The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-10-20
SEWARD AND LINCOLN.

The eulogy delivered by Charles Francis
Adams upon the life and services Of VIM.
H.Seward in which he magni6ed the services
of Mr. Seward, at the expense of Mr. Lin
coin has drawn from the friends of Lincoln
some facts very damaging to the reputa
ton of Seward After the delivery of that
eulogy the surviving members Of Mr.. Lin
coin Cabinet felt that they owed some
thing to his memory when it was assailed
in so formidable and misleading quarter
and before the decease of the late Chief
Justice Chase there was an interchange of
views between him and the two other sur
viving members as to the expediency of a
Joint statement correcting some Of the
most prominent of Mr. Adams errors
The work, however, was left to be done by
Mr. Gideon Welles, ex-Secretary of the
Navy who has published two very interest.
ing papers, one in the October and the 9th
or in the November number Of the GdIdry
In his last article (which is altogether the
more piquant of the two as lifting the veil
from great deal Of secret Cabinet history
he copies a letter on the same subject
written to him by Mr. Montgomery Blair,
ex.Postmaster-General which shows how
fully the latter gentleman concurs with
him in repudiating the views of Mr..
Adams.
No person who feels any interest in this
controversy, or wishes TO see historical
Justice done, should fail to read Mr..
Welles's second paper in the November
Galdrg. 1t indeed makes sad wreck of
Mr.. Adams claims for the subject of his
eulogy. 1t is amusing to the degree of
ridiculous to contemplate Mr.. Adams's as
sertion that Mr. Seward was the directing
mind Of the Administration, 10 the light Of
Mr. Welles's facts Mr. Stewards dis
patches to Mr.. Adams himself were, on
critical occasions, revised and their eharac-
ter changed by Mr. Lincoln, as the altered
manuscript in the State Department will
show Iu domestic affairs Mr.. Seward 5
intrigues were frequently frustrated. He
was active trickery ostentatious he &C
companied the President in most of his
rides, and especially in his visits to the
camps caused his cIaqaeHrs to diffuse the
impression that he guided Mr.. Lincoln :
measures and he carried his pretence so
far and caused it to be 50 generally believed
that it very nearly cost him his place in
the Cabinet 1t was wholly owing to Mr..
Liucoln's magnauimity that he remained
in public life at all after the middle Of
December, 1862, when lac had completely
forfeited the confidence of Republican
members Of Congress, and continued to
be tolerated in public life only because he
could not be got rid Of
Mr. Wellos says
sir Seward entered upon his duties
with the impression, undoubtedly, which
Mr.. Adams seems to have imbibed, that
he was to be de tacto president, and, az
the premier in the British government, 10
direct the affairs Of the nation in the
name Of another The consequences
were that confusion and arrangement pre-
vailed ~ some extent at the COMMENCE
ment by reason Of the mental activity as
SYMPTOMS aud mcddlesome intrusiuns of
the Secretary Of State in the duties and
ailalr5 oi others, which were, If not disor
ganlzing, certainly not good administra.
lion. Confidence aud mutual frankness ON
public affairs and matters pertaining to
the government, particularly on what re.
lated to present and threatened disturb
ances existed among all the members ex-
cept Mr., Seward, who had, or affected !,
certain mysterious knowledge which he
was not prepared 10 impart This was nc.
cepted as a probable necessity by his as.
sociates, for he had been in position to as
certain facts which it was minated he
could not perhaps well disclose. IL early
became apparent, however, that the See
rotary OF State had ideas and notions of ms
own position and that Of his own colleagues
as well as Of the character and attitude Of
the President, that others could not recog.
nize. Secrotiveness, subtle expedient, and
mysterious management, which limited
the knowledge Of certain important trans
actions to the state department, but o
which the President was in some degre,
and from time to time partially informed
were the initiative Albany method of exc
cntiVe government, For several week
after the inauguration no stated Cabine
meetings were held, though the member
were frequently assembled in council
sometimes only part but whenever cor
vened 1t was by special notice from Ii