Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-23
the Office of the Secretary of the Sena te,
and was therefore within my observation.
MASTER or CLERICAL DETAIL

the Office of the Secretary of the Sena te,
and was therefore within my observation.
A MASTER OF CLERICAL DETAIL.
1t was the criticism of some of the old
clerks, some of whom had seen service as
ta- back as Quincy Adams, and could enact
the Webster reply to Hayne as they saw it,
that since Quincy Adams no Executive
papers came from the White House in better
shape. The credit of this must revert to
Mr.. Nicolay, as in the honors given to Mr..
Lincoln, I have seen none that would award
him prominence as master of clerical de-
tail.
John Hay, the associate of Nicolay, whose
face [ used to think looked like that of
Byron, when he flashed upon London
drawing rooms as the author of ''Childe
Harold" came to the White House from a
Rhode Island university. He was exceed
ingly handsome-a slight. graceful, boyish
fgure-''girl in boys clothes, Z" as 1 heard in
g sniff from some angry politician who had
perhaps, been compelled to lower his feet
from an executive table; brilliant, with the
promise which has since ripened into
splendid fulhllment; chivalrous, independ-
ent, with opinions on most questions, and
expressing them; a good deal in society;
writing verses, which it was my sacred
-
remote White House chambers; poetic
nuture-thoughts one time of being an
orange planter, because of the poetry in the
oranges; proud of army associations with a
passionate love for the memory of the fated
Ellsworth, in whom he saw Napoleonic
possibilities; reserved likewise with just a
shade of pride that did not make acquaint-
anceShip spontaneous; honest as sunshine,
as strong and brave as the seas. This young
thinker, who combined the genius for ro-
nance and politics as no one in my time
since Disraeli, was suited fer his place in
the Presidents family With such Presi-
dent as Lincoln-with such man at such a
time-no men were more appropriately
placed tnan Nicolay and Hay.
THEIR DIPLOMATIC ASPIRATIONS.
write this with reserve, as one is always
COY in writing about those who are living.
Even the things that should be said, that
you wish to say, are held back out of con-
sideration for the fine. sentiments. But
Nicolay and Hay were so much part of
the Lincoln administration, and are now so
much IN its history, that their true rela-
ton to it and their quality should be
known. Nor should the fact that at the
time of the death of Mr.. Lincoln they were
about to leave the Executive for the diplo-
matte service be construed. as l have seen
it, into the cruel intimation that they were
no longer needed. l knew the circumstances
OF the transfer at the time. Mr.. Nicolay
had served during the war. He was poor.
White House duties had destroyed pro-
fessiOnal opportunities. He was as he bad
generally been, in Indifferent health. The
Consulate to Paris, one of the most remun-
erative of the foreign places, was given to
him, that he might restore his health and
save some money. Hay was younger than
Nieolav, did not need money, but with high
purposes in the way Of knowledge. The
war was over, and the executive work
which he had done with SO much grace and
sincerity could be transferred to others. He
entered the diplomatic service, was under
Bigolow in France, Motley in Austria and
Sic1les in Spain. When he returned it was
with q satisfied ambition. One of the most
brilliant in the natural qualities of his in
tellect, he had made himself one of the most
scholarly and accomplished Americans of
his time.
1t is a matter of reproach to Mr.. Nicolay
and hIr. Hay, as l observe in the Mcclure
controversy, that they were never invited
10 the political conference" which took
up So much OF the Presidents time. Those
dreadful conferences" "a most exciting
Cabinet meeting to-day" as L remember
reading in humorous journal. Question,
the postotfice at Nlanayunk. Robson claims
ii because he carried lantern in the pro-
cessionS: ,Jobson, because he furnished the
oil; DobsOn, because he carried the bucket
Of water at the tail OF the procession. Ire
meHacus excitement. Cameron for Dobson,
Seward for Jo5son, the President inclined
TO Robson. Will decide in a week"
NO WONDER THEY STAYED AWAY
From these conferences-and this satire
was not an altogether unjust epitome of the
wretchGd wrangles forced upon the Presi-
dent-I can well conceive private secre-
tary shrinking, and it is quite intelligible
that Mr.. Nicolay, Mr.. Hay, or in fact any
secretary whose Young minds the President
held in esteem, would be Gebarred. There
ore times when the young folks are sent
from the table and hidden look up the fairy
stories in The library. They were not in
structive. l am afraid-could only be met
by the strong, healthy mind of Lincoln.
Here was q worn, over-driven, kindly Pres
ident, his mind upon the war, held at bay
by the meEdacity, ambition, chicanerv,
sentiment, hope, treachery, devotion of the
hour. What dreary, barren days, with
tone of business about it all, that one can
lot recall without pain.
i saw so and so 60 on down stairs"
eyes, :" said Lincoln, Il have just made his
son a general "a generalr' eyes," was
time to do something else" Indubitably
true, as told me by one who was present.
Strltes from the camp-oyer-rank, pay. pro-
motion, allOwances-no end to that sad bus
lness-something that one does not like to
recall on Decoration days, but part of the
time-a part of the work appointed to this
man, and to be considered, even with re-
morse and shame when We study his char
actcT and the conditions in which it flour
isbed. They call him humorous man. So
l often found him. A fiippant man. This
l heard, never saw. Would read Artemus
Ward at Cabinet meetings. This I was told
by Secretary Chase As L see it now, L can
well feel that but for this humor he would
have died. That rare, unspeakable blessing
was given him, by the gods TO save him from
q daily assassination.
GRrELEY's D1sTRUsT OF LINCOLN.
The estimate of Lincoln bv Horace Gree
lev, printed in a recent number of The Gen.
tujy 1 read with deep interest, more espe- /
cialiy as between the lines you see Greeley's
distTust of the Presidents This, L remem-
Der, was the impression made upon me when
I read il at the time ii was written by Gree
ley. Lincoln" as 1 have heard him say,
"was half a statesman and half horse
Jockey" Greeley was recalling Mr.. Lin
coins sudden disavowal of him in the
Niagara Falls negotiations He felt as if,
in the Biblical phrase, the pit had been
digged for him, and that he had fallen
through the contriving of the digger. The
Niagara Falls business was undoubtedly
seized upon by Lincoln for the emasculation
OF has most powerful and persistent critic
And &c Lincoln was entirely human, where
the hrmanities came into play, he could not
avoid tho fact that his critic was at his
mercy, under moral bonds to keep the peace
Whether this was the Presidents intent or