attained. The Confederate raid into Maryland and
Pennsylvania in July was the cause of great annoyance and exasperation.

This untoward state of things in the field of military operations found
its exact counterpart in the political campaign. Several circumstances
contribut