Seward fully expected Lincoln to endorse his proposals, according to a witness, New-York Times correspondent James B. Swain—so certain, in fact, that he had arranged in advance for Weed’s Journal and Raymond’s Times to publish the memorandum along with Lincoln’s expected response. The two editors would then launch an aggressive editorial campaign to support Seward’s twin goals of evacuating Sumter and conjuring a pro-Union resurgence in the South, while also emphasizing that he alone could achieve them. The Times was ready. The paper held open a portion of its front page ordinarily devoted to
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