New-York tribune., 1884-02-17

/ abIe 10 COnNlnCe pTVJUUTIts
| Europe confess that l cannot. They discredit me
| so that they may not be convinced Nevertheless,
| i do know this, that whatever nation makes war
against us or forces itself into war, will ind ont
t6at we can and shall suppress rebellion and defeat
| invaders besides. The courage and the determine
| ton of tho American people are aroused for any
| ueedful effort-any national sacrifices.
| My dear Weed, you have wrang out of me what
you yourself will regard as too sangnnc expressions
of my confidence in the success OF our cause and
! you will undervaluc them, though shall not give
| them mp. But you must insist on my writing IN
such n crisis my full thoughts, and you mnst trust
that when may seem to y1u to De dong IN nCsne er
| country, under embarrassmcntS thai you, while
abroad, know nothing OF.
Best love TO Harriet Don't lose your POCKET
book but if you are going to, burn my letters hrst
Mr.. Weed believed that President Lincoln had
made four terrible mistakes in the composition of
his first cabinet The black list consisted of Chase
Cameron, Weles and Blair. Mr. Barnes dismisses
the first of these miscreantS with rather droll
show of contempt printing however the following
letter. which he explains by the bold statement that
the Secretary of the Treasury opposed calling out
troops fearing that a large increase in the public
debt during his administration of that department
would injure his prospects of reaching the Pres-
dency":
WAsmvGToN, May II, 1861.
DEAR WEED,-I wrote yOu at Albany yesterday,
after consultation with the p to warn you that
the two C.s here are crying to deduct the fourteen
regiments expected from the committee out oil the
number ordered from the Governor. 1t ~ the
P, General S. and against the two Us
Tell the Governor in Gods name to send on the whole
quota. l will take care of it. The = IL all
right =, o
OF the retirement of Mr.. Cameron We have this
anecdOte:
The Cabinet was Mr.. Lincoln's own selection,
practically, uniniluenccd by pressure OF any sort.
After II named, accident threw upon It burden
OF unequalled responsibility. Mr.. Weed did not
intimate publicly that in the choice OF his advisers
the President had made four terrible mistakes But
such was his positive conviction on the day when
selections were made. " somewhat persistent
discrepancy of feeling and opinion" once said Ilr.
Evarts in his stately way, " between the President
and the Secretary i'm regard 10 an important Office
in the public service, induced Mr. Chase to resign ms
portfolio, and Mr.. Lincoln to acqulesce III ms
desire" The simple fact was that Secretary Chase
wanted TO control the patronage of the sub Treasury
in Ncw-YOrk, with view to the Presidency, ana
that Mr. Lincoln, convinced that the Secretary had
pushed his canvass far enough seized the opportunity
To get him out of the Cabinet.
Nor was the President less willing to dispense
with the services of his secretary 9i war, When W an
occasion arose on which that gentleman 5 Cablnet
career could be not too ungraclOusly terminated.
The circumstances surrounding his appOmlnent as
Minister to Russia are well remembered. The hrst
suggestion OF the change was made to General
Cameron by Mr.. Weed, at Mr.. Lincoln request, III
a conversation at the Generals breaklaSt-table, IN
which the ladies of the household participated
" Repairing from tho breakfast room 70 the
library writes Mr.. Weed, :" presented consldera-
tions which seemed likely, III my Judgment, to
induce General Cameron To go abroad. informed
hn that the Secretary of State had received letter
from Cassus NJ. Clay, offering to resign the Russian
Mission. Mr. Cameron finally remarked that his
wife and daughter, thinking he was working too
hard, had urged him 10 retire, and that they would
be much pleasedwth visit to Europe. All things
considered. he allowed me 10 ascertain from the
President whether the suggested change could he
made. | did not, TOR ObylOus reasons, INFORM
General Cameron that had called on hun that morn
ing in pursuance of an understanding with the
President the prevous evening. soon after this
arrangement went with Archbishop Hughes and
Bishop NlcIlvaine to England and France, and
few weeks later had pleasant call IN London from
Minister Cameron, then on his way 10 ST.
Petersburg"
Mr.. Weed told the following story about Secretary
Wellcs:
"soon after this, our fist taste of rebellion |
received information from an equally reliable source
that GOspoTt, with its vast supply OF munitions OF
war; was in danger. OF this informed the see
retary of the Navy, at the breaktast-table OF
" ilarl's Hotel. Believing from his manner that
he attached but little Importance to my mior a.
ton | reiterated it with emphasis, assuring nm
that it would be occasion for deep regret GOsport
were not Immediately strengthened. Meeting the
Secretary mt dinner the same day renewed the con-
versation, and was informed that the matter Wo9ld
he at tended to. This did not quiet my sOliGtudo;
and. leaving the Secretary to the placid enjoyment
Ot his dinner, | repaired to the White House
Mr. Lincoln. however, had driven ont To visit some
Notifications. | made another attempt III the
evening to see him but he was out again. Early
the next morning however found hlm, and IN
4
threatened GOspOrt, aud how, as feared, had
failed to impress the Secretary of the Navy with
the accuracy OF my information or the necessity OF
immediate action Well said Mr.. Lincoln, we
can't afford to lose all those cannon I'll go and see
Father Wcllcs myself And he did Immediately.
The result was that Admiral Pauldiug who was
then despatched to Norfolk arrived just In time 10
enjoy an illumination OCCaslOned by the burning OF
Government property and witness the capture OF
GOSpOrt.
One day IN 1868 Mr. Weed received a summons
by telegraph to come to the White House. He took
the night train for Washington, and early the next
morning went to the President Mr. Lincoln, taking
him by the hand i'll his cordial way, said
"Nlr. Weed, we are in a tight place Money for
legitimate proposes Is needed Immediately; but
there is no appropriation from which 1t can be
lawfully taken, didnt know low 10 raise IT, ana
50 | seat for yOu.'
How much is required ~ asked Mr. Weed.
"Fiftecn thousand dollars said the President
" Can you get 1t Z
Ii you must have it at once give me two lines to
that effect"
Mr.. Lincoln turned to his desk and wrote, a few
words slip Of paper. Handing 1t to Mr.. Weed, |
he said. " VIII that do p
yOur disposal Tomorrow morning"
On the next train Mr. Weed left Washington, and |
before o'clock that afternoon the slip OF paper |
which he carried in his pocket presented this |
appearance:
WASHINGTON. Feb. 10, 1868.
Mr. WEED: The matters l spoke 10 yon about are |
important. 1 hope you will not neglect them.
Truly yours, A. LINCOLN
Charles Knapp. 81 600 Novelty Iron Works,
Marshall O. Roberts. 1000 Horace Alen psf 81 900 |
Alexander T. stew James T. Sanford. 1000 !
art. ................ 1000 SpOlOrd IiestOn 1000
Isaac Bell ........ 1000 j. T. WlnslOw....... 1000
VIM. II. Aspinwall 1000 SccOr CO.......... 1000 |
C. Nanderbit-....... 1,OOO 7. ,. torDes lOOO
lanes Mitchell 1000 Russell Sturges- ooo |