Longlonelyridesinthedeadofnight；nightwalkswithasinglecompanion，wereconstantanxietiestohisintimates。TothePresident，theirfearswerechildish。Althoughinthesensibilitieshecouldsufferallhehadeversuffered，andmore；inthemindhehadattainedthathighserenityinwhichtherecanbenoflaggingofeffortbecauseoftheconvictionthatGodhasdecreedone’swork；nofailureofconfidencebecauseofthetwinconvictionthatsomehow，somewhere，allthingsworktogetherforgood。“Iamgladofthisinterview，“
hesaidinreplytoadeputationofvisitors，inSeptember，1862，“andgladtoknowthatIhaveyoursympathyandyourprayers……Ihappenedtobeplaced，beingahumbleinstrumentinthehandsofourHeavenlyFather，asIam，andasweallare，toworkoutHisgreatpurpose……IhavesoughtHisaid；butifafterendeavoringtodomybestinthelightHeaffordsme，Ifindmyeffortsfail，ImustbelievethatforsomepurposeunknowntomeHewillsitotherwise。IfIhadmyway，thiswarwouldneverhavecommenced。IfIhadbeenallowedmyway，thiswarwouldhavebeenendedbeforethis；butitstillcontinuesandwemustbelievethatHepermitsitforsomewisepurposeofHisown，mysteriousandunknowntous；andthoughwithourlimitedunderstandingswemaynotbeabletocomprehendit，yetwecannotbutbelievethatHewhomadetheworldstillgovernsit。“[9]
OnJuly22，1862，therewasameetingoftheCabinet。ThesessionsofLincoln’sCouncilwerethelastwordforinformality。ThePresidentandtheMinistersinterspersedtheirgreataffairswithmeretalk，story-telling，gossip。
Withoneexceptiontheywereallloversoftheirownvoices，especiallyinthetellingoftales。Stantonwastheexception。
Gloomy，ofteninill-health，innocentofhumor，hegloweredwhentheotherslaughed。WhenthePresident，insteadofproceedingatoncetobusiness，wouldpulloutofhispocketthelatestvolumeofArtemusWard，theirateWarMinisterfeltthattheoverthrowofthenationwasimpending。Butinthisrespect，thePresidentwasincorrigible。Hehadbeenknowntostopthelineofhisguestsatapubliclevee，whilehetalkedforsomefiveminutesinawhispertoanimportantpersonage；
andthoughalltheroomthoughtthatjupiterwasimpartingstatesecrets，inpointoffact，hewasmakingsureofagoodstorythegreatmanhadtoldhimafewdaysprevious。[1]HisCabinetmeetingswereequallycarelessofsocialform。TheReverendRobertCollyerwaswitnesstothisfactinacuriousway。StrollingthroughtheWhiteHousegrounds，“hisattentionwassuddenlyarrestedbytheapparitionofthreepairsoffeetrestingontheledgeofanopenwindowinoneoftheapartmentsofthesecondstoryandplainlyvisiblefrombelow。“Heaskedagardenerforanexplanation。Thebruskreplywas：“Why，youoldfool，that’stheCabinetthatisa-settin’，andthemtharbigfeetareoleAbe’s。“[2]
WhentheMinistersassembledonJulytwenty-secondtheyhadnointimationthatthiswastobearecordsession。Imaginetheastonishmentwhen，inhisusualcasualway，thoughwithnoneofthathesitancytowhichtheyhadgrownaccustomed，Lincolnannouncedhisnewpolicy，addingthathe“wisheditunderstoodthatthequestionwassettledinhisownmind；thathehaddecreedemancipationinacertaincontingencyandtheresponsibilityofthemeasurewashis。“[3]PresidentandCabinettalkeditoverintheircustomaryoffhandway，andSewardmadeasuggestionthatinstantlyrivetedLincoln’sattention。
Sewardthoughtthemomentwasill-chosen。“IftheProclamationwereissuednow，itwouldbereceivedandconsideredasadespairingcry——ashriekfromandfortheAdministration，ratherthanforfreedom。“[4]Headdedthepicturesquephrase，“ThegovernmentstretchingforthitshandstoEthiopia，insteadofEthiopiastretchingforthherhandstothegovernment。“ThisideastruckLincolnwithverygreatforce。Itwasanaspectofthecase“whichhehadentirelyoverlooked。“[5]HeacceptedSeward’sadvice，laidasidetheproclamationhehaddraftedandturnedagainwithallhisenergiestotheorganizationofvictory。
ThenextdayHalleckarrivedatWashington。HewasoneofLincoln’smistakes。However，inhisnewmood，Lincolnwasresolvedtoactonhisownopinionoftheevidencebeforehim，especiallyinestimatingmen。Itisjustpossiblethatthisepochofhisaudacitiesbeganinareaction；thataftertoomuchself-distrust，hewentbrieflytotheotherextreme，indulgingintoomuchself-confidence。Bethatasitmay，hehadformedexaggeratedopinionsofboththeseWesterngenerals，HalleckandPope。Somehow，inthebrilliantactionsalongtheMississippitheyhadabsorbedfarmorethantheirfairshareofcredit。Particularly，LincolnwentastraywithregardtoPope。
