o his own！ The immediate result was an interview that same night between Seward and Welles in which； as Welles coldly admitted in after days； the Secretary of the Navy showed 〃some excitement。〃 Together they went； about midnight； to the White House。 Lincoln had some difficulty recalling the incident of the dispatch on the 1st of April； but when he did remember； he took the responsibility entirely upon himself； saying he had had no purpose but to strengthen the Pickens expedition； and no thought of weakening the expedition to Charleston。 He directed Seward to telegraph immediately cancelling the order detaching the Powhatan。 Seward made a desperate attempt to put him off； protesting； it was too late to send a telegram that night。 〃But the President was imperative；〃 writes Secretary Welles； in describing the incident； and a dispatch was sent。
Seward then； doubtless in his agitation； did a strange thing。 Instead of telegraphing in the President's name； the dispatch which he sent read merely； 〃Give up the Powhatan。。。Seward。〃 When this dispatch was received at Brooklyn； the Powhatan was already under way and had to be overtaken by a fast tug。 In the eyes of her commander； however； a personal telegram from the Secretary of State appeared as of no weight against the official orders of the President； and he continued his voyage to Pensacola。
The mercurial temper of Seward comes out even in the caustic narrative written afterwards by Welles。 Evidently Seward was deeply mortified and depressed by the incident。 He remarked； says Welles； that old as he was he had learned a lesson； and that was that he had better attend to his own business。 〃To this；〃 commented his enemy； 〃I cordially assented。〃
Nevertheless Seward's loss of faith in himself was only momentary。 A night's sleep was sufficient to restore it。 His next communication to the commissioners shows that he was himself again； sure that destiny owed him the control of the situation。 On the following day the commissioners had got wind of the relief expedition and pressed him for information； recalling his assurance that nothing would be done to their disadvantage。 In reply； still through a third person； Seward sent them the famous message； over the precise meaning of which great debate has raged： 〃Faith as to Sumter fully kept； wait and see。〃 If this infatuated dreamer still believed he could dominate Lincoln； still hoped at the last moment to arrest the expedition to Charleston； he was doomed to bitterest disappointment。
On the 9th of April； the expedition to Fort Sumter sailed； but without； as we have seen； the assistance of the much needed warship； the Powhatan。 As all the world knows； the expedition had been too long delayed and it accomplished nothing。 Before it arrived； the surrender of Sumter had been demanded and refused and war had begun。 During the bombardment of Sumter； the relief expedition appeared beyond the bar； but its commander had no vessels of such a character as to enable him to carry aid to the fortress。 Furthermore； he had not been informed that the Powhatan had been detached from his squadron； and he expected to meet her at the mouth of the harbor。 There his ships lay idle until the fort was surrendered； waiting for the Powhatanfor whose detachment from the squadron Seward was responsible。
To return to the world of intrigue at Washington； however； it must not be supposed； as is so often done； that Fort Sumter was the one concern of the new government during its first six weeks。 In fact； the subject occupied but a fraction of Lincoln's time。 Scarcely second in importance was that matter so curiously bound up with the relief of the fortsthe getting in hand of the strangely vain glorious Secretary of State。 Mention has already been made of All…Fools' Day； 1861。 Several marvelous things took place on that day。 Strangest of all was the presentation of a paper by the Secretary of State to his chief； entitled 〃Thoughts for the President's Consideration〃。 Whether it be regarded as a state paper or as a biographical detail in the career of Seward； it proves to be quite the most astounding thing in the whole episode。 The 〃Thoughts〃 outlined a course of policy by which the buoyant Secretary intended to make good his prophecy of domestic peace within ninety days。 Besides calmly patronizing Lincoln； assuring him that his lack of 〃a policy either domestic or foreign〃 was 〃not culpable and。。。even unavoidable；〃 the paper warned him that 〃policies。。。both domestic and foreign〃 must immediately be adopted； and it proceeded to point out what they ought to be。 Briefly stated； the one true policy which he advocated at home was to evacuate Sumter （though Pickens for some unexplained reason might be safely retained） and then； in order to bring the Southerners back into the Union； to pick quarrels with both Spain and France； to proceed as quickly as possible to war with both powers； and to have the ultimate satisfaction of beholding the reunion of the country through the general enthusiasm that was bound to come。 Finally； the paper intimated that the Secretary of State was the man to carry this project through to success。
