Lincoln, the unknown

LINCOLN THE UNKNOWN •165This was a humiliating blow. Lincoln confessed that itdistressedhim more than any other one event of his political life."They want to get rid of me," he said, "and I am half disposedto gratify them."Horace Greeley now sharply regretted the fact that he hadforced the Republicans to nominate Lincoln in 1860."It was a mistake," he confessed, "the biggest mistake of mylife."Greeley and a number of other prominent Republicans organizeda movement having these objects in view: to forceLincoln to resign, to put Hamlin, the Vice-President, in theWhite House, and then to compel Hamlin to give Rosecranscommand of all the Union armies."We are now on the brink of destruction," Lincoln confessed."It appears to me that even the Almighty isI can see hardly a ray of hope."against us.