Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-04
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
THE CABINET EXPLOSION.
Tho Resignation of Chase-Seward
said TO be mt the Bottom of it-Grand
Coup by the Secretary of State-Plots
of Ohio Pnliticians-What the Press
says about the Explosion.
WASHINGTON, June 30, 1864.
Especial to the N. Y. worldJ

washington ndu stllSdJlUu precipltdIc,
on it to-day that was so entirely unexpected
as to cause the greatest commotion every.
where, especially in and about Congress-,
This morning Salmon p. Chase sent 10 thf
President his resignation of the Office OF the
Secretary of the Treasury. A special meet
ing or the Cabinet was soon after sum-
moned, and the President nominated as the
successor of Mr.. Chase, David Tod, of Ohio
Ex-Governor of that State. Upon the meet
ing Of the Senate, at IL o'clock, that body
went Immediately into executive session,
with closed doors, when message from the
President was read, communicating the
resignation of Mr.. Chase and naming Gov
ernor Tod as his successor. After some dis
cussion, in favor of and against the nomi-
nation, it was, on motion, referred, under
the rules, to the committee on Finance.
The general tenor of the debate was
against the confirmation of Mr.. Tod, on the
ground that he was unrecognized as a man
of any financial ability, while in other re-
spects he was almost wholly unknown as
possessing any extraordinary abilities for
the high position of minister of finance.
This feeling which pervaded the Senate was
manifest in the House of Representatives,
where members of all political parties freely
expressed in private conversation this dis
approval of the new appointment.
Prominent Administration men declare
that after all Chase was simply granted the
courtesy of resigning. for if he had not re-
signed to-day he would have been removed
tomorrow.
Rumors of the resignation of Secretaries
Blair and Welles have been prominent all
day, but are without doubt as yet untrue.
1t is evident, however, from the mutterings
among radicals in and out of Congress, that
if Mr.. Blair does not resign or is not re-
moved, "Rome will howl" with fearful
echo at the November ides. 1t was the i'm
preston, last night, that Congress would
adjourn on Saturday, but the new compli-
cation consequent upon the change of the
head ofthe Treasury Department will make
it necessary for Congress to hold on until
the successor of Mr.. Chase makes known
his wishes to the Finance committees of the
two houses. This may prolong the session
to the 18th of July.
From another Correspondent
If the removal of Secretary Chase was
surprising, the appointment ofex-Governor
Tod in his place was an astonisher to the
people of this city. The Ex-Governor of
Ohio is known here for a jolly fellow and a
good story-teller, one after Mr.. Lincolns
own heart, but who knows as little of fl
nance as COW does of arithmetic. The
only reasons that are known for the ap-
pointment are that it is geographically un-
exceptionable, and that Tod would be quite
willing to use the vast patronage of the
Treasury Department in the interest of his
friend Lincoln during the coming canvass.
which Mr.. Chase would not consent to do.
The Republicans OF the Senate and House
are quite unanimous in opposition to the ap-
pointment of Tod. All concede the shock
ing impropriety Of appointing clustering
politician to position which requires the
very highest order of financial talent, and
the most sterling integrity. 1aaf
All Washington was amazed when it was
announced that President Lincoln had sent
in the nomination of Ex-Governor Tod, as
Secretary of the Treasury, vice Salmon p.
Chase. There is so much mystery In con-
nection with the matter that ahundred sto-
ries were Immediately put in motion to ac-
count for this unexpected Cabinet explo-
sion. The friends of Chase early started
the story that the trouble was on account
of Mr.. Lincoln insisting upon putting Post
master Wakeman In Collector Barney's
place in the New York Custom House,
which Chase refused to sanction, and hence
according to this story the removal. What
gave color to this report was the fact that it
was known that President Lincoln desires an
energetic and efficient politician as collector
of N. Y, who could do him some good in the
coming election, which Mr.. Barney cannot
do. Another rumor was that President
Lincoln has become thoroughly satisfied
that the most outrageous corruptions were
in existence in the Treasury Department,
and that Mr.. Chase's hands were not by any
means clean. There is no doubt however,
that the attempted change is due in great
part to the adrOit Vaccinations of the subtle
Secretary Of State, who, with admirable
.dexterity, has warded off the blow aimed
at him by the Baltimore Convention, and
allowed 1t to fall with full force upon Sec
retary Chase, toward whom tits well known
the convention was friendly. This recent
strategic movement Is considered the neat
est bit of political jugglery ever performed
by politician in this country.
tiStNew York Herald's (neutraD Dispatch.l
Since the Developments in the executive
session Of the Senate to-day, it was evident
that the nomination of Mr.. Tod would not
be confirmed. The opposition to him was
led by Wade, Sherman and Fessenden.-
With such team In opposition his con-
hrmation was impossible, and although
Governors Dennison and Brough were on
the floor of the Senate working like beavers
tonight, II was soon ascertained that the
nomination would not 90 through, and at a
| late hour tonight the announcement was
made that the nomination had been declined
| by Governor Tod. issfr ssis,,.'.-,
There Is . little history connected with
this nomination and the opposition to it.
Il appears that In the organization of the
Baltimore Convention q combination was
entered into by Dennison, Tod and Delano,