If reason had ruled, the Gulf States of the South would never haveordered their representatives to leave Washington on the election ofAbraham Lincoln. The new administration could have done nothing with theCongress chosen. The President had been elected on a fluke becauseof the division of the opposition into three tickets. Lincoln was aminority President and was powerless except in the use of the veto.
If the Gulf States had paused for a moment they could have seen thatsuch an administration, whatever its views about Slavery, would havefailed, and the next election would have been theirs. The moment theywithdrew their members of Congress, however, the new party had amajority and could shape the nation\'s laws.
The crowd mind acts on blind impulse, never on reason.
In spite of the President\'s humane purpose to keep peace when hedelivered his first inaugural, he had scarcely taken his seat at thehead of his Cabinet when the mob mind swept him from his moorings and hewas caught in the torrent of the war mania.
The firing on Fort Sumter was not the first shot by the Secessionists.
They had fired on the _Star of the West_, a ship sent to the reliefof the Fort, weeks before. They had driven her back to sea. But thePresident at that moment had sufficient power to withstand the cry forblood. At the next shot he succumbed to the inevitable and called for75,000 volunteers to invade the South. This act of war was a violationof his powers under Constitutional law. Congress alone could declarewar. But Congress was not in session.
The mob had, in fact, declared war. The President and his Cabinet wereforced to bow to its will and risk their necks on the outcome of thestruggle.
So long as Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee refused to secede andstood with the Border States of Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky insidethe union, the Confederacy organized at Montgomery, Alabama, must remaina mere political feint.
The call of the President on Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee,Kentucky, Missouri and Maryland, all slave States, to furnish theirquota of troops to fight the seceders, was in effect a declaration ofwar by a united North upon the South.
Virginia had refused to join the Confederacy before by an overwhelmingmajority. All eyes were again turned on the Old Dominion. Would sheaccept the President\'s command and send her quota of troops to fight hersisters of the South, or would she withdraw from the union?
The darkest day of its history was dawning on Arlington. Lee had spent asleepless night watching the flickering lights of the Capitol, waiting,hoping, praying for a message from the Convention at Richmond. On thatmessage hung the present, the future, and the sacred glory of the past.
The lamp on the table in the hall was still burning dimly at dawn whenMary Lee came downstairs and pulled the old-fashioned bell cord whichsummoned the butler.
Ben entered with a bow.
"You ring for me, Missy?""Yes. You sent to town to see if an Extra had been issued?""Yassam. De boy come back more\'n a hour ago.""There was none?""Nomum.""And he couldn\'t find Lieutenant Stuart?""Nomum. He look fur him in de telegraph office an\' everywhar.""Why don\'t he come--why don\'t he come?" she sighed.
"I spec dem wires is done down, an\' de news \'bout Secesum come froo decountry fum Richmon\' by horseback, M\'am."The girl sighed again wearily.
"The coffee and sandwiches ready, Ben?""Yassam. All on de table waitin\'. De coffee gittin\' cold.""I\'ll bring Papa down, if I can get him to come.""Yassam. I hopes ye bring him. He sho must be wore out.""It\'s daylight," she said, "open the windows and put out the lamp."Mary climbed the stairs again to get her father to eat. Ben drew thecurtains and the full light of a beautiful spring morning flooded theroom. A mocking bird was singing in the holly. A catbird cried froma rosebush, a redbird flashed and chirped from the hedge and a coltwhinnied for his mother.
The old negro lowered the lamp, blew it out and began to straighten theroom. A soft knock sounded on the front door.
He stopped and listened. That was queer. No guest could be coming toArlington at dawn. Lieutenant Stuart would come on horseback and thering of his horse\'s hoofs could be heard for half a mile.
He turned back to his work and the knock was repeated, this time louder.
He cautiously approached the door.
"Who\'s dar?""Hit\'s me.""Me who?""Hit\'s me--Sam.""\'Tain\'t no Sam nuther--""\'Tis me.""Sam\'s bin free mos\' ten year now an\' he\'s livin\' in New York--""I done come back. Lemme come in a minute!"Ben was not sure. He picked up a heavy cane, held it in his right handand cautiously opened the door with his left, as Sam entered.
The old man dropped the cane and stepped back in dumb amazement. It wassome time before he spoke.
"Name er Gawd, Sam--hit is you.""Sho, hit\'s me!""What yer doin\' here?""I come to see my old marster when I hears all dis talk \'bout war. Wharis he?"Ben lifted his eyes to the ceiling and spoke in a solemn tone:
"Up dar in his room all night trampin\' back an\' forth lak er lion inde cage, waitin\' fur Marse Stuart ter fetch de news fum Richmond \'boutsecessun--""Secessun?"Ben nodded--and raised his eyes in a dreamy look.
