the other.  It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but let us judge not, that we be not judged.  The prayers of both could not be answered—­that of neither has been answered fully.  The Almighty has His own purposes.  ’Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.’  If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses, which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him?  Fondly do we hope—­fervently do we pray—­that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.  Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid with another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said, ’The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—­to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.”

Lincoln’s own commentary may follow upon his speech: 

“March 15, 1865.  Dear Mr. Weed,—­Every one likes a little compliment.  Thank you for yours on my little notification speech and on the recent inaugural address.  I expect the latter to wear as well as—­perhaps better than—­anything I have produced; but I believe it is not immediately popular.  Men are not flattered by being shown that there has been a difference of purpose between the Almighty and them.  To deny it however in this case is to deny that there is a God governing the world.  It is a truth which I thought needed to be told, and, as whatever of humiliation there is in it falls most directly on myself, I thought others might afford for me to tell it.

“Truly yours,

“A.  LINCOLN.”

On March 20, 1865, a period of bright sunshine seems to have begun in Lincoln’s life.  Robert Lincoln had some time before finished his course at Harvard, and his father had written to Grant modestly asking him if he could suggest the way, accordant with discipline and good example, in which the young man could best see something of military life.  Grant immediately had him on to his staff, with a commission as captain, and now Grant invited Lincoln