The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-04-22
LINCOLN,s SECOND CABINET.
A Chapter from ThurloW Weeds AutObi-
naranlE.


ter my arrival, called at the White
House, and, although early, several per-
sons were waiting to see the President.
Mr.. Lincoln requested me to call at an
hour indicated, when found him alone.
He commenced the conversation by say
ing: ''Yo GU win remember that after the
result of the late Presidential election.
was known told you that / expected TO
have more influence with the new Pres
ident now that he had got new lease.
You and your friends thought that they
were severely tried during my first four
years. / did not say much about it then,
but intended, if circumstances were IA
vorable, to even up the account. l shall
have Mr.. Fessenden's resignation of the
Treasury DepartmentonM Monday. Now,
if you had the vacancy to fill whose
name would you send to the Senate %
1 replied that, although wholly un-
prepared for such q question, yet 1 was
not unprepared with a name that /
would suggest for his consideration.
then mentioned Governor Morgan as in
my judgment suitable man for the
place, provided it would answer to give
the leading pisces In his Cabinet to the
State of New York.
81 anticipated this NAME" said Mr.
Lincoln; "and even if had not in
tended to consult your wishes, / should
have felt quite safe in trusting the mat
ter to your judgment. l can afford to
give Governor Morgan the Treasury,
even though Mr.. Seward has the State
Department, because the Governor can
be confirmed, and the people will sus-
tain the appointment "But, " he added,
''this could not be done if a word or
whisper of it gets out. Can you and
keep the secret?" He then inquired if
there was any doubt of Governor Nor
gan's acceptance. l told him thought
not, that he had been capable and sue
cesSful merchaT t that he had shown
great executive and financial ability as
Governor of our State, and that I could
not doubt of his acceptance of a depart
ment in which he could render much
greater service to his country. And, af-
ter some further conversation, Mr.. Lin
coin allowed me to suggest--in the strict
est confidence and in general terms-to
Governor Morgan that a contingency
might happen in which he would be
called to the discharge of other duties.
On the way to the cars l stopped at
Governor MOrgan's house; and after
very earnest injunction of secrecy, made
the suggestion, in forms SO vague and
general as to leave the Governor wholly
in the dark as to the nature of the duties
referred to, and as to my authority to
make the suggestion.
1t was understood between Mr.. Lin
coin and myself that | should hasten
home; and, without disclosing or init
mating the possibility of vacancy in
| the United States Senate, do whatever
might be done, with the knowledge I
possessed, TO give the proper direction
to the question, of filling Governor Nor
gan's place in the Senate.
On my arrival at Albany, had not
| r1rifh
nor Fenton, without whose cooperation
it would have been impossible to move
satisfactorily. l found that the gentle
| man towards whom attention would be
naturally drawn for such a position, re-
| sided in the western part of the State.
l suggested Lieut.. Governor Selden, or
Judge j. Q. Smith, as available; but l
soon discovered that the Governor, like
some of his predecessors, had aspirations
for the United States Senate, when the
time and opportunity should arrive. We
then talked with less restraint of candi-
dates in other portions of the State ;and
/ left him with the belief that should it
become necessary to act, we could agree
upon q suitable candidate. Inow, how
ever, with better knowledge of his tao
| tics, am confident that, had Governor
Morgan accepted the Treasury Depart
ment, Governor Fenton would have
been a candidate for the vacancy.
When the time came for Mr.. Lincoln
to supply the vacancy occasioned by the
resignation of Mr.. Fessenden, he took
the Senate and the country by surprise
in the nomination of Governor Morgan,
who, so entirely had failed to prepare
for the event, was quite as much sur
| prised as his colleagues. Governor
Morgan, as soon as he could leave his
seat, went over to the White House, and
| informed the President that he must de-
cline the appointment. He consented,
however, to leave the matter over two
or three days, giving both himself and
the President time for consideration. 1
returned Immediately to Washington,
and after long interview with Cover
nor Morgan, was constrained to report
his persistent declination to the Presi-
dent. failed, however, as l then and
now believe, to ascertain what were
Governor Morgan's real reasons for re-
fusing The Treasury Department. Upon
reporting that failure to Mr.. Lincoln, he
said: THAT is very awkward, but we
must look elsewhere for a Secretary 2!
"Who is your next man ?" | replied
that was too much mortified bythis miss
fire to try again. MIR. Lincoln said Il
am disappointed, for thought the Gov
ernor would be willing to help us run
the machine but l had two other men
| in my mind. What do you say to Mr..
McCullOch or Mr. Hooper," / replied
that had appreciation of the character
and services of both gentlemen, but
that was personally almost unknown
to them that Mr.. McCulloch had been
brought to Washington by Secretary
Chase, and might be fairly supposed to
have imbibed his views and impressions,
and that had no reason to believe that
Mr.. Hooper sympathized with Governor
Seward or his friends. Mr.. Lincoln
Iaughingly remarked that he supposed
l could not forget how Massachusetts
disappointed me at Chicago, adding it
was hard for Governor Seward to be
crowded out by a new man. And then
he renewed his request for me to name
a man. / then said 'Why not call Mr..
Adams home?" 81 have thought of
that too" said Mr. LINCOLN "but will it
do to have SO long an inter-regnum z" |
remarked that L thought Mr.. Chandler,
the Assistant Secretary, capable and
trustworthy. "True," said Mr.. Lincoln,
1--WE know that here; but will it do to let
the Finance Department, on which so
much depends, be run by deputy?" /
then spoke of Senator Foster, ..An ex-
cellent man." said Mr.. Lincoln, land
one whom / would readily appoint if
Connecticut were large enough to be
entitled to two members of the Cabinet"
finally suggested Mr.. Hamlin. ''Ham-
iin," said Mr.. Lincoln, ''has the Senate
on the brain, and nothing more or less
will cure him." A then / gave it up;
and Mr.. Lincoln said, Let us fall back
on McCulloch, who now seems most
available - adding that he would hold
the question open for two or three days,
giving me time to confer as freely and
frequently as desired with that gentle
man.
1 found myself not little embarrassed
on my way, one Sunday morning, to the
residence of Mr.. McCulloch- The idea
of establishing relations with that gen.
tleman, ION compulsion," seemed like
seeking knowledge under difficulties.
These difficulties, however, disappeared
by degrees, as our conversation proceed
ed. There were two elements in the
character of Mr.. AcCulloch on which
per Sc was disposed to rely. He had
Scotch blood in his veins, and had been
in politics Wing.
This may be proper occasion to say
that, during my whole political life. in
all similar conversations in reference TO
important political interests, 1 never
asked or minated desire to receive,