In
justice to Seward it must be remembered that on this point time
justified his fears.
His dealings with the Confederate commissioners show that he was
playing to gain time, not with intent to deceive the Southerners
but to acquire that domination over Lincoln which he felt was his
by natural right. Intending to institute a peace policy the
moment he gained this ascendency, he felt perfectly safe in
making promises to the commissioners through mutual friends. He
virtually told them that Sumter would eventually be given up and
that all they need do was to wait.
Seward brought to bear upon the President the opinions of various
military men who thought the time had passed when any expedition
for the relief of Sumter could succeed. For some time Lincoln
seemed about to consent, though reluctantly, to Seward's lead in
the matter of the forts. He was pulled up standing, however, by
the threatened resignation of the Postmaster-General, Blair.
After a conference with leading Republican politicians the
President announced to his Cabinet that his policy would include
the relief of Sumter. "Seward," says Welles, "...was evidently
displeased."
Seward now took a new tack. Fort Pickens, at Pensacola, was a
problem similar to that of Sumter at Charleston.
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