It set forth justly and
with courage what the United States government would and would
not endure from foreign powers during the war with the South, but
it had been penned in a heat of indignation, and was so blunt and
exasperating as to suggest intentional disrespect. When Mr.
Seward read it to the President the latter at once saw this, and
taking it from his Secretary of State kept it by him for further
consideration. A second reading showed him that his first
impression was correct. Thereupon the frontier lawyer, taking his
pen, went carefully over the whole dispatch, and by his
corrections so changed the work of the trained and experienced
statesman as entirely to remove its offensive tone, without in
the least altering its force or courage.
Once again during 1861 the country was in serious danger of war
with England, and the action of President Lincoln at this time
proved not only that he had the will to be just, even when his
own people were against him, but had the skill to gain real
advantage from what seemed very like defeat. One of the earliest
and most serious tasks of the Government had been to blockade the
southern ports, in order to prevent supplies from foreign
countries reaching the southern people, especially the southern
armies. Considering the great length of coast to be patrolled,
and the small size of the navy at the commencement of the
struggle, this was done with wonderful quickness, and proved in
the main effective, though occasionally a rebel boat managed to
slip in or out without being discovered and fired upon by the
ships on guard.
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