"Some say Ole Virginy gwine ter stay in de union. Some say she\'s a gwineter secede. De Convenshun in Richmon\' wuz votin\' on hit yestiddy. MarseStuart gone ter town ter fetch de news ter Arlington."Sam stepped close and searched Ben\'s face.
"What\'s my ole marster dat set me free gwine ter do?""Dat\'s what everybody\'s axin. He bin prayin\' up dar all night."Sam glanced toward the stairway and held his silence for a while. Hespoke finally with firm conviction.
"Well, I\'se gwine wid him. Ef he go wid de union, I goes. Ef he go widole Virginy, I go wid ole Virginy. Whichever way _he_ go, dat\'s de_right_ way--""Dat\'s so, too!" Ben responded fervently.
Sam advanced to the old butler with the quick step of the days when hewas his efficient helper.
"What ye want me ter do?"Ben led him to the portico and pointed down the white graveled way toWashington.
"Run doun de road ter de rise er dat hill an\' stay dar. De minute yersee a hoss cross dat bridge--hit\'s Marse Stuart. Yer fly back here an\'
tell me--"Sam nodded and disappeared. Ben hurried back into the hall, as Mary andher mother came down the stairs.
Mrs. Lee was struggling to control her fears.
"No sign of Lieutenant Stuart yet, Ben?""Nomum. I\'se er watchin\'.""Look again and see if there\'s any dust on that long stretch beyond theriver--"Ben shook his head.
"Yassam, I look."He passed out the front door still wagging his head in deep sympathy forthe stricken mistress of the great house.
Mary slipped her arm around her mother, and used the pet name she spokein moments of great joy and sorrow.
"Oh, Mim dear, you mustn\'t worry so!"Her mother\'s lips trembled. She tried to be strong and failed. The tearscame at last streaming down her cheeks.
"I can\'t help it, darling. Life hangs on this message--our home--"She paused and her eyes wandered about the familiar room and itsfurnishings.
"You know how I love this home. It\'s woven into the very fiber of myheart. Our future--all that we have on earth--it\'s more than I canbear--"The daughter drew the dear face to her lips.
"But why try to take it all on our shoulders, dearest? We must leavePapa to fight this out alone. We can\'t decide it for him."The mother brushed her tears away and responded cheerfully.
"Yes, I know, dear. Your father didn\'t leave his room all day yesterday.
He ate no dinner. No supper. All night the tramp of his feet overheadhas only been broken when he fell on his knees to pray--"Her voice wandered off as in a half dream. She paused, and then rushedon impetuously.
"Why, why can\'t we hear from Richmond? The Convention should have votedbefore noon yesterday. And we\'ve waited all night--""The authorities may be holding back the news.""But why should they suppress _such_ news? The world must know."She stopped suddenly--as if stunned by the thought that oppressed her.
She seized Mary\'s hand, and asked tensely:
"What do you think, dear? Has Virginia left the union?"A quick answer was on the young lips. She had a very clear opinion. Shehad talked to Stuart. And his keen mind had seen the inevitable. Shedidn\'t have the heart to tell her mother. She feigned a mind blank fromweariness.
"I can\'t think, honey. I\'m too tired."Ben came back shaking his gray head.
"Nomum. Dey ain\'t no sign on de road yet."The waiting wife and mother cried in an anguish she could not control.
"Why--why--why?"Ben sought to distract her thoughts with the habit of house control. Hespoke in his old voice of friendly scolding.
"Ain\'t Marse Robert comin\' doun to his coffee, M\'am?""Not yet, Ben. I couldn\'t persuade him." The mistress caught the effortof her faithful servant to help in his humble way and it touched her.
She was making a firm resolution to regain her self-control when adistant cry was heard from the roadway.
"Uncle Ben!""What\'s dat?" the old man asked.
"He\'s coming?" Mrs. Lee gasped.
"I dunno, M\'am. I hears sumfin!"Sam\'s cry echoed near the house now in growing excitement.
"Uncle Ben--Uncle Ben!""See, Ben, see quick--" Mary cried.
"Yassam. He\'s comin\', sho. He\'s seed him."The mother\'s face was uplifted in prayer.
"God\'s will be done!"The words came in a bare whisper. And then as if in answer to the cry ofher heart she caught new hope and turned to her daughter.
"You know, dear, the first Convention voted against Secession!"Sam reached the door and met Ben.
