head.  It is also on record that the wise-minded and fair-minded President was able to supply certain serious gaps and deficiencies in the direction of the work of the Department, and further that his service was so rendered as to save the dignity and the repute of the Secretary.  Seward’s subjectivity, not to say vanity, was great, and it took some little time before he was able to realise that his was not the first mind or the strongest will-power in the new administration.  On the first of April, 1861, less than thirty days after the organisation of the Cabinet, Seward writes to Lincoln complaining that the “government had as yet no policy; that its action seemed to be simply drifting”; that there was a lack of any clear-minded control in the direction of affairs within the Cabinet, in the presentation to the people of the purposes of the government, and in the shaping of the all-important relations with foreign states.  “Who,” said Seward, “is to control the national policy?” The letter goes on to suggest that Mr. Seward is willing to take the responsibility, leaving, if needs be, the credit to the nominal chief.  The letter was a curious example of the weakness and of the bumptiousness of the man, while it gave evidence also, it is fair to say, of a real public-spirited desire that things should go right and that the nation should be saved.  It was evident that he had as yet no adequate faith in the capacity of the President.

Lincoln’s answer was characteristic of the man.  There was no irritation with the bumptiousness, no annoyance at the lack of confidence on the part of his associate.  He states simply:  “There must, of course, be control and the responsibility for this control must rest with me.”  He points out further that the general policy of the administration had been outlined in the inaugural, that no action since taken had been inconsistent with this.  The necessary preparations for the defence of the government were in train and, as the President trusted, were being energetically pushed forward by the several department heads.  “I have a right,” said Lincoln, “to expect loyal co-operation from my associates in the Cabinet.  I need their counsel and the nation needs the best service that can be secured from our united wisdom.”  The letter of Seward was put away and appears never to have been referred to between the two men.  It saw the light only after the President’s death.  If he had lived it might possibly have been suppressed altogether.  A month later, Seward said to a friend, “There is in the Cabinet but one vote and that is cast by the President.”