At first the Cabinet was a group of jealous
politicians new to this sort of office, drawn from different
parties, and totally lacking in a cordial sense of previous
action together. None of them, probably, when they first
assembled had any high opinion of their titular head. He was
looked upon as a political makeshift. The best of them had to
learn to appreciate the fact that this strange, ungainly man,
sprung from plainest origin, without formal education, was a
great genius. By degrees, however, the large minds in the
Cabinet became his cordial admirers. While Lincoln was quietly,
gradually exercising his strong will upon Seward, he was doing
the same with the other members of his council. Presently they
awoke--the majority of them at least--to the truth that he, for
all his odd ways, was their master.
Meanwhile the gradual readjustment of all factions in the North
was steadily going forward. The Republicans were falling into
line behind the Government; and by degrees the distinction
between Seward and Lincoln, in the popular mind, faded into a
sort of composite picture called "the Administration." Lincoln
had the reward of his long forbearance with his Secretary. For
Seward it must be said that, however he had intrigued against his
chief at Washington, he did not intrigue with the country.
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