All this is not opera bouffe； but serious history。 It must have taxed Lincoln's sense of humor and strained his sense of the fitness of things to treat such nonsense with the tactful forbearance which he showed and to relegate it to the pigeonhole without making Seward angry。 Yet this he contrived to do； and he also managed； gently but firmly； to make it plain that the President intended to exercise his authority as the chief magistrate of the nation。 His forbearance was further shown in passing over without rebuke Seward's part in the affair of Sumter； which might so easily have been made to appear treacherous； and in shouldering himself with all responsibility for the failure of the Charleston expedition。 In the wave of excitement following the surrender； even so debonair a minister as Seward must have realized how fortunate it was for him that his chief did not tell all he knew。 About this time Seward began to perceive that Lincoln had a will of his own； and that it was not safe to trifle further with the President。 Seward thereupon ceased his interference。
It was in the dark days preceding the fall of Sumter that a crowd of office…seekers gathered at Washington； most of them men who had little interest in anything but the spoils。 It is a distressing commentary on the American party system that； during the most critical month of the most critical period of American history； much of the President's time was consumed by these political vampires who would not be put off； even though a revolution was in progress and nations； perhaps； were dying and being born。 〃The scramble for office；〃 wrote Stanton； 〃is terrible。〃 Seward noted privately： 〃Solicitants for office besiege the President。。。。 My duties call me to the White House two or three times a day。 The grounds； halls； stairways； closets； are filled with applicants who render ingress and egress difficult。〃
Secretary Welles has etched the Washington of that time in his coldly scornful way：
〃A strange state of things existed at that time in Washington。 The atmosphere was thick with treason。 Party spirit and old party differences prevailed； however； amidst these accumulated dangers。 Secession was considered by most persons as a political party question； not as rebellion。 Democrats to a large extent sympathized with the Rebels more than with the Administration； which they opposed； not that they wished Secession to be successful and the Union divided； but they hoped that President Lincoln and the Republicans would； overwhelmed by obstacles and embarrassments； prove failures。 The Republicans on the other hand； were scarcely less partisan and unreasonable。 Patriotism was with them no test； no shield from party malevolence。 They demanded the proscription and exclusion of such Democrats as opposed the Rebel movement and clung to the Union； with the same vehemence that they demanded the removal of the worst Rebels who advocated a dissolution of the Union。 Neither party appeared to be apprehensive of； or to realize the gathering storm。〃
Seen against such a background； the political and diplomatic frivolity of the Secretary of State is not so inexplicable as it would otherwise be。 This background； as well as the intrigue of the Secretary； helps us to understand Lincoln's great task inside his Cabinet。 At first the Cabinet was a group of jealous politicians new to this sort of office； drawn from different parties； and totally lacking in a cordial sense of previous action together。 None of them； probably； when they first assembled had any high opinion of their titular head。 He was looked upon as a political makeshift。 The best of them had to learn to appreciate the fact that this strange； ungainly man； sprung from plainest origin； without formal education； was a great genius。 By degrees； however； the large minds in the Cabinet became his cordial admirers。 While Lincoln was quietly； gradually exercising his strong will upon Seward； he was doing the same with the other members of his council。 Presently they awokethe majority of them at leastto the truth that he； for all his odd ways； was their master。
Meanwhile the gradual readjustment of all factions in the North was steadily going forward。 The Republicans were falling into line behind the Government； and by degrees the distinction between Seward and Lincoln； in the popular mind； faded into a sort of composite picture called 〃the Administration。〃 Lincoln had the reward of his long forbearance with his Secretary。 For Seward it must be said that； however he had intrigued against his chief at Washington； he did not intrigue with the country。 Admitting as he had； too； that he had met his master； he took the defeat as a good sportsman and threw all his vast party influence into the scale for Lincoln's fortunes。 Thus； as April wore on； the Republican party settled down to the idea that it was to follow the Government at Washington upon any course that might develop。
The Democrats in the North were anti…Southern in larger proportion； probably； than at any other time during the struggle of the sections。 We have seen