"Uncle Ben--he\'s a comin\'--Marse Stuart\'s horse! I seen him \'way \'crossde ribber fust--des one long, white streak er dust ez fur ez de eye canreach!"The mother gripped Mary\'s arm with cruel force. The strain was againmore than she could bear.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear, what have they done? What have they done?"Ben entered the hall holding himself erect with the dignity of one whomust bear great sorrows with his people. The mistress called to himweakly:
"Tell Colonel Lee, Ben."The old man bowed gravely.
"Yassam. Right away, M\'am."Ben hurried to call his master as Sam edged into the front door andsmiled at his mistress.
Mrs. Lee saw and recognized him for the first time. His loyalty touchedher deeply in the hour of trial. She extended her hand in warm greeting.
"Why, _Sam_, you\'ve come home!""Yassam. I come back ter stan\' by my folks when dey needs me."Mary\'s eyes were misty as she smiled her welcome.
"You\'re a good boy, Sam.""Yassam. Marse Robert teach me."The echo of Stuart\'s horse\'s hoof rang under the portico and Sam hurriedto meet him.
His clear voice called:
"Don\'t put \'im up, boy!"Mary\'s heart began to pound. She knew he would be galloping down thewhite graveled way again in a few minutes. His next order confirmed herfear.
"Just give him some water!""Yassah!"The two women stood huddled close in tense anxiety.
Lee hurried down the stairs and met Stuart at the door. Before thefamiliarity of a handshake or word of welcome he asked:
"What news, Lieutenant?"Stuart spoke with deep emotion. On every word the man and the woman hungbreathlessly.
"It has come, sir. Virginia has answered to the President\'s call to sendtroops against her own people. She has sacrificed all save honor. Thevote of the Convention was overwhelming. She has withdrawn from theunion--"A moment\'s deathly silence. And the cry of pain from a woman\'s whitelips. Mary caught her mother in her arms and held her firmly. The crywrung her young heart.
"Oh, dear God, have mercy on us--and give us strength to bear it--"Stuart hurried to her side and tried to break the blow with cheerfulwords.
"Don\'t worry, Mrs. Lee. The South is right."Lee had not spoken. His brilliant eyes had the look of a man who walksin his sleep. They were in the world but not of it. The deep things ofeternity were in their brooding. He waked at last and turned to Stuartsadly.
"God save our country, my boy."He paused and looked out the doorway on the beautiful green of the lawn.
The perfume from the rose garden stole in on the fresh breeze thatstirred from the river.
"A frightful blow," he went on dreamily, "this news you bring."Stuart\'s young body stiffened.
"You\'re the foremost citizen of Virginia, sir. Others may doubt andwaver and be confused. I think I know what you\'re going to do, in theend--""It\'s hard--it\'s hard," the strong man cried bitterly.
The mother and daughter studied his face in eager, anxious waiting. Onhis word life hung. Stuart glanced at their tense faces and couldn\'tfind speech. He turned and spoke briskly.
"I must hurry, sir. I\'ll be in Richmond before sunset."The sound of carriage wheels grated on the road and a foaming pair ofhorses drew under the portico. A woman sprang out.
Mrs. Lee turned to the Colonel.
"It\'s your sister, Annie, Colonel.""Yes," Stuart added, "I passed her on the way--"Mrs. Marshall hurried to greet Mrs. Lee. The two women embraced and weptin silence.
"Mary!""Annie!"The names were barely breathed.
Mary silently kissed her aunt as she turned from her mother. TheColonel\'s sister raised her eyes and saw Stuart. Her tones were sharpwith the ring of a commander giving orders:
"Our army is marching, Lieutenant Stuart! You here in civilian clothes?"The strong, young body stiffened.
"I have resigned my commission in the United States Army, Mrs.
Marshall--"Her finger rose in an imperious gesture.
"You will live to regret it, sir!"Lee frowned and laid his hand on his sister\'s arm in a gesture ofappeal.
"Annie, dear, please."She regained her poise at the touch of his hand and turned to Mrs. Lee.
Stuart extended his hand briskly.
"Goodbye, sir. I hope to see you in Richmond soon--"Lee\'s answer was gravely spoken.
"Goodbye, my boy. I honor you in your quick decision, with the clearvision of youth. We, older men, must halt and pray, and feel our way."With a laugh in his blue eyes Stuart paused at the door half embarrassedat Mrs. Marshall\'s presence. He waved his hat to the group.
"Well, goodbye, everybody! I\'m off to join the Cavalry!"Outside as he hurried to his horse he waved again.
