To a friend who urged him to go away for a
fortnight's rest, he replied, "I cannot fly from my thoughts. My
solicitude for this great country follows me wherever I go. I do
not think it is personal vanity or ambition, though I am not free
from these infirmities, but I cannot but feel that the weal or
woe of this great nation will be decided in November. There is no
program offered by any wing of the Democratic party but that must
result in the permanent destruction of the Union."
The political situation grew still darker. Toward the end of
August the general gloom enveloped even the President himself.
Then what he did was most original and characteristic. Feeling
that the campaign was going against him, he made up his mind
deliberately the course he ought to pursue, and laid down for
himself the action demanded by his strong sense of duty. He wrote
on August 23 the following memorandum: "This morning, as for some
days past, it seems exceedingly probable that this administration
will not be reelected. Then it will be my duty to so cooperate
with the President-elect as to save the Union between the
election and the inauguration, as he will have secured his
election on such ground that he cannot possibly save it
afterward."
He folded and pasted the sheet of paper in such a way that its
contents could not be seen, and as the cabinet came together
handed it to each member successively, asking him to write his
name across the back of it.
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