Adventure Magazine Cover — page 133: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The End of the Road He obseryes that at the last election he voted for Henry Clay. ‘It’s true,’ he says, ‘that Henry was dead, but since all the politicians that he knew were fifteenth-rate, he preferred to vote for a first class corpse.’ ” Stanton moved impatiently. He hated the President’s pocket humorists and had small patience with his tales. ‘Was ever a great war fought,”’ he cried, “with such a camp-following as our Con- gressmen?”’ Lincoln looked comically surprized. ‘“You’re too harsh, Mr. Stanton. I ad- mit there are one or two crooks who could take shelter behind a corkscrew. But the trouble is that most of them are too high- principled. They are that set on liberty that they won’t take the trouble to safe- guard it. They would rather lose the war than give up their little notions. I’ve a great regard for principles, but I have no use for them when they get so high that they become foolishness.” “Every idle pedant thinks he knows bet- ter how to fight a war than the men who are laboring sixteen hours a day at it,” said Stanton bitterly. “They want to hurry things quicker than the Almighty means them to go. \I don’t altogether blame them either, for I’m mor- tally impatient myself. But it’s no good thinking that saying a thing should be so will make it so. “‘We’re not the Creator of this universe. You’ve got to judge results according to your instruments. Horace Greeley is al- ways telling me what I should do, but Hor- ace omits to explain -how I am to find the means. You can’t properly manure a fifty- acre patch with only a bad smell.” Lincoln ran his fingers over the leaves of the small Bible he had taken from his pocket. , ‘“‘Seems to me Moses had the same diffi- culties to contend with. Read the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Numbers at your leisure, Mr. Secretary. It’s mighty pertfi- nent to our situation. The people have been a deal kinder to me than I deserve and I’ve got more cause for thankfulness than complaint. “But sometimes I get just a little out of patience with our critics. I want- to say to them as Moses said to Korah, Dathan and Abiram— “* “Ve take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi!’ 99 123 Lincoln’s speech had broadened into something like the dialect of his boyhood. Stanton finished the paper on which he had been engaged and stepped aside from his desk. His face was heavily preoccupied, and he kept an eye always on the door lead- ing to his private secretary’s room. ‘At this moment,” Stanton said, “Hooker is engaged with Lee.”’ . He put a finger on a map which was stretched on a.frame behind him. ‘There! On the Rappahannock, where it is joined by the Rapidan. Near the ham- let of Chancellorsville. Battle was joined two days ago, and so far it has been inde- cisive. Tonight we should know the result. That was the news you came here tonight about, Mr. President.” Lincoln nodded. “I am desperately anxious. I needn’t conceal that from you, Mr. Stanton.” “So am I. I wish to God I had more confidence in General Hooker. I never liked that appointment, Mr. President. I should have preferred Meade or Reynolds. Hooker is a blustering, thick-headed fellow, good enough maybe for a division or even a corps, but not for an army.” “T visited him three weeks back,” said Lincoln, “and I’m bound to say he has marvelously pulled round the Army of the Potomac. There’s a new spirit in their. ranks. You’re unjust to Joe Hooker, Mr. Stanton. He’s a fine organizer, and he’ll fight—he’s eager to fight, which McClellan and Burnside never were.”’ “But what on earth is the good of being willing to fight if you’re going to lose? He hasn’t the brains to command. And he’s opposed by Lee and Jackson. Do you realize the surpassing ability of those two men? We have no generals fit to hold a candle to them.”’ “We've a bigger and a better army. I’m not going to be depressed, Mr. Stanton. Joe has two men to every one of Lee’s; he’s safe over the Rappahannock, and I reckon he will make a road to Richmond. I’ve seen his troops, and they are fairly burst- ing to get at the enemy. I insist on being hopeful. What’s the last news from the Mississippi?” “Nothing new. Grant has got to Port Gibson and has his base at Grand Gulf. He now proposes to cut loose and make for Vicksburg, So far he has done well, but the risk is terrific. Still, I am inclined to Comicbhook C©