The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-22
SEWARD, CHASE AND STANTON.
The Great Triumvirate Abraham Lincoln
Called to His War Cabinet
Hon. SCHUYLER colfax in Boston oOngregationaIist.

Cabinet was William A. Seward. Educated to
politics, rising, with steady STEP in the Empire
State, from one distinction to another, up to the
very highest, ranking in the national Senate as
inferior to none of his colleagues in the leader
ship of the young Republican party, just grow
ing into Importance and power, he was the first
choice of majority of that party for the presi
dency, and would have been nominated at
Chicago over all others, but for the same fear
that defeated the nomination of Henry Clay at
several Wing national conventions, the ap-
prehenson that he might be defeated when
another might be successful. AS the chief of
the Lincoln Cabinet, the relations of our republic
with foreign, and, in many cases, really hostile
nations, became Mr. Stewards special sphere
of duty. How thoroughly he gave himself, his
thoughts, his pen, his days and nights to this
work, our Diplomatic correspondence of that
eventful era most convincingly attests. Foreign
invention was always menacing us, especially
when our numerous reverses and the weary pro-
lonCation of the struggle enabled our critics and
enemies abroad to insist that the tratIlc1dal
strife should he stopped. in the interest as they
claimed of humanity, but really because the
downfall of the great republic of the world
would strengthen the institutions of monarchy.
But month af1 Ter month, and wear after year,
of diplomatic composition, replying to every ad
verse argument with dignity and courage de-
Tending and indicating the national cause from
every possible standpoint, calmly but forclbly
terrifying his position with apt European prece
dents, and never abating "a jot of heart or
hope" as to the final and certain
triumph of the Union. And though
he was regarded by the great mass of our people
as an optlmist land correctly, especially if his
ninety-day predictions as to the duration of the
rebellion meant more than plea for timel his
glowing predictions to the prosperity and
progress of our united and victorious Nation, in
the immediate future, realized before the
grass had grown green on his grave, or the baf
fled chief of the rebellion had ceased his eulogies
the lost cause" Not always popular during
part of his stormy era with the leading congress
sional radicals, on account of the development of
his unexpected conservatism, and some conces
sions what deemed vital questions,
during the first year of the struggle, President
Lincoln, after one of his receptions, referred in
a conversation with me thus quantity to some
of these radical structures Said he, nam
ing two of these radicals: "Teli them
they are entirely mistaken in supposng that
Seward can control me, as they assume. in my
official action When subjects come before US,
he argues them. instinctVely and with great
power, too, from the standpoint of what is the
wlsest and most popular policy; while with me,
my determination is to find out, and then to
stand inflexibly for the right. But l could not
get along here at all without him and his coun-
sell ne huOWS all dUOuI ancient ana InOQ6rQ
bstory-the Peloponnesan we'll as the revo-
lutionary war-he is familiar with the great men
of Europe, of whom l know but little; he can tell
me all about etiquette, when never went to
dignity school in my life; and he writes all the
speeches make to the foreign ministers, for 1
wouldn't know what to say to them"
Salmon P. Chase had, more than any other
one man, enjoyed, as well as divided, with Gov
ernor Seward the leadership of the Republican
party prior to the nomination of Mr.. Lincoln.
And. although he was a senator elect from
Ohio, the President insisted that he should de
cline that Office and become one of his Cabinet
advisers, assuming the responsibilities of the
treasury. 1t wise thought, and resulted
most benefcently for the cause of the Union.
The Nations vaults were empty, it's credit SO
shattered that its latest loan for current ex-
penses, under his predecessor had been at II per
cent interest, while the country had almost at
once to be put on an expensive war footing.
No selection of chief for the treasury could
have been more fortunate. Governor Chase
was, indeed one of the great men of his times
a statesman of ideas and action, of influence
and authority, of commanding presence
a dignifed manner, and with mass
i've head finely posed on his broad
shoulders. He rose to the height of
the occasion from the first conference with the
New York bankers and capitalists, where his ar
guments compelled them to realize that the ma
terial resources of the Republic must be organ
lied to supply its needs, till the time when with
burdened with millions of unpaid military Iequi-
sitions, he induced Jay Cooke to undertake the
popularizing of the loan for hundreds of millions
absolutely needed to save tho national cause
from ruin. Not the least of his financial sue
cesSeS was his shrewdly placing the whole bank
ing capital of the country in position where it
had to live or die with the Nation. while he thus
made market also for 5000, 600 600 of our
bonds he found difficult to sell, and the proceeds
of which were so sorely needed for the national
alfbOuOh afterwards
Supreme bench, he decided so Unexpectedly
agains the legal-tender power of his own
greenbacks, it can never be forgotten that
in the dark and dangerous era of the war he as
sisted in so shaping our congressional legislation
that the vast creditor interests of the country
down to the smallest hamlet were compelled
by the use of the legal-tender greenbacks, to
risk all their possessions on the salvation and
solveucy of the Nation which issued them. Al
though there was not always concord in the Cab
met between such rivals as Seward and Chase,
each the head of great following in the Repub
liean party, yet the President, who was always
the premier of his own administration, tran
quilted their differences, until Secretary Chase,
in the summer of 1864, insisted on resigning, and
William Pitt Fessenden was appointed in his
stead
Less than four months after this resignation
followed, as | regret to say by some ill-tem-
pered remarks from the ex-Secretary against
the President, which I am sure he soon regret
ted the great Office of Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court became vacant,
and in Congress, as well as among
press and people, there was developed
a strong and rapidly increasing public opinion in
favor of the appointment of ex-Secretary Chase.
1t happened that, by the request of numerous
fellow-members of the House in which pre-
sided, it devolved upon me to spend an evening
with the President to present their desires.
After urging every possible consideration,
namely, that Chief Justice Mr. Chase would
give up that ambition for the presidency which
had dominated his later life, and that on the
bench we felt that he could not fail to stand by
the war measures he had assisted in shaping in
the Cabinet etc, Mr. Lincoln replied; 81 am
satisfied that it is the wish of large majority
Of my supporters that l should appoint MIR.
Chase and intend to do So although | think
myself that William NJ. Evarts is, by his legal
attachments, the fttest for the place. But
all of you are mistaken in supposing that it will
end Chases longing for the presidency, for pre-