InLincoln’slifetherearetwogreatachievements。
Onehebroughttopassintimeforhimtobeholdhisownvictory。Theotherhesawonlywiththeeyesoffaith。ThefirstwasthedrawingtogetherofalltheelementsofnationalismintheAmericanpeopleandconsolidatingthemintoadrivingforce。ThesecondwaslayingthefoundationofapoliticaltemperthatmadeimpossibleapermanentvictoryfortheVindictives。Itwasthesadfateofthisnation，becauseLincoln’shandwasstruckfromthetillerattheveryinstantofthecrisis，tosufferthetemporarysuccessofthatfactionhestrovesohardtodestroyThetransitorinessoftheireviltriumph，theeventualrallyofthenationagainstthem，wasthefinalvictoryofthespiritofLincoln。
Theimmediatevictoryheappreciatedmorefullyandmeasuredmoreexactly，thandidanyoneelse。Heputitintowordsinthefifthmessage。Whileotherswerecrowingwithexaltationoverapartytriumph，helookeddeepertothepsychologicaltriumph。ScarcelyanothersawthatthemostsignificantdetailofthehourwasintheDemocraticattitude。Eventhebitterestenemiesofnationalism，eventhosewhowerebelievedbyallotherstodesirethebreakingoftheUnion，hadnotthoughtitsafetosayso。Theyhadveiledtheirintentinspeciouswords。McClellaninacceptingtheDemocraticnominationhadrepudiatedtheideaofdisunion。WhethertheDemocraticpoliticianshadagreedwithhimornot，theyhadnotdaredtocontradicthim。ThiswaswhatLincolnputtheemphasisoninhismessage：“ThepurposeofthepeoplewithintheloyalStatestomaintaintheUnionwasnevermorefirmnormorenearlyunanimousthannow……Nocandidateforanyoffice，highorlow，hasventuredtoseekvotesontheavowalthathewasforgivinguptheUnion。TherehavebeenmuchimpugningofmotiveandmuchheatedcontroversyastothepropermeansandbestmodeofadvancingtheUnioncause；butonthedistinctissueofUnionorNoUnionthepoliticianshaveshowntheirinstinctiveknowledgethatthereisnodiversityamongthepeople。Inaffordingthepeoplethefairopportunityofshowingonetoanotherandtotheworld，thisfirmnessandunanimityofpurpose，theelectionhasbeenofvastvaluetothenationalcause。“[1]
ThistemperofthefinalLincoln，hissupremedetachment，thekindimpersonalityofhisintellectualapproach，hasnobetterillustrationinhisstatepapers。Hefurtherrevealeditinamoreintimateway。ThedayhesentthemessagetoCongress，healsosubmittedtotheSenateanominationtothegreatofficeofChiefJustice。WhenTaneydiedinthepreviousSeptember，therewasaneagerstiramongthefriendsofChase。Theyhadhopesbuttheyfeltembarrassed。Couldtheyaskthisgreathonor，thehighestitisinthepoweroftheAmericanPresidenttobe-stow，foramanwhohadbeensolackingincandorasChasehadbeen？Chase’scourseduringthesummerhadmadethingsworse。Hehadplayedthetime-server。NoonewasmoresevereuponLincolninJuly；inAugust，hehesitated，wouldnotquitecommithimselftotheconspiracybutwouldnotdiscourageit；almostgaveithisblessing；inSeptember，butnotuntilitwasquiteplainthattheconspiracywasfailing，hecameoutforLincoln。However，hisfriendsintheSenateovercametheirembarrassment——howelsecoulditbewithSenators？——andpressedhiscase。AndwhenSenatorWilson，alarmedatthePresident’ssilence，triedtoapologizeforChase’sharshremarksaboutthePresident，Lincolncuthimshort。“Oh，astothat，Icarenothing，“saidhe。TheembarrassmentoftheChasepropagandaamusedhim。WhenChasehimselftookahandandwrotehimaletter，Lincolnsaidtohissecretary，“Whatisitabout？“
“Simplyakindandfriendlyletter，“repliedthesecretary。