The days went by, and it was not until the last week of March that Lincoln, disillusioned as to the feasibility of Seward's policy of conciliation, reached the conclusion that in his conception of his duty as President of the United States he must defend and retain Federal forts, or attempt to retain them, for the preservation of the Union, and decided to reinforce Fort Sumter.

On March 29, the Cabinet assembled at noon and learned Lincoln's determination.
This was a sharp blow to Seward's prestige in the Cabinet; it also threatened his "peaceful" policy.

Yet he did not as yet understand fully that either supreme leadership, or control of policy, had been assumed by Lincoln.

On April 1 he drafted that astonishing document entitled, "Some Thoughts for the President's Consideration," which at once reveals his alarm and his supreme personal self-confidence.

This document begins, "We are at the end of a month's administration, and yet without a policy either domestic or foreign." It then advocates as a domestic policy, "_Change The Question Before The Public From One Upon Slavery, Or About Slavery_, for a question upon _Union or Disunion_." Then in a second section, headed "For Foreign Nations," there followed: "I would demand explanations from Spain and France, categorically, at once.
"I would seek explanations from Great Britain and Russia, and send agents into Canada, Mexico and Central America to rouse a vigorous continental spirit of independence on this continent against European intervention.
"And, if satisfactory explanations are not received from Spain and France.
"Would convene Congress and declare war against them.
"But whatever policy we adopt, there must be energetic prosecution of it.
"For this purpose it must be somebody's business to pursue and direct it incessantly.
"Either the President must do it himself, and be all the while active in it, or "Devolve it on some member of his Cabinet.