_, January 29 and February 6, 1861.]

[Footnote 705: A writer in the _North American Review_ (August, 1879,
p. 135) speaks of the singular confidence of Siddon of Virginia
(afterwards secretary of war of the Southern Confederacy) in Mr.
Seward, and the mysterious allusions to the skilful plans maturing for
an adjustment of sectional difficulties.]

On January 31, Seward had occasion to present a petition, with
thirty-eight thousand signatures, which William E. Dodge and other
business men of New York had brought to Washington, praying for "the
exercise of the best wisdom of Congress in finding some plan for the
adjustment of the troubles which endanger the safety of the nation,"
and in laying it before the Senate he took occasion to make another
plea for the Union. "I have asked them," he said, "that at home they
act in the same spirit, and manifest their devotion to the Union,
above all other interests, by speaking for the Union, by voting for
the Union, by lending and giving their money for the Union, and, in
the last resort, fighting for the Union--taking care, always, that
speaking goes before voting, voting goes before giving money, and all
go before a battle. This is the spirit in which I have determined for
myself to come up to this great question, and to pass through it."

Senator Mason of Virginia, declaring that "a maze of generalities
masked the speech," pressed Seward as to what he meant by
"contributing money for the Union." Seward replied: "I have
recommended to them in this crisis, that they sustain the government
of this country with the credit to which it is entitled at their
hands." To this Mason said: "I took it for granted that the money was
to sustain the army which was to conduct the fight that he recommends
to his people." Seward responded: "If, then, this Union is to stand or
fall by the force of arms, I have advised my people to do, as I shall
be ready to do myself--stand with it or perish with it." To which the
Virginia Senator retorted: "The honourable senator proposes but one
remedy to restore this Union, and that is the _ultima ratio regna_."
Seward answered quickly, "Not to restore--preserve!"

Mason then referred to Seward's position as one of battle and
bloodshed, to be fought on Southern soil, for the purpose of reducing
the South to colonies. To Seward, who was still cultivating the
attitude of "forbearance, conciliation, and magnanimity," this sounded
like a harsh conclusion of the