The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-03
VI Ii, First Act Of The DARK Tragedy Of the he
bsIllOs-TAs R'pubIIsID Convention GSd the
StirrisE IGsIdSHh Connected With Il.
FstnAtIes Of LIBsOIGs CIbIhIL


lust being put upon TIE bhSe' lhey hAE'
grown gray since those days by the might!
events they have witnessed, as weIlas viii
yeAr.
To-day ! met Lyman Trumbull on the
streets Of this city looking not year Olde
than when he was power in tho SENATE
and In the Republican party. lie is nov
a Democrat, never having recovered frOT
the Greeley movement Ui 1872. lie wa
always 4 sour critical man who split hahn
in great emergencies and wanted to study
and digest the Constitution rather than Rcl
promptly upon any question. Some ont
said that good lawyer was always u good
Democrat. suppose for the same reason
TINT the IrishmAn said he WIS "Alwnys
foFninst the government" Mr.. Trumbul
has got u new vile, which | suppose IC
counts for his carrying his years 80 easily.
lie has had Il strange career. lie was inst
elected TO the Senate when he only had
four votes that would stand by him. Thi:
was in 1854 or SO, ! do no recall which
year. Some say he cheated Mr.. Lincoln
out oi the place, but ] think this is u ibel
It Is truehe had no following TO speak Oi,but
the fact Is that Mr.. LincOln's friends elected
him 10 defeat L man who was more Objec'
tiouAble TO them than Trumbull. 1t WAS a
long and bitter contest and left its sC4Irs.
The Republican party felt tlAt Mr.. Lin
coin had been uujustly beaten t0rihe place
and the next State Convention declared for
him for the next vacant SenAtOHhip In AL
emphatic resolution. II Mr.. Lincoln had
never been elected to tue Presidency he
would have been elected 10 the Senate, and
Trumbull wouldn't ever have cut the
figure he did In national affairs. Trum.
bull WAS right while the fighting lasted,
but when the war ended he got mad be-
cause he couldn't get all he wanted in the
way Of patronage, and began to apply the
judicial quality OF his mind to everything.
lie naturally driiled into the Democratic
party BY IN easy grade and he soon sank
out Of sight as 4 political power, and now
earnS Il good living at the law. There are
lots OF such mileposts Of dtsappointmens
| in every State.
The jolly gnOd.natured face and power
Iul form oi Leonard SWEET loOmed up in the
distance Just beyond Mi. Trumbull. lie
was coming from court anti had law book
under his arm. lie il little RrAyer than
in 1850, but just ~ breezy and gOod'hu'
mOred ~ when he stood and shouted Tor
Lincoln at the Convention OF that year.
lie greeted me In true Western style. In
deed his is Il perfect type Of the whole
souled Wes,erner. lie stands in the front
rank among the best attorneys in the West.
He denies the adage "lhat good lawyer
Is always good Democrat" Tor he is as
staunch Republican now US when the
party was iiBt born.
ayes right over there Is where the Con-
vention OF 1850 was held, said he, point
ing In the direction he indicated. "The
CITY as well as the country hRs changed
nightly since those days. mans HE
covers q great deal that is wise and foolish
In this world"
"That was Il great Convention,
AYES, but the Convention WIS not as
great NJ its work. tell you it was dis
pensAtion Of Providence that gave us Lin
coin instead Of Seward"
THE FIRST REPUBLICAN, CABINET.
GLOW did Mr.. Lincoln come to put Mr.
Seward into his Cabinet"
because II was good policy, and tile
natural demands Of the political situation.
The party was new, and Mr.. Seward was
~ foremost leader. Mr.. Lincoln decided
upon the appointment OF Mr.. Seward
almost Immediately upon his election.
at il not true then that he appointed
him AT the instance oi ThurlOw Weed ="
TNo sir, Mr.. Weed knew nothing about
Mr.. Lipcoln's Intentions in relation 10 Mr..
Seward, until he himself informed him ol
than. The facts are these: lmmedttely
siter the nomination Judge David Davis
and myseIf went around TO Mr. Weeds
quarters In Chicago and asked him to 20
down 10 Springfield with Us aud see Mr.
Lincoln. We urged that he ought to know
him Al the very beginning ol the campaign
Mr Weed was going To Iowa with his
daughter, aud could not 20 then, but on hi
return he said he would telegraph us and
we should Join him and 20 10 sPrlngueld
lie did 30, and we Joined him At bIoomI1g
ton, and went with MIN to see Mr;
Lincoln. This was the tirst time they hau
ever met. The conversation was genera
but very interesting, and the policy O. lit
campaign was somewhat considered a.
ais Il true as has been stated that MI
Weed virtually dictated the Cabinet oi TIT
tnt Republican President
"No sir. Mr.. LincolH decided upon th'
leading members Of his Cabinet very sOor
aIter bis election. lie WIS great man tt
listen 10 what everybody had 10 say ahG
then do as he pleased afterwards. lie con
sIltel with MIR. Weed us hO did with
Others, and the story Of the interview be
tween them upon the organization oil Tut
Cabinet Ia an Interesting one"
"When Ald where was II held'
myery soon after the election, thlnI
Sone time late in November or tho lst o
Drcember. Mr.. Lincoln asked me u
write 10 Mr. Weed and ask him to come Il
Sprinvtield for 4 general conference upoI
ia nolItical situation. Mr.. Weed replied
naming tho date Of bis arrival anI request
ing Judge Davis and myself to iotn, him a
Bloomington and 30 with him; we me
by appointment and went toHeiher 10 se'
Mr. Lincoln. The talk lasted all DAY a
tho yery ouiget Of Il Mr. Lincoln iniormet
Mr.. Weed that he had decided 70 appoln
Mr.. Seward, Simon Cameron, hr. ChAse
and Mr.. Bates as members ol ~
Ca6ipsl. This was the first th4
Mr, Weed lad heard Of Mr.. Lincoln
Intentions In relation To his Cabinet Ill
smoke 40 pOintedly about theac four name
thal Nr. Weed himself seemed 70 Tegar'
the question as settled, aud they did M
enter into the DISCUSSION in relation to til
r,1t of the Cabinet. What discussion theI
was upon that subject was confined chieh,
IN names for the other three places o
might say one place.
wHgp AGAINST TTE HLAIFS.
When Mr., Lincoln asked Mr. Weed hoy
Montgomery Blair would DO, be very evl
JsntiS IIsNnproyed Of the choice. HG pI
hi objection however in the form Of aug
""s,iny other names, lie spoke warmly .
Henry Winter Davis, but Nr. Lincoln di
NOT take to the suggestion. lie lneht'onT'
then strongly ursed the appointment Of
| NhaF that hN sal