Longlonelyridesinthedeadofnight；nightwalkswithasinglecompanion，wereconstantanxietiestohisintimates。TothePresident，theirfearswerechildish。Althoughinthesensibilitieshecouldsufferallhehadeversuffered，andmore；inthemindhehadattainedthathighserenityinwhichtherecanbenoflaggingofeffortbecauseoftheconvictionthatGodhasdecreedone’swork；nofailureofconfidencebecauseofthetwinconvictionthatsomehow，somewhere，allthingsworktogetherforgood。“Iamgladofthisinterview，“
hesaidinreplytoadeputationofvisitors，inSeptember，1862，“andgladtoknowthatIhaveyoursympathyandyourprayers……Ihappenedtobeplaced，beingahumbleinstrumentinthehandsofourHeavenlyFather，asIam，andasweallare，toworkoutHisgreatpurpose……IhavesoughtHisaid；butifafterendeavoringtodomybestinthelightHeaffordsme，Ifindmyeffortsfail，ImustbelievethatforsomepurposeunknowntomeHewillsitotherwise。IfIhadmyway，thiswarwouldneverhavecommenced。IfIhadbeenallowedmyway，thiswarwouldhavebeenendedbeforethis；butitstillcontinuesandwemustbelievethatHepermitsitforsomewisepurposeofHisown，mysteriousandunknowntous；andthoughwithourlimitedunderstandingswemaynotbeabletocomprehendit，yetwecannotbutbelievethatHewhomadetheworldstillgovernsit。“[9]
OnJuly22，1862，therewasameetingoftheCabinet。ThesessionsofLincoln’sCouncilwerethelastwordforinformality。ThePresidentandtheMinistersinterspersedtheirgreataffairswithmeretalk，story-telling，gossip。
Withoneexceptiontheywereallloversoftheirownvoices，especiallyinthetellingoftales。Stantonwastheexception。
Gloomy，ofteninill-health，innocentofhumor，hegloweredwhentheotherslaughed。WhenthePresident，insteadofproceedingatoncetobusiness，wouldpulloutofhispocketthelatestvolumeofArtemusWard，theirateWarMinisterfeltthattheoverthrowofthenationwasimpending。Butinthisrespect，thePresidentwasincorrigible。Hehadbeenknowntostopthelineofhisguestsatapubliclevee，whilehetalkedforsomefiveminutesinawhispertoanimportantpersonage；