And my action would have been entirely effective.

But it is never well to take drastic action if the result can be achieved with equal efficiency in less drastic fashion; and, although this was a minor consideration, I was personally saved a good deal of future trouble by being able to avoid this drastic action.

At the time I should have been almost unanimously supported.

With the famine upon them the people would not have tolerated any conduct that would have thwarted what I was doing.

Probably no man in Congress, and no man in the Pennsylvania State Legislature, would have raised his voice against me.