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。