"Goodbye--!"There was a moment\'s painful silence. They listened to the beat of hishorse\'s hoof on the white roadway toward Washington. As the tall soldierlistened he heard the roar of the hoofs of coming legions. And awarrior\'s soul leaped to the saddle. But the soul of the man, of thefather and brother uttered a cry of mortal pain. He looked about thehall in a dazed way as if unconscious of the presence of the women ofhis home.
Mrs. Lee saw his deep anxiety and whispered to Mrs. Marshall.
"Come to my room, Annie, and rest before you say anything to Robert--"She shook her head.
"No--no, my dear. I can\'t. My heart\'s too full. I can\'t rest. It\'s nouse trying."The wife took both her hands.
"Then remember, that his heart is even fuller than yours.""Yes, I know.""And you cannot possibly be suffering as he is.""I\'ll not forget, dear."Mrs. Lee pressed her hands firmly.
"And say nothing that you\'ll live to regret?""I promise, Mary.""Please!"With a lingering look of sympathy for brother and sister, Mrs. Leesoftly left the room.
Lee stood gazing through the window across the shining waters of theriver whose mirror but a few months ago had reflected the distortedfaces of John Brown and his men at Harper\'s Ferry. It had come, thevision he had seen as he looked on the dark stains that fateful morning.
He dreaded this interview with his sister. He knew the views of JudgeMarshall, her husband. He knew her own love for the union.
She was struggling for control of Her emotions and her voice wasstrained.
"You\'ve--you\'ve heard this awful news from Richmond?""Yes," he answered quietly. "And I\'ve long felt it coming. The firstthunderbolt struck us at Harper\'s Ferry. The storm has broken now--""What are you going to do?"She asked the question as if half afraid to pronounce the words. Leeturned away in silence. She followed him and laid a hand on his arm.
"You\'ll let me tell you all that\'s in my heart, my brother?"The soldier was a boy again. He took his sister\'s hand and stroked it ashe had in the old days at Stratford.
"Of course, my dear.""And remember that we _are_ brother and sister?""Always."She clung to his hand and made no effort now to keep back the tears.
"And that I shall always believe in you and be proud of you--"A sob caught her voice and she could not go on. He pressed her hand.
"It\'s sweet to hear you say this, Annie, in the darkest hour of mylife--"She interrupted him in quick, passionate appeal.
"Why should it be the darkest hour, Robert? What have you or I, or ourpeople, to do with the madmen who are driving the South over the brinkof this precipice?"Lee shook his head.
"The people of the South are not being driven now, my dear--"He stopped. His eyes flashed as his words quickened.
"They are rushing with a fierce shout as one man. The North thinks thatonly a small part of the Southern people are in this revolution, misledby politicians. The truth is, the masses are sweeping their leadersbefore them, as leaves driven by a storm. The cotton states areunanimous. Virginia has seceded. North Carolina and Tennessee willfollow her to-morrow, and the South a Unit, the union is divided."The sister drew herself up with pride, and squarely faced him. She spokewith deliberation.
"Our families, Robert, from the beginning have stood for the glory ofthe union. It is unthinkable that you should leave it. Such men asEdmund Ruffin--yes--the impulsive old firebrand has already volunteeredas a private and gone to South Carolina. He pulled the lanyard thatfired the first shot against Fort Sumter. We have nothing in common withsuch men--"Lee lifted his hand in protest.
"Yes, we have, my dear. We are both sons of Virginia, our mother and themother of this Republic.""All the more reason why I\'m begging to-day that you dedicate yourgenius, your soul and body to fight the men who would destroy theunion!"Lee raised his eyes as if in prayer and drew a deep breath.
"There\'s but one thing for me to decide, Annie--my duty."His sister clasped her hands nervously and glanced about the room. Hereyes rested on the portraits of Washington, and his wife and she turnedquickly.
"Your wife is the grand-daughter of Martha Washington. Can you look onthat portrait of the father of this country, handed down to the motherof your children, and dare draw your sword to destroy his work?""I\'ve tried to put him in my place and ask what he would do--"He stopped suddenly.
"What would Washington do if he stood in my place to-day?""My dear brother!""Remember now that you are appealing to me as my sister. Did Washingtonallow the ties of blood to swerve him from his duty? His own mother wasa loyal subject of the King of Great Britain and died so--""Washington led an army of patriots in a sacred cause," she interrupted.
"Surely. But he won his first victories as a soldier fighting theFrench, under the British flag. He denounced that flag, joined with theFrench and forced Cornwallis to surrender to the armies of France andthe Colonies of America. He was equally right when he fought under theBritish flag against the French, and when he fought with Lafayette andRochambeau and won our independence. Each time he fought for his rightsunder law. Each time with mind and conscience clear, he answered thecall of du............