nce. And send Mr. Hay in directly
he returns.

_The Clerk_: Yes, sir.

_He goes_.

_Lincoln (after a pause_): "There is a tide in the affairs of men ..."
Do you read Shakespeare, Seward?

_Seward_: Shakespeare? No.

_Lincoln_: Ah!

SALMON P. CHASE, _Secretary of the Treasury, and_ MONTGOMERY BLAIR,
_Postmaster-General, come in_.

Good-morning, Mr. Chase, Mr. Blair.

_Seward_: Good-morning, gentlemen.

_Blair_: Good-morning, Mr. President. How d'ye do, Mr. Seward.

_Chase_: Good-morning, Mr. President. Something urgent?

_Lincoln_: Let us be seated.

_As they draw chairs up to the table, the other members of the
Cabinet_, SIMON CAMERON, CALEB SMITH, BURNET HOOK, _and_ GIDEON
WELLES, _come in. There is an exchange of greetings, while they
arrange themselves round the table_.

Gentlemen, we meet in a crisis, the most fateful, perhaps, that has
ever faced any government in this country. It can be stated briefly.
A message has just come from Anderson. He can hold Fort Sumter three
days at most unless we send men and provisions.

_Cameron_: How many men?

_Lincoln_: I shall know from Scott in a few minutes how many are
necessary.

_Welles_: Suppose we haven't as many.

_Lincoln_: Then it's a question of provisioning. We may not be able to
do enough to be effective. The question is whether we shall do as much
as we can.

_Hook_: If we withdrew altogether, wouldn't it give the South a lead
towards compromise, as being an acknowledgment of their authority,
while leaving us free to plead military necessity if we found public
opinion dangerous?

_Lincoln_: My mind is clear. To do less than we can do, whatever that
may be, will be fundamentally to allow the South's claim to right of
secession. That is my opinion. If you evade the question now, you will
have to answer it to-morrow.

_Blair_: I agree with the President.

_Hook_: We ought to defer action as long as possible. I consider that
we should withdraw.

_Lincoln_: Don't you see that to withdraw may postpone war, but that
it will make it inevitable in the end?

_Smith_: It is inevitable if we resist.

_Lincoln_: I fear it will be so. But in that case we shall enter it
with uncompromised principles. Mr. Chase?

_Chase_: It is difficult. But, on the whole, my opinion is with yours,
Mr. President.

_Lincoln_: And you, Seward?

_Seward_: I respect your opinion, but I must differ.

_A knock at the door_.

_Lincoln_: Come in.

HAY _comes