The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-01-01
Correspondence of the N. Y. Times.
The Cabinet Crisis.

Correspondence of the N. Y. Times.
The Cabinet Crisis.
Action- by the Republican Caucus
Why Mr.. Seaodrd Resigned Inter
cieso 6etaoeen Mr.. Lincoln and the
Senate Committee dc, dc.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 80.
THE CAUCUS.
On Tuesday last the death of Mr..
Hanchett, of Wisconsin,, was an.
nounced in both Houses the Senate
consequently adjourned at very early
hour. Before the Senators had sepa-
rated, each of the Republicans was no.
tilted, not in the usual way by printed
notice, but by the Sergeant at. Arms,
to attend a caucus Immediately. Tween
ty-four were present, and as soon as the
caucus had organized, Mr.. Grimes of
fered a resolution 10 The effect that the
welfare of the country required the
Withdrawal from the Cabinet of the
Secretary of State. Mr.. Grimes ac-
companied the resolution with speech
denouncing Mr.. Seward in the sharpcst
dilti liz w d. IOllOntu NV MI.
Fessendcn, Mr.. Trumbull, Mr.. Wale,
MIR. Field, the new Senator from New
Jersey, and several others in the same
strain. The general tenor of their re.
marks was that Mr.. Seward exer.
cised complete and controlling
influence over President Lincoln, and
that this influence was the cause of the
tardy and Intellectual prosecution of the
war. 1t was alleged that he bad re-
sisted strenuously the Proclamation of
Emancipation, as well as the removal
of McClellan,-and that the departure
of Gen. Banks for the Gulf, just ut the
moment when he was needed 10 coop.
crate with Burnside in the movement
upon Richmond, was due entirely to
him. The attack was evidently con-
certed, and was pressed with the ut
most vehemence. The more conserva-
tive Senators, taken entirely by sur
prise, met it mainly 10y pleas for delay
Mr.. King, of New York, at some length
deprecated hasty action on the question
of SO much moment, and proposition
was finally made to adjourn. This was
resisted very warmly and with a good
deal of impatience, by the supporters
of the resolution, who demanded an
immediate decision. 1t was carried,
however, by vote of l3 to IL.
On Wednesday afternoon the caucus
met again, and 20 Senators were pre-
sent. The feeling of the members had
not changed, and ii was thought nee
essary by the conservatives TO evade
the issue which had been raised rather
than meet it directly. Mr.. Harris, of
New Y ork, offered substitute for the
resolution of Mr. Grimes, declaring
that, IN the Judgment of the Republic
can members of the Senate the welfare
of the country would be promoted by
Il reconstruction Of the Cabinet. 1t
was argued that this would deprive the
movement Of the appearance of being
directed against Dir. Seward personal
ly, and would give the President an op
portuuity of making other changes
which might be deemed desirable. DC.
casion was taken TO correct some of
the Measurements which had been
made i'll regard to Mr.. Seward. MIR.
Wilson, OF Massachusetts, said he had
been assured, in the most direct and
explicit manner, by the Secretary OF
War himself, that Mr.. Seward had
nothing whatever TO do with the expe-
dlllon Of Gen. Banks, either in It's
original inception or i'll its final depar.
ture, and that it was in the highest de
gree unjust to hold HIM responsible for
it. Similar statements were made con-
corning other specific allegations which
had been brought against the Secre-
Lary of State. 1t was said for exam
pie, OH the authority, believe, of Mr..
Chase, that so far from opposing the
Emancipation Proclamation, MIR. Sew
ard not only gave it his support at the
time it was issued, but suggested and
! caused to be inserted one of the most
important of the provisions which it
embudies.
These denials, however, failed to
shake the authors of the movement in
their purpose to eject MIR. Seward from
the Cabinet, and Mr.. Fessenden moved
To amend the substitute offered 10y Mr..
Harris, by inserting the word partial
before tie word "reconstructiom," So
as to call for partial reconstruction of
the Cabinet only. This amendment
was accepted by Mr.. Harris, and thus
amended, the resolution was adopted,
20 Senators voting for it, Mr.. King, OF
New York, declining to vote at all.
The Iri6une's correspondent adds
Eight out of the nine members of the
Committee selected by the caucus, who
waited upon the President on Thurs
day evening, were known to he espc.
cially III favor of the retirement of Mr..
Seward, wherefore it was not deemed
by any one necessary TO mention him
by name in the resolution of which,
they were The appointed bearers and
expouuders. Their remarks to the
President might have been even more
direct III their application to MIR. Sew
ard than they were, had not the rumor
come 10 them, on their way to the
White House, that he had already re.
signed.
As for the statement that there was
division of opinion in the caucus on
some imaginary line between the Grad
icals" and conservatives" it is suffi-
cient to say that the committee which
waited upon the President, and which
/