President—­First Term.  Appears tranquil after entering office; not over-confident, but resolved on doing his duty; disheartened by lack of support at North; not trusted by leaders of Republican party; feels isolation; his cabinet; seeks representatives of all views; prefers individual strength to unity in cabinet; criticised by radical Republicans; has difficulties in satisfying Cameron; dissuades Seward from refusing to join cabinet; his statement of purpose to Virginia commissioners; annoys South by failing to notice it; irritates Northern extremists; asks opinion of Scott as to relieving Sumter; asks advice of cabinet; promises South to take no action without warning; again asks cabinet; forms plan to relieve Fort Pickens; spoils plan to relieve Sumter by sending Powhatan to Pensacola; announces intention to provision Sumter; admits blame for failure; question of his fault in delaying to relieve fort; issues proclamation calling for volunteers for three months; his purpose; expects Northerners to equal Southerners as fighters; calls Congress for special session; wishes to gain Kentucky; dreads effect of Baltimore riot on Border States; offers to send troops around Baltimore; soothes Maryland; cut off from North for a week; tries in vain to prevent Virginia from seceding; tries to secure Lee; successful in his policy for retaining Kentucky in Union; unable to reach North Carolina, Tennessee, or Arkansas; tries to aid Missouri loyalists; confident in efficiency of North; his capacities unknown to people; question of his “inspiration”; his masterfulness not realized; question as to his relations with advisers; obliged to restrain Chase and Seward; his relations with Chase; receives Seward’s “Thoughts”; his reply to Seward; realizes his own responsibility and accepts it; receives absurd advice; proclaims blockade of Southern ports; advised to “close” ports; sees necessity of admitting war; decides to act efficiently without regard to Constitution; instructs Scott to watch Maryland legislature; issues order to arrest Maryland secessionists; orders Scott to suspend writ of habeas corpus; denounced by Taney; issues proclamation authorizing further suspension; states his argument to Congress; calls for more volunteers; takes pains with message which he sends to Congress; on neutrality of Kentucky; on blockade; on secession; appeals for ample means to end war; appoints McClellan to command Army of Potomac; avoids connection with Ball’s Bluff affair; appoints McClellan to succeed Scott; sees that popular demand for action must be followed; puzzled by McClellan’s refusal to move; forced to bear military responsibility; his freedom from self-seeking; urges McClellan to advance; discouraged by McClellan’s illness, consults McDowell and Franklin; consults McClellan; exasperates McClellan by his action; appoints Stanton to succeed Cameron; his lack of personal feeling against Stanton; his patience toward Stanton; his letter to Halleck; wishes a direct attack;