DoubtlessamainreasonwhyheacceptedtheplanofcampaignsuggestedbyHalleckwastheopportunitywhichitofferedtoPope。Perhaps，too，thefatalityinMcClellan’scharacterturnedthescale。HebeggedtobeleftwherehewaswithhisbaseonJamesRiver，andtobeallowedtorenewtheattackonRichmond。1Buthedidnottaketheinitiative。Thegovernmentmustswiftlyhurryupreinforcements，andthen——theold，oldstory!Obviously，itwasaquestionatWashingtoneitherofsupersedingMcClellanandleavingthearmywhereitwas，orofshiftingthearmytosomeothercommanderwithoutinsomanywordsdisgracingMcClellan。Halleck’sapprovalofthelattercoursejumpedwithtwoofLincoln’simpulses——histrustinPope，hisreluctancetodisgraceMcClellan。OrderswereissuedtransferringthebulkofthearmyofthePotomactothenewarmyofVirginialyingsouthofWashingtonunderthecommandofPope。McClellanwasinstructedtowithdrawhisremainingforcesfromthePeninsulaandretracehiscourseupthePotomac。[6]
Lincolnhadcommittedoneofhisworstblunders。Herndonhasacurious，rathersubtletheorythatwhileLincoln’sjudgmentsofmenintheaggregatewereuncannilysure，hisjudgmentsofmenindividuallywereunreliable。ItsuggeststhefamousremarkofGoethethathisviewsofwomendidnotderivefromexperience；
thattheyantedatedexperience；andthathecorrectedexperiencebythem。Oftheconfessedartistthismaybetrue。
Theliteraryconceptwhichtheartistworkswithisoften，apparently，amoreconstant，morefundamental，moresignificantthing，thanisthebroken，mixed，inconsequentialimpressionoutofwhichithasbeenwrought。Whichseemstoexplainwhysomeofthewriterswhounderstandhumannaturesowellintheirbooks，donotalwaysunderstandpeoplesimilarlywellinlife。AndalwaysitistoberememberedthatLincolnwasmadeanartistbynature，andmadeoverintoamanofactionbycircumstance。IfHerndon’stheoryhasanyvalueitisinassertinghisoccasionaldanger——bynomeansaconstantdanger——offorminginhismindimagesofmenthatweremoresignificantthanitwaspossibleforthementhemselvestobe。
JohnPopewasperhapshisworstinstance。Anincompetentgeneral，hewascapableofthingsstilllessexcusable。JustafterMcClellanhadsotragicallyfailedintheSevenDays，whenLincolnwasatthefront，PopewasbusywiththeCommittee，assuringthemvirtuallythatthewarhadbeenwonintheWest，andthatonlyMcClellan’sbunglinghadsavedtheConfederacyfromspeedydeath。[7]ButsomehowLincolntrustedhim，andcontinuedtotrusthimevenafterhehadprovedhisincompetencyinthecatastropheatManassas。
DuringAugust，Popemarchedgailysouthwardissuingordersthatwereshotthroughwithbadrhetoric，mixinguparmyroutineandsuchirrelevantmattersas“thefirstblushofdawn。“
Lincolnwasconfidentofvictory。Andaftervictorywouldcomethenewpolicy，thedissipationoftheEuropeanstorm-cloud，thebreak-upofthevindictivecoalitionofJacobinsandAbolitionists，thenewenthusiasmforthewar。Butofallthis，theincensedAbolitionistsreceivednohint。ThecountryrangwiththeirdenunciationsofthePresident。Atlength，GreeleyprintedinTheTribuneanopenlettercalled“ThePrayerofTwentyMillions。“ItwasanarraignmentofwhatGreeleychosetoregardasthepro-slaverypolicyoftheAdministration。ThiswasonAugusttwentieth。Lincoln，inhighhopethatavictorywasathand，seizedtheopportunitybothtohinttothecountrythathewasabouttochangehispolicy，andtostateunconditionallyhisreasonforchanging。
HerepliedtoGreeleythroughthenewspapers：
“AstothepolicyI’seemtobepursuing，’asyousay，Ihavemeanttoleavenooneindoubt。
“IwouldsavetheUnion。IwouldsaveittheshortestwayundertheConstitution。Thesoonerthenationalauthoritycanberestored，thenearertheUnionwillbe’theUnionasitwas’
IftherebethosewhowouldnotsavetheUnionunlesstheycouldatthesametimesaveSlavery，Idonotagreewiththem。
IftherebethosewhowouldnotsavetheUnion，unlesstheycouldatthesametimedestroyslavery，Idonotagreewiththem。MyparamountobjectinthisstruggleistosavetheUnion，anditisnoteithertosaveordestroyslavery。ifI
