Nevertheless，withtheCabinetfivetotwoagainsthim，withhismilitaryadviseragainsthim，Lincolnputasidehisownviews。Thegovernmentwentonmarkingtimeandconsideringthecredentialsofapplicantsforcountrypost-offices。
Bythistime，LincolnhadthrownofftheoverpoweringgloomwhichpossessedhiminthelatterdaysatSpringfield。Itispossiblehehadreactedtoamoodinwhichtherewassomethingoflevity。Hisoscillationofmoodfromagloomthatnothingpenetratedtoasortofdesperatemirth，hasbeennotedbyvariousobservers。Andin1861hehadnotreachedhisfinalpoise，thatfirmholdingofthemiddleway，——whichafterwardfusedhismoodsandmadeofhim，atleastinaction，asustainedpersonality。
AboutthemiddleofthemonthhehadafamousinterviewwithColonelW。T。ShermanwhohadbeenPresidentoftheUniversityofLouisianaandhadrecentlyresigned。SenatorJohnShermancalledattheWhiteHousewithregardto“someminorappointmentsinOhio。“TheColonelwentwithhim。WhenColonelShermanspokeoftheseriousnessoftheSecessionmovement，Lincolnreplied，“Oh，we’llmanagetokeephouse。“
TheColonelwassooffendedbywhatseemedtohimtheflippancyofthePresidentthatheabandonedhisintentiontoresumethemilitarylifeandwithdrewfromWashingtonindisgust。[13]
NotyethadLincolnattainedatrueappreciationoftherealdifficultybeforehim。Hehadnotgotridoftheideathatadisputeoverslaveryhadwidenedaccidentallyintoaneedlesssectionalquarrel，andthatassoonastheSouthhadtimetothinkthingsover，itwouldseethatitdidnotreallywantthequarrel。HehadaqueerideathatmeanwhilehecouldholdafewpointsonthemarginoftheSecededStates，opencustomhousesonshipsatthemouthsofharbors，butleavevacantallFederalappointmentswithintheSecededStatesandignoretheabsenceoftheirrepresentativesfromWashington。[14]Thismarginalpolicydidnotseemtohimapolicyofcoercion；andthoughhewasbeginningtoseethatthesituationfromtheSouthernpointofviewturnedontherightofaStatetoresistcoercion，hewasyettolearnthatidealisticelementsofemotionandofpoliticaldogmawerethelargerpartofhisdifficulty。