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But that is in the past I began my second terton City was never reen leaves and blossoms everywhere America wishes only peace in the world, but has perhaps beco the past four years To provide weapons for our ar and successfuleconomy has evolved, one that we never knew before in peacetime

I would be the happiest man in the world if I could preside peacefully over this prosperous land, to oversee that our cannons of ere beaten into the plowshares of peace Where our native enius has succeeded in wartime, it could surely succeed as well in a time of peace

But will peace prevail? Our British cousins re expelled from Ireland, after all their centuries of rule They will not face the fact that they are gone froood Their politicians still make warlike speeches and rattle their sabers in their scabbards To counter this British exercise in ill will, our politicians are now busy on the European continent seeking trade agreethen our peaceful ties

Will peace and sanity prevail? Can another disastrous war be averted?

I can only pray with all th that it will

BOOK ONE

A JOURNEY ABROAD

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, JUNE 1865

The floor-to-ceiling ere open to the warian capital They also admitted the effluvia of horse manure, a smell unnoticed by anyone who had dwelled for any tie city President Abraha the docuiven him He looked up when there was a tap on the hall door

“I’ll see who it i

s, Mr President,” Pierce said He strutted a bit when he walked; this was his first political appointment and he was immensely proud of it He had been a Wall Street banker, an old business associate of Lincoln’s from the same law firm, until the President had nominated him for this position Secretly he knew that he had been selected e of French, and his intimacy with international commerce, than for any political skills Nevertheless it was still quite an honor He held the door wide so that the two general officers could colasses and acknowledged their salutes

“Sashes, swords, and ribbons, gentleant today”