If the President and his Cabinet
refuse to listen they will find themselves engulfed in a fire that will
consume them like stubble. They will find themselves helpless before a
power that will hurl them from their places!"
The President was still under the cloud of public wrath over this affair
when the crisis of the problem of emancipation became acute. The gradual
growth of the number of his bitter foes in Washington he had seen with
deep distress. And yet it was inevitable. No man in his position could
administer the great office whose power he was wielding without fear or
favor and not make enemies. And now both friend and foe were closing in
on him with a well-nigh resistless demand for emancipation.
Hour after hour he sat patiently in his office receiving these
impassioned delegations.
Old Edward was standing at the door again smiling and washing his hands:
"A delegation of editors, presenting Mr. Horace Greeley's 'Prayer of
Twenty Millions.'"
The patient eyes were lifted front his desk, and the strong mouth firmly
pressed:
"Let them in."
The President rose in his easy, careless manner:
"I'm glad to see you, gentlemen. You are the leaders of public opinion.
The people rule this country and I am their servant. What is it?"
The Chairman of the Committee stepped forward and gravely handed him an
engrossed copy of Greeley's famous editorial, "The Prayer of Twenty
Millions," demanding the immediate issue of a proclamation of
emancipation.
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