Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-24
SELECTING LINCOLN's FIRST CAB
MET.

INEr
The New York Tribune tells of
notable meeting at Springfield, Ills,
in December, 1860, at which there
were present Abraham Lincoln,
Leonard Sweat, Thurlow Weed and
David Davis:
The subject of conversation was
mainly confined to the choice Of
Cabinet, Mr. Lincoln opening the
subject by saying to M. Wees tha'
he supposed ne had some experience
IN Cabinet making whereupon the
veteran politician replied that, sal
though not boss Cabinet maker, he
had had some experience as a jour>
neyman in the choice of State Cabi-
nets" Mr. Weed at this time had
become aware that the slavery dis
cussion was coming to fearful test
and counselled the choice of men of
frmness and courage VINO were fitted
for the great experience before them.
41C dA5O HAfleCO Ll1C1b G"o Vi tAC
Cabinet should be chosen from the
slave States, and named William
Vost Johnson, of Maryland; John N.
Butts, of Virginia; John A Gilmore,
of North Carolina, and Bailey Pey-
ton, of Tennessee. Mr.. Lincoln IN
the course of the conversation re-
marked that he intended to invite
Governors Seward and Chase to the
State and Treasury Departments,
and that he had thought of Gideon
Wells as the representative of New
England. Mr.. Lincoln was also dis
posed to offer place to Judge
Montgomery Blair, bat this met
with very decided opposition from
Mr.. Wood, who argued that Mr..
Blair represented In reality no
part of the country, though
Mr.. Lincoln credited him to
Maryland Simon Camerons name
was then discussed, aud Mr.. Lincoln
and Mr.. Weed were both apprehen-
sive whether a better choice could
not be made. Mr.. Lincoln's judg-
ment, however, was finally det' r
mined IN his favor, on the ground
that he had been a candidate in the
Chicago convention, and his State
had given a strong Republican vote
Edward Bates, of St. Louis, whom
Mr.. Greeley had supported for the
nomination before the opposition
had concentrated upon Mr.. Lii coin,
was mentioned because he was a
Southern man, and every one warmly
approved of his selection.
1t was then decided that Seward
should be Secretary of State; Chase,
Secretary of the Treasury, and Bates
Attorney General, with the question
undecided as to elies, Bar anu
Cameron, and an anxiety on the part
| of ali but Mr.. Lincoln, that one ot the
three should give way to John A,
G lmore. To this last gentleman
Mr. Lincoln finally wrote a letter, of
which he IN de Mr. Weed the bearer,
IN which be set forth bus views of
the Governme at toward the i'm :
portant questions then pending, and
asked him if the views agreed with
his own, to accept place III the
Cabinet. Mr. Gilmore was In accord
with the sent ments of the letter, but
certain complications in his State
soon at er made it necessary for him
to decline the offer.
In the following March, Mr.. Lin
coin was inaugurated. 1t was the
first and only Inauguration of Pres
ldent that Mr. Weed ever attended
Troops had been stationed around
the Capitol at Washington as it was
known that designs upon the Gov
eminent and President-elect Were
contemplated by the fre>eater ele
ment of the South No attack, how
ever, was made, but it was not long
before symptoms of rebellion became
evident.