couldsavetheUnionwithoutfreeinganyslave，Iwoulddoit；
andifIcouldsaveitbyfreeingalltheslaves，Iwoulddoit；andifIcouldsaveitbyfreeingsomeoftheslavesandleavingothersalone，Iwouldalsodothat。WhatIdoaboutslaveryandthecoloredrace，IdobecauseIbelieveitwillhelptosavetheUnion；andwhatIforbear，IforbearbecauseI
donotbelieveitwouldhelptosavetheUnion。IshalldolesswheneverIshallbelievethatwhatIamdoinghurtsthecause；andIshalldomorewheneverIbelievethatdoingmorewillhelpthecause。“[8]TheeffectofthisontheAbolitionistswasonlytoincreasetheirrage。ThePresidentwascomparedtoDouglaswithhisindifferencewhetherslaverywasvoted“upordown。“[9]Lincoln，nowsofirmlyhopeful，turnedadeafeartotheserailingaccusations。Hewasintentuponwatchingthearmy。ItwasprobablyatthistimethathereachedanunfortunateconclusionwithregardtoMcClellan。ThetransferofforcesfromtheJamesRivertonorthernVirginiahadproceededslowly。Itgaverisetoanewcontroversy，anewcropofcharges。McClellanwasaccusedofbeingdilatoryonpurpose，ofaimingtocausethefailureofPope。Lincolnaccepted，atlast，theworstviewofhim。HetoldHaythat“itreallyseemedthatMcClellanwantedPopedefeated……
ThePresidentseemedtothinkhimalittlecrazy。“[10]
ButstilltheconfidenceinPope，marchingsoblithelythrough“theblushofdawn，“stoodfast。IfeveranAdministrationwasinafool’sparadise，itwasLincoln’s，inthelastfewdaysofAugust，whileJacksonwasstealthilycarryingouthisgreatflankingmovementgettingbetweenPopeandWashington。
However，theSuspiciousStantonkepthiseyesonMcClellan。HedecidedthattroopswerebeingheldbackfromPope；andheappealedtoothermembersoftheCabinettojoinwithhiminaformaldemanduponthePresidentforMcClellan’sdismissalfromthearmy。Whiletheplanwasbeingdiscussed，cametheappallingnewsofPope’sdownfall。
ThemeetingoftheCabinet，Septembersecond，wasanotherrevelationofthenewindependenceofthePresident。ThreefulldayshadpassedsincePopehadtelegraphedthatthebattlewaslostandthathenolongerhadcontrolofhisarmy。TheMinisters，awaitingthearrivalofthePresident，talkedexcitedly，speculatingwhatwouldhappennext。“Itwasstated，“saysWellesinhisdiary，“thatPopewasfallingback，intendingtoretreatwithintheWashingtonentrenchments，。
Blair，whohasknownhimintimately，saysheisabraggartandaliar，withsomecourage，perhaps，butnotmuchcapacity。Thegeneralconvictionisthatheisafailurehere，andthereisabelief……thathehasnotbeensecondedandsustainedasheshouldhavebeenbyMcClellan……“Stantonentered；
terriblyagitated。HehadnewsthatfellupontheCabinetlikeabombshell。Hesaid“inasuppressedvoice，tremblingwithexcitement，hewasinformedthatMcClellanhadbeenorderedtotakecommandoftheforcesinWashington。“
NeverwasthereamoretensemomentintheCabinetroomthanwhenLincolnenteredthatday。Andallcouldseethathewasindeepdistress。ButheconfirmedStanton’sinformation。
ThatverymorninghehadgonehimselftoMcClellan’shouseandhadaskedhimtoresumecommand。LincolndiscussedMcClellanwiththeCabinetquitesimply，admittingallhisbadqualities，butfindingtwopointsinhisfavor——hispoweroforganization，andhispopularitywiththemen。[11]
HewasstillmorefrankwithhisSecretaries。“’Hehasactedbadlyinthismatter，’LincolnsaidtoHay，’butwemustusewhattoolswehave。Thereisnomaninthearmywhocanmanthesefortificationsandlickthesetroopsofoursintoshapehalfaswellashe。’IspokeofthegeneralfeelingagainstMcClellanasevincedbythePresident’smail。Herejoined：
’Unquestionably，hehasactedbadlytowardPope；hewantedhimtofail。Thatisunpardonable，butheistoousefulnowtosacrifice。’“[12]Atanothertime，hesaid：“’Ifhecan’tfighthimself，heexcelsinmakingothersreadytofight。’“[13]
McClellanjustifiedLincoln’sconfidence。Inthiscase，Herndon’stheoryofLincoln’spowersofjudgmentdoesnotapply。ThoughprobablyunfairontheonepointofMcClellan’sattitudetoPope，heknewhismanotherwise。LincolnhadalsodiscoveredthatHalleck，theveriestmartinetofageneral，wasoflittlevalueatacrisis。Duringthenexttwomonths，McClellan，underthedirectoversightofthePresident，wastheorganizerofvictory。