across that river, on the 2nd of November!

[Arnold, in his "Life of Abraham Lincoln," says that President
Lincoln said of him: "With all his failings as a soldier, McClellan
is a pleasant and scholarly gentleman. He is an admirable
Engineer, but" he added, "he seems to have a special talent for a
stationary Engine."]

On the 5th, McClellan was relieved,--Burnside taking the command,--and
Union men breathed more freely again.

But to return to the subject of Emancipation. President Lincoln's own
words have already been given--in conversation with Carpenter--down to
the reading of the Proclamation to his Cabinet, and Seward's suggestion
to "wait for a victory" before issuing it, and how, adopting that
advice, he laid the Proclamation aside, waiting for a victory.

"From time to time," said Mr. Lincoln, continuing his narration, "I
added or changed a line, touching it up here and there, anxiously
waiting the progress of events. Well, the next news we had was of
Pope's disaster at Bull Run. Things looked darker than ever. Finally,
came the week of the Battle of Antietam. I determined to wait no
longer.

"The news came, I think, on Wednesday, that the advantage was on our
side. I was then staying at the Soldiers' Home (three miles out of
Washington.) Here I finished writing the second draft of the
preliminary Proclamation; came up on Saturday; called the Cabinet
together to hear it; and it was published the following Monday."