The American Chronicle 2 - Lincoln by Gore Vidal

Author:Gore Vidal [Vidal, Gore]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-06-08T14:35:01+00:00

6

ON THE BACK PORCH of the old club house, Seward lay in a hammock, eyes shut, and ears attuned only to the chatter of birds in the flowering backyard, where huge roses in full bloom made the air heavy with their scent. Congress had dispersed three days earlier, and Seward felt like a free man again, no longer the target of Ben Wade the Bluff and all the other Jacobins who now held him totally responsible for the slowness of the war effort, not to mention the vile continuation of slavery everywhere on earth.

As Seward rocked slowly back and forth in the hammock, he thought, longingly, of sending a detachment of troops to surround the Capitol while Congress was in session. There would be a mass arrest. He himself would speak to the assembled members of the two houses—would they be chained to one another? He left that detail for a later daydream. But, for the present, he was seated in the Speaker’s chair, and smoking a cigar as the terrified members of the Congress stood before him, guns trained on them from soldiers in the gallery. Naturally, he would address them pleasantly; he might even make a joke or two. Then he would explain how no state could support, in time of war, the luxury of such a large, unwieldy and often dangerously unpatriotic band of men. Therefore, it was with true sorrow that he was dissolving the legislative branch of the government. Most of the members would be allowed to return home. Unfortunately, there were a number who would be obliged to stand trial for treasonable activities. Senator Wade would, of course, be given every opportunity to defend himself before a military court. But should he and the other Jacobins be found guilty, they would, of course, be hanged—in front of the Capitol. Seward was debating whether or not the gallows should be placed at the east or the west end of the Capitol, when the servant announced, “Mr. Chase to see you, sir.”

Seward opened his eyes; and there was Chase, in a white linen jacket, looking reasonably cool on such a hot day. “Forgive me for not stirring,” said Seward.

“You are forgiven,” Chase pulled up a chair and sat at the foot of the hammock—like a physician, thought Seward, motioning to the servant to light his cigar for him. “I’ve been enjoying the peace and the quiet, now that Congress has gone, and we’ve only the war to worry about.”

Chase nodded. “They take up so much time, our old colleagues. I am told that Ben Wade has announced that the country is going to hell.”

“I can only hope that he gets there first,” said Seward.

“Things are coming to a climax, Mr. Seward.” Chase stared at the small figure in the hammock so like, with its short legs and large nose, a parrot fallen from its perch.

“You mean with McClellan?” Seward knew what Chase meant the freeing of the slaves was now a matter of great urgency. But whose slaves? That was the problem.

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