All I wish to know is, is this a Cabinet meeting or is it not ?" The President said it was.
"Then," I said, "let us proceed to business at once, and not fritter away valuable time in unbecoming fault-findings with each other's official conduct." The Secretary of State now spoke up, in his benignant way, and said, "Young man, you are laboring under a mistake.

The clerks of the Congressional committees are not members of the Cabinet.

Neither are the doorkeepers of the Capitol, strange as it may seem.

Therefore, much as we could desire your more than human wisdom in our deliberations, we cannot lawfully avail ourselves of it.

The counsels of the nation must proceed without you; if disaster follows, as follow full well it may, be it balm to your sorrowing spirit that by deed and voice you did what in you lay to avert it.