The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-12

followers and wOrshipperS of Old Abe may
consider little overweight, but which
the facts that I have will fclly sustain,
there is decided muss all around, and at.
fairs, not only in the Kitchen Cabinet, but
generally, look gloomy enough. What is
to be done? is the question which the
cooks, washerwomen, dishmaids, boot
blacks, bottle holders, whitewashers, and
men of all work are just now trying to de-
eide. Tom Corwin, who has witnessed all
manner of muddles in Mexico, became
alarmed and came on to Washington few
! days since to see what was the matter.
He applied to Seward, at the State De-
partment, for information. Seward could
not fully explain the matter. He had
seen so much of the muss that his brain
was little bewildered, and he could not
explain. In his dilemma he proposed to
Corwin to take ride around among the
Notifications, in hopes that the fresh air
would revive him so that he could explain
it. The ride was taken, but to Corwin's
dismay, Seward tried to avoid all allusion
| to the kitchen troubles. But Corwin de-
termined not to be bluffed off in that way,
| fatty asked Seward" What's the matter
with Lincoln? Why is he so bitterly op-
posed by the men of his own party u
"Ah," responds Seward, "there does not
seem to be the best of satisfaction among
the people, and perhaps there is more op-
position to him as candidate than there
would be if some other person in the par
ty had been nominated; but" says he,
giving Corwin a bunch with his elbow,
"you must not mind that; the army vote
this year, and we can probably manage to
save him with their vote, even if a few in
the party do vote against him at home. y
This seemed to satisfy the Minister from
Mexico, who, on his return from the ride,
seemed as bright and hopeful as morning
lark. He declares that there is no doubt
of Lincoln's success, and relate, the above
story as his evidence and proof Of his po-
sition. But it will be seen, as progress q
little further, that this was only ruse on
the part of Secretary Seward to blind Tom
COrwin.
No sooner had the latter got out of the
way than Raymond rushes into Washing
ton, putting and blowing as though he had
only just got himself out of his dilemma
in the elbows of the Mincio, or had not
ceased running from Solferino. Without
stopping to shake the dust off from his
clothes, he rushes to the headquarters of
| the Kitchen Cabinet to ascertain where all
the dirty water comes from. He has had
bis committee together two or three times
to fix up the machinery Of the campaign,
repaired the broken wheels and oiled the
trunnions with greenbacks; but as soon as
everything was arranged in running order
he was flooded with dirty water from the
kitchen, and all his plans and work spoiled.
Being decidedly out of humor, he pitches
in generally, decla' ing that this has got tn
be stopped or his help will leave him. He
suggests waking up Welles, and placing
him on board of one of the Monitors and
| sending him to sea also, the removal OF
Stanton, Halleck, or somebody else, and
annihilating the rebel raiders in the Shen-
andoah Valley instanter, or some other
| desperate deed, and to revise matters gen,
orally With all his efforts Raymond was
not able to get matters Strengthened out.
Old Blair had few days previously placed
Montgomery Blair in charge of Old Abe's
boots and started off for New York to see
General Mcclellan, to ascertain what could
be done in that quar- er; and as this
Kitchen Cabinet and all the arrangements
are managed by the B air famiy-LincOln,
in fact, even, by them-no person would
take the responsibility to do anything in
the absence of Blair senior / will leave
them for few moments, to follow the lat
ter in his trip to NeN York.
You have already advised your readers
that f. ank Blair, senior, had been in New
York but nothing has transpired as yet
as to his mission. That secret l now
have. 1t appears that his mission was fer
the purpose of seeing General Mcclellan,
and the report that he rings back is just
what he de sired. Old Blair found on his
arrival in your city that Mcclellan and
wife were stopping with a friend on
Ihrogg's Neck, in Westchester count. /
lie Immediately posted off TO see him, but
on his arrival there finds Mrs. McClelen
who informs him that the General was in
the city that day. After ascertaining
where ne could get trace of him, he re
traces his steps and succeeds in obtaining
an interview with "Little Mac" at two,
p M, i'll some private Office down town.
After exchanging the usual compliments
of the day, old Blair proceeds to business,
and informs General Mcclellan "that his
services are needed in the field, and that
if he will address a note to either the Pres
sdent or himself, stating that he has no no
iitical aspirations, and that he will not al
low his name to be used at the Ciicago
Convention, he (the Presidency will give
him (McCellan) an important command
ct once" This may not have been the
precise wording OF Blair's statements Il
every particular; but it is the precise SUB,
stance and purport of his statement
General McOlellah's reply was JUS
such as an Indignant man Of bis ability
would 81 to such proposition. A!