more determinedly. His delay could be explained only
by what was termed his talent for procrastination, and to a certain
indecision which was fatal to him as an executive officer. But as
the breach between himself and Congress widened, as the bitterness
between the partisans of the Executive and of the Legislative
Departments grew more intense, the belief became general, that, as
soon as Congress should adjourn, there would be a removal of all
Federal officers throughout the Union who were not faithful to the
principles, and did not respond to the exactions, of the
Administration. Outside of his Cabinet, the President was surrounded
by the class of men who had great faith in the persuasive power of
patronage, and the pressure upon him to resort to its use was constant
and growing. Inside of his Cabinet, there were men of the same belief,
but their power was somewhat neutralized by the attitude of Mr.
Seward, whose faith always lay in the strength of ideas, and not in the
use of force, or in the temptation of personal advantage. Mr. Seward's
influence had constantly tended to hold the President back from a
ruthless removal of the whole body of officers who declined to take
part against the policy of Congress.

According to long-accepted construction of the Constitution, the
President's power of removal was absolute and unqualified. Appointment
to office could not be made unless the consent of the Senate was
given in each and every case--but the consent of the Senate had not
been held as requisite to the removal of an officer. The Constitution
was silent upon the subject, and the existence or non-existence of
power in the Senate to prevent a removal from office had been matter
of dispute from the foundation of the Government. Those who contended
for the right of the President to remove without consulting the Senate
were fortified by the early legislation of Congress and the early
practice of the Executive. The First Congress of the Union had
provided for officers whose appointment depended upon confirmation by
the Senate as required by the Constitution, but whose removal was left
in explicit terms to the President alone. The decision to that effect
was made after debate in which Madison had strenuously contended for
that construction, and his high authority gave to the conclusion great
weight with subsequent administrations of the Government. But there
was undoubtedly a divided opinion in the Congress that con