Chapter 6:
- Character of Abraham Lincoln in history. -- absurd panegyric. -- the personal and political life of the New President. -- his journey to Washington. -- his speech at Philadelphia. -- the flight from Harrisburg. -- alarm in Washington. -- military display in the capital. -- ceremony of inauguration. -- criticism of Lincoln's address. -- what the Republican party thought of it. -- serious pause at Washington. -- statement of Horace Greeley. -- how the inaugural address was received in the seceded States. -- visit of Confederate commissioners to Washington. -- Seward's pledge to Judge Campbell. -- the commissioners deceived. -- military and naval expeditions from New York. -- consultation of the Cabinet on the Sumter question. -- Capt. Fox's visit to Charleston. -- his project. -- objections of Gen. Scott. -- singular article in a New York journal. -- Lincoln's hesitation. -- his final device. -- Seward's game with the commissioners. -- the reduction of Fort Sumter. -- description of the Confederate works for the reduction of Sumter. -- Beauregard demands the surrender of the Fort. -- the bombardment. -- the Fort on fire. -- the Federal fleet takes no part in the fight. -- the surrender. -- great excitement in the North. -- its true meaning. -- the crusade against the South. -- Dr. Tyng's exhortation. -- conduct of Northern Democrats. -- Dickinson, Everett, and Cochrane. -- President Lincoln's proclamation. -- his pacific protests to the Virginia commissioners. -- Secession of Virginia. -- discontent in the Western counties. -- second secessionary movement of the Southern States. -- violent acts of the Washington Administration.Preparations of the Confederate Government for war. -- rush of volunteers to arms.President Davis' estimate of the military necessity. -- removal of the seat of Government to Richmond. -- activity of Virginia. -- Robert E. Lee. -- his attachment to the Union. -- why he joined the Confederate cause. -- his speech in the State House at Richmond. -- his organization of the military force of Virginia. -- military council in Richmond. -- the early reputation of Lee
A large portion of the Northern people have a custom of apotheosis, at least so far as to designate certain of their public men, to question whose reputation is considered bold assumption, if not sacrilegious daring. But the maxim of de mortuis nil nisi bonum does not apply to history. The character of Abraham Lincoln belongs to history as fully as that of the meanest agent in human affairs; and his own declaration, on one occasion,
