The Cecil Whig., 1885-06-13
THE LINCOLN PAPERS.
Letters From Famous Men Who Bore
Close Relations with the President.
Charles A. Dana's "reminiscences.

The President and the New York Office.
Seekers-Nr. Lincolns Manners with
Subordinates-Punishin Rascality-
Diplomacy Better Than Justice at
Times.
The first time l saw Mr. Lincoln
was shortly after his Inauguration. He
had appointed Mr.. Seward to be his
secretary of State, and some of the
Republican leaders of New York, who
had been instrumental in preventing
MIR. Stewards nomination to the presi-
dency and in securing that of MIR.
Lincoln, had begun to fear that they
would be left out in the cold in the
distribution of the offices. General
James S. Wadsworth, George Opdyke,
Lucius Robinson, T. B. Carroll and
Henry B. Stanton were among the
number of these gentlemen. Their
| ''pPiShSioioio "SlC SOlllcWIldl Hllll-
gated by the fact that Mr.. Chase, to
whom they were all friendly, was secre-
tary of the Treasury. But, notwith-
standing, they we're afraid that the
superior tact and pertinacity of Mr..
Seward and Mr.. Weed would get the
upper hand, and that the power of the
Federal Administration would be put
into the control of the rival faction
Accordingly several of them determined
to go to Washington, and 1 was asked
to go with them.
l believe the appointment for oul
interview with the President was made
through Mr.. Chase but, at any rate,
we all went up to the White House
together, except Mr.. Stanton, who
stayed away because he was himself
an applicant for office. Mr.. Lincoln
received us in the large room upstair:
in the East wing of the White House
where the President has his working
office, and stood up while Genera
Wadsworth, who was our principa
spokesman, and Mr.. Opdyke, stated
what was desired. After the interview
was begun big Indianian, who was E:
messenger in attendance in the White
House, came into the room and sale
to the President:
"She wants you"
eyes, yes" said Mr.. Lincoln, with
out stirring.
Soon afterward the messenger re
turned again, exclaiming, 81 say sh,
wants you.'
The President was evidently an
noyed, but, instead of going out afte
the messenger, he remarked to US:
"One side shall not gobble up every
thing. Make out a list of the place
and men you want and l will endeavo
to apply the lule of give and take"
General Wadsworth answered: "Ou
party will not be able to remain il
Washington, but we will leave such
list with Mr.. Carroll, and whatever h
agrees to will be agreeable to u.s."
Mr.. Lincoln continued, "Let Nj
Carroll come in tomorrow and we wi
see what can be done"
LINCoLN's IDEA OF PRACTICAL POLITICS
This is the substance of the inter
view, and what most impressed m
was the evident fairness of the Presi
dent. We all felt that he meant to d
what was right and square in tn
matter. While he was not the man t
promote factious quarrels and difficu
ties within his party, he did not inten
to leave in the lurch the friends throug
whose exertions his nomination an
election ha! finally been brought abou
At the same time he understood pei
fectly that we and our associates in tn
Republican body had not gone t
Chicago for the purpose of nominatin
him or of nominating any one in pa
ticular, but only to beat Mr.. Sewar
and to do the best that could be don
as regards the selection of the cand
date.
. Two years later entered the se
vice Of the War Department, and frol
that time until the close of the rebe
lion had constant opportunities {
seeing MIR. Lincoln and of conversin
with him in the cordial and unoffici
manner which he always preferred
Not that there was any lack of dignit
in the man. Even in his freest me
ments one always felt the presence {
a will and an intellectual power whic
maintained the ascendency Of tn
President. He never posed or put o
airs Or attempted to make any particl
lar impression ; but he was always cor
scious of his own ideas and respons
bilities even in his most unreserve
moments.
In one of the interesting passage
which occurred during this period
was not myself either principal actt
or personal witness, but l knew &
about it. My friend and colleague
the Hp. Peter H. Watson, who w
the earliest assistant secretary of w
appointed by Mr.. Stanton, had caug
70 some quarter r-masters in extensi'
. frauds in forage furnished to the Arm
Of the Potomac. The mode of Il
y fraud consisted in a dishonest mixtu
nj of oats and Indian corn. BY changil
rry the proportions of the two sorts
sr grain, they were able to make gre
c- difference in the cost, of the busht
and it was quite difficult to detect Il
w. cheat. However, Watson found it o
IL.