Secretary Hayes:

I have agonized over the wording of my response to you, though I knew
right away what my answer should be. As you asked, though you may not
believe it, I have silenced my advisers and listened to my own
thoughts. Perhaps you don't think much of me as a leader, or even a
man. But as you yourself said, I am the President, and I see now that
a great deal depends on my dealings with you. It is also clear that I
must carry the brunt of this responsibility myself. At such a time I
feel very small and unprepared. But whatever else you may think of me,
I am not a coward.

I have made my decision, Charles, and I ask in turn that you consider
your next move very carefully. Much more depends on it than your ego
or mine. AT THIS POINT HAYES SCOWLED, AND UNCONSCIOUSLY WORKED THE
MUSCLES AT THE BACK OF HIS JAW. I have not revealed to the public any
aspect of the rift between us, nor will I do so in the future, so long
as we can now resolve our differences.

I'm trying to be diplomatic. But since I know you take that as a sign
of weakness, I will come to the point.

You have overstepped your authority as Secretary of State, attacking on
your own the colonies of two nations with whom we are not at war, and
deliberately lied in the process, saying that you did so under my
orders. To view the matter harshly, as you have done to others in the
past, you have committed treason.

Damn it, Charles! The military forces of this nation are not your
private army. Maybe you don't like the way I was elected; maybe you
think your ends justify the means. Maybe you hate my guts. None of
this is important now. What is important is the political survival of
the United Commonwealth, and the sparing of further bloodshed.

Please, I'm asking you, DON'T DO ANYTHING RASH. Think the matter
through. You have made veiled threats to me, which if realized, could
result in civil war, or worse. Do you really want to stage this coup?
Do you really want to denounce me, your President, and see how much of
government and the military will stand behind you? It goes against all
the principles of democracy that you profess so loudly.

I am neither historian nor moralist, as you well know, and I am trying
not to lose my temper. But it seems to me that our forefathers, as you
call them, set up their system of checks and balances specifically to
prevent this kind of showdown, and personal grab for power. And they
must hav