, 1862-12-25
THE LATE CABINET CRISIS.
The Senatorial Caucus that Led to 1t.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1852.
On Tuesday last the death Of Mr.. Hanehett, !
OF Wisconsin, WIS announced in both Houses; ]
tile Senate, consequently. adjourned at i very
early hour. Before the Senators had separated, |
each Of tine Republicans was notified, not in |
tie usual way by printed notice, but by the
Scrgeant-at-Arms, to attend caucus iInmedi-
ately. Twenty four we're present, and As soon
as the CAUCUS had organized, MIR. Grimes Of
fcred a resolution to the effect that the vel
fare Of the country required the Withdrawal
from the Cabinet Of the Secretary Of
State. Mf. Grimes accompanied the resolu-
tion with speech denouncing Mr.. Seward in
t1ie, ,sharpe5t manner; and he was followed BY
Nr. Fessenden, Mr.. TTumbu1l, Mr. Wade, Mr..
Field the new Scnato or from New Jersey, and
several others In the SAME strain. The gene
1al tenor Of their remarks was that Mr. Sew
ard exercised complete and controlling in
influence was the cause OF the tardy and in
efItcLua1 prosecution Of the war: 1t was al
legged that he had resisted strenuously the
Proclamation Of Emancipation, as well
IS the removal Of General Mcclellan
| and that the departure Of General Banks for
| the Gu1f, just at the moment when he was
| needed to Cooperate with Burnside in The
! movement upon Richmond, was due entirely
| to him. Tie attack WAS evidently concerted
| and was pressed with the utmost Tehemence.
| The more conservative Senators, taken cn-
| tire1y By. surprise, met it mainly By pleas for
delay. Mr.. King Of New York, at some length.
| deprecated llasty action OH Il question Of so
much moment, and proposition was finally
| made 10 adjourn. This was resisted very
warmly aud With q good deal Of impotence,
by the supporters Of tho resolution, who de.
1nandca IN Immediate decision. It was called,
however, by i voie Of thirteen to eleven,
| On Wednesday afternoon the caucus met
again, and tWeuty-nine Senators were present
The feeling Of the members had not changed,
aud it was thought necessary by the conser
I ~. In 41,o 111,s ,srI. 1.1N 1>o
raised gather than meet it directly. Mr.. Har
Eis, Of New York, offered a substitute for the
! resolution Of nIr. Grimes, declaring that, il
the Judgment Of the Republican members o!
. the Senate the welfare Of the country wou1G
be promoted By reconstruction Of the cabi
nct. 1t was urged that this would deprive
| the movement Of the appearance Of being di
rected against Mr.. Seward personally. an6
would give the President al opportunity O
making other changes which might be deemed
desirable Occasion was taken to correc
| | some Of the misst1tementE which had beer
, made in regard to Afr. Seward.
These dcnials, however, failed to shake tn
| authors Of the movement i'll their purpose tx
eject Mr.. Seward from the Cabinet, and Mr
I Fesscnden moved to amend the substitute OF
, | fered by Afr. Harris, by inserting the Wort
t.pastial' before the word reconstruction,
SO as to call for . partial reconstruction Of tn
l | Cabinet only. This amendment vas accepte,
: by Mr. Harris, and, thus amended, the resolu
, t1on vas adopted, tWenty-eIght Senators Vot
ing for it, Iii: King Of New York declining tt
e vote ut all. It is very clear that the conseTg'
e tive Senators regarded the amendment odare
9 by Judge Harris as having the effect to dc
:, priye the movement Of its original anin,us, els
u they would not have voted for it; while it
f equally clear that the authors OF the movcmen
e considered MIR. Fessenden's amcndmeu
;f as sufficient 10 define the specific purpos
Of the resolution, in the sense of their orig
q lnal motive, After taking tic vote, con
:e mittee Of n1ne was appointed to wait upo
J., President Lincoln and inform him, Of the AZ
:. tion which had been taken. This con1mittc
consisted Of Senators Collamer, Sumner, ,Fe
it eenden, Harris, Hounzu. wade, Trunibul
d Grimes aud Browning
Mr. Seward learned the action of The caucu
within very few minutes after the vote vi
e. taken; and before the Adjournment of tt
re- caucus he placed in the President $ hand r
s. signing his Office as Secretary Of State i
=. declined also to attend any further meeting
g of the Cabinet, or to take any action, or
G. make any suggestion. concerning publ
;e atE,irs; but would continue to perform Il
$. routine duties Of bis Office until his success
q slcrll be appointed.