Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-12-27
THE CABINET CRISIS.
A Full Exposition OF the Uauses
Which Led 60 It-ActIOn OF she SEM
ato Republican Caucus.
Especial Correspondence Of the N. Y. Times.)
NJ LnxI1..1.uu...

Ing 90 long, was preoipitated by the military
disaster OF Saturday last Not even the most
reckless politicians affect to regard II with In
difference, and the universal feeling s one of
gloom and apprehension. .8r
On Tuesday last the death Of Mr.. Hanchstt
OF Wisconsin, was announced In both Houses;
the Senate, consequently, adjourned at very
carly hour. Before the Senators had separa.
ted, each Of the Republicans was notified, mol
In the usual way by a printed notice, but by the
sergeant. alarms, to attend q caucus immedi-
ately. TWenty-four were present, and as soon
ae the caucus had organized, Mr.. Grimes Offer
cd resolution to the effect that the welfare Of
the country required the withdrawal from the
Cabinet of the Secretary Of State. Mr.. Grimes
accompanied the resolution with a speech de-.
nounciDg MIR. Seward In the sharpest manner:
and he was followed by Mr., Fessenden, Mr.,
Trumbull, Mr.. Wade, Me- Field the new SEN
ator from New Jersey, and several Others in
the same strain. The general tenor of their
remarks was that Mr.. Seward exercised
a complete and controlling influence over
President Lincoln, and that this influence
was the cause Of the Gardy and Intellectual
prosecution OF the war. 1t was alleged that he
had resisted strenuously the Proclamation Of
Emanci patton, as well as the removal Of Nc
Ciellan--and that the departure of General
Banks for the Gulf, just at the moment when
he was needed TO cooperate with Burnside In
the movement upon Richmond, was due en-
tlrely to him, The attack was evidently con.
oerted, and was pressed with the utmost
vehemence. The more conservative Senators.
taken entirely by surprise, met It mainly bv
pleas for delay. Mr.. King, of New York, Al
some length, deprecated hasty action on a
question OF 30 much moment, and proposition
was finally made to adjourn. This was resisted
very warmly and with q good deal of impa
thence, by the supporters of the resolution,
who demanded an immediate decision. Ii
was carried, however, by a vote ofl3 to IL.
On Wednesday afternoon the caucus met
again, and tTenty-nine Senators were present
The feeling OF the members had not changed
and Ii was thought necessary by the oonserya.
tives to evade the Issue which had been raised
rather than meet II directly. Mr.. Harris, Of
New York, offered substitute for the resolu.
tion OF MIR. Grimes, declaring that, in the
Judgment OF the Republican members of the
senate, the welfare OF the country would be
promoted by TecORStruction of the Cabinet. |,
was argued that this would deprive the move.
ment OF the appearance Of being directed
against Mar. Seward personally, and would give
Tue PRESIDENT an opportunity of making other
ID"H6SS "hiSu AuiAub 10 ue6LueU Oe6lfaOl0
Occasion was taken TO correct some of The
misstatements which had been made in regard
T. Mr.. Seward. Mr.. Wilson, of Massachu h
said he had been assured, 10 the most direct man.
ner, by the Secretary of War himself, that Mr.
Seward had had nothing tphatepef 10 do ,uith III,
expedition Of General Banks, either in its oripl
nal inception or in its final departure, and tba
it was in the highest degree unjust to hold him
responsible for is, Similar statements were
made concerning other specific allegations
which had been brought against the Secretary
Of State. IL was said, for example, on tbs
authority, believe, of Mr.. Chase, that 30 far
as opposing the Emancipation Proclamation,
MIR. Seward not only gave il his support at the
time 1t was Issued, but suggested and caused 70
be inserted one OF the most important proyia.
| ions which IL embodies These denials. bov.
ever, failed to shake the authors of the move.
ment in thelr purpose to ejecs Mr. Seward from
the Cabinet. Mr.. Seward learned the action N
the caucus within avery few minutes after tbe
vote was taken; and before the adjournment al
the caucus he placed in the President's hands
letter resigning his Office as Secretary oi
State, and another from his son, Mr.. E. W.
Seward, resigning bis Office as Assistant Sec
retary, and requesting that the designations
might be accepted Immediately. This was on
Wednesday evening. The President declined
to send any answer TO the letters, and the next
morning called at the State Department to con.
fer with Mr.. Seward. l have heard, froT.
what l regard as good authority, that Mr.
Seward told the President that he must be ex
eused from holding any conversation with hin
upon the subject OF bis resignation-tha it wal
based on what seemed to be a unanimous ex
prossion OF opinion, on the part of the Repub
llcan Senators, that he ought no longer to hold
the place; that the President knew better thar
any other man how far the assumptions OF
which their action rested were true; that h,
had no explanation to offer, and certainly non,
to ask; that so far as his personal feelings wer,
concerned, the happiest day Of his life woul,
be that which should release him honorablv
and without any unmanly shrinking from labo
or responsibility, from public office: and tina
he must leave the President to act upon th,
question without the slightest interference n,
influence from him. He declined also TO at
tend any further meetings of the Cabinet. o
to take any action, or make any suggestion
concerning public affairs; but would continu
to perform the routine duties of his ofic
until his successor should be appointed
Thursdsy is the day set apart exclusively b
the Secretary of State for Interviews vii
foreign Ministers. On that day, however. h
saw none OF them, but in the evening dine
with Baron Gerolt, the Prussian Mipiste,
None of the company, however, we're iniorme
of what had taken place.
i On Thursday evening the committee fror
the Senate caucus had their first interview viii
the President. Senator Collamer, as the Chsil
man, read brief paper which embodied th
sentiments of the entire committee. Its ger
eral purport was to urge the Importance Of
Cabinet which should be united In its views O
, public policy, and which should insist upon
: vigorous prosecution of the war. Presideu
Lincoln listened with attention to all that wa
said. He then expressed the profound solioi
/ tude which he felt on the subject they ha
brought before him, and the overWhelmin
0 anxiety which oppressed him concerning Oh
q condition Of the country and the progress {
:. tho war. What the country ,oanted, he SAID, ,ot
o military success. Without that, nothing nj
0 60 rignt;--with that nothing could 70 wronI
Q He did not yet see how the MEASURE propose
by the committee would furnish the remedy r.
quired; II he had Cabinet of angels ths
# could not give the country military successe
: and that was what was wanted and what mn
be had. But he promised bis most careful a
g. tentlon to the subject, and another intervie
y was appointed for the next evening In presen,
of the Cabinet. -
Last evening friday this interview toc
place and lasted four hours-Mr. Seward,
course, not being present.
n Mr.. Wade, Mr.. Trumbull, Mr.. Sumne
!. were unequivocally for Its acceptance. M
J Collamer, Mr.. Harris, and one or two other
7 were against il, mainly on the ground that b
4 exclusion from the Cabinet, under existing ci
v cumstanccs, would seem to the county like q
: ! triumph Of faction. and would lead to at
!. further divisions among the loyal people Of q
I North, and thus increase rather than dimini
4 the evils that sfiict the country. - .'s