OfthosewhohadvotedforitinJuly，somanynowabandonedtheAdministrationthatthisresolution，theclearembodimentofLincoln’spolicy，waslaidonthetable，seventy-onetosixty-five。[8]Lincoln’shopeforanall-partiesgovernmentwasreceivinglittleencouragementTheDemocratswerebreakingintofactions，whilethecontroloftheirpartyorganizationwasfallingintothehandsofagroupofinferiorpoliticianswhowerecontentto“playpolitics“inthemostunscrupulousfashion。BoththeSecretaryofWarandtheSecretaryofStatehadauthorizedarbitraryarrests。MeninNewYorkandNewEnglandhadbeenthrownintoprison。Theprivilegeofthewritofhabeascorpushadbeendeniedthemonthemerebeliefofthegovernmentthattheywereconspiringwithitsenemies。Becauseofthesearrests，sharpcriticismwasbeingaimedattheAdministrationbothwithinandwithoutCongress。
Forallthesereasons，thegovernmentatWashingtonappearedtobetottering。Desperateremediesseemedimperative。Lincolndecidedtomakeeveryconcessionhecouldmakewithoutlettinggohiscentralpurpose。First，hethrewoverCameron；hecompelledhimtoresignthoughhesavedhisfacebyappointinghimministertoRussia。Butwhowastotakehisplace？Atthiscriticalmoment，thechoiceofanewSecretaryofWarwasapoliticalproblemofexactingdifficulty。JustwhyLincolnchoseasullen，dictatoriallawyerwhoseexperienceinnowaypreparedhimfortheoffice，hasneverbeendisclosed。Twofactsappeartoexplainit。EdwinM。StantonwastemperamentallyjustthemantobecomeagoodbrothertoChandlerandWade。BothofthemurgedhimuponLincolnassuccessortoCameron。[9]Furthermore，StantonhithertohadbeenaDemocrat。HisservicesinBuchanan’sCabinetasAttorney-Generalhadmadehimanationalfigure。WhoelselinkedtheDemocratsandtheJacobins？
However，foralmostanyonebutLincoln，therewasanobjectionthatitwouldhavebeenhardtoovercome。NoonehaseverchargedStantonwithpoliteness。Agloomyexcitableman，ofuncertainhealth，temperamentallyanover-worker，chronicallyapprehensive，utterlywithoutthesavinggraceofhumor，hewascapableofinsufferablerudeness——onereason，perhaps，whyChandlerlikedhim。HeandLincolnhadmetbutonce。AsassociatecouncilinacaseatCincinnati，threeyearsbefore，LincolnhadbeentreatedsocontemptuouslybyStantonthathehadreturnedhomeinpainedhumiliation。Sincehisinauguration，Stantonhadbeenoneofhismostvituperativecritics。WasthisinsolentscoldtobeinvitedintotheCabinet？HadnotLincolnatthisjuncturebeeninthefulltideofselflessness，surelysomecompromisewouldhavebeenmadewiththeCommittee，asecretaryfoundlessoffensivepersonallytothePresident。Lincolndisregardedthepersonalconsideration。ThecandidateofChandlerandWadebecamesecretary。ItwasthebeginningofanintimatealliancebetweentheCommitteeandtheWarOffice。Lincolnhadlaidupforhimselfmuchtroublethathedidnotforesee。
ThedaythenewSecretarytookoffice，hereceivedfromtheCommitteeareportuponGeneralStone：[10]Subsequently，intheSenate，WadedeniedthattheCommitteehadadvisedthearrestofStone。[11]Doubtlessthestatementwastechnicallycorrect。
Nevertheless，therecanbenodoubtthattheinquisitorswerewhollyinsympathywiththeSecretarywhen，shortlyafterward，StonewasseizeduponStanton’sorder，conveyedtoafortressandimprisonedwithouttrial。