Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-16
arcnuRE ON NIoo1AY.


equaled only by his arrogance in as
Stunning to speak for Abraham Lincoln
In matters about which Nicolay was
never consulted and of which he had no
more knowledge than any other routine
clerk about the White House. l do not
regret that Mr. Nicolay has rushed into
y dispute that must lead to the clear
establishment Of the exact truth as to
the defeat of Hamlin in 1864 1t will
surely greatly impair if not destroy
Nicholay's hitherto generally accepted
claim to accuracy as the biographer of
Lincoln, but he can complain OF none
but himself.
l saw Abraham Lincoln at all hours
Of the day and night during his Presi-
Dental service, and he has himself
abundantly testified to the trust that
existed between us. Having had the
direction Of his battle in the pivotal
state of the union, he doubtless accorded
me more credit than | merited, as the
only success in politics and war is sue
cess; and the fact that never sought or
desired honors or profits from his adj
ministration, and never embarrassed
him with eyactions of any kind, made
our relations the most grateful memo
ries Of my life.
In all of the many grave political
emergencies arising from the new and
often appalling duties imposed by inter-
necine war, was one Of those called to
the inner councils Of Abraham Lincoln.
BE distrusted his own judgment in poll
si'tics and was ever careful to gather the
best counsels from all the varied shades
OF opinion and interest to guide him in
his conclusions; and there were not only
scores of confidential conferences in the
White House of which John G. Nicolay
never heard, but no man ever met, or
heard of, John G. Nicolay in such coun-
ellis. He was good mechanical, rou-
tine clerk: he was utterly inefficient as
the secretary of the Presidents; his re-
moval was earnestly pressed upon Lin
coin on more than one occasion because
OF his want of tact and fitness for his
trust, and only the proverbial kind
ness of Lincoln saved him
from dismissal He saw and knew
President Lincoln; the man Abraham
Lincoln he never saw and never knew
and his assumption that he was the
trusted repository Of Lincoln's conf
dental convictions and efforts would
have been regarded as grotesque quar-
-. ter OF century ago, when Lincoln and
his close surroundings were well under
stood. His biography of Lincoln is in
valuable as an accurate history of the
public acts of the Lincoln administra
ton, but there is not chapter or pag,
on the inner personal attributes of tht
man that is not burdened with unpar
donable errors. Nicolay was a plod
ding, precise, mechanical clerk; wei
fitted to preserve historical data anC
present them intelligently and correctly
but there his fitness as a Geographic
ended.
now repeat that, in obedience to
Geographic request from President Lin
coin, visited him at the White Iious
the day before the Baltimore convention
of 1854. At that interview Mr.. Lincoll
earnestly explained why the nomina
ton of well-known southern man lik
Andrew Johnson-who had been con
gresham, governor and senator by tn
favor of his state-would not onl
nationalize the Republican party AM
the government, but would great
lessen the grave peril of the recognitio
of the Confederacy by England an
France. He believed that the electo
to the presidency of a represents
tive statesman from an insurger
state that had been restored TO tn
Union, would disarm the enemies of tn
Republic abroad and remove the load {
sectionalism from the government tha
seemed to greatly hinder peace. N
iptiination, no trace of prejudice again
Mr.. Hamlin was exhibited, and | we
Anew that no such consideration coul
feave influenced Mr. Lincoln in such a
emergency. Had he believed Mr.. Han
lin to be the nan who could best pr,
mote the great work whose directio
fell solely upon himself, he would hay
! favored Hamlins nomination regardle
of his personal wishes; but he believe
that great public achievement woul
be attained by the election of JOIN
son, and returned to Baltimore
work and vote for johnson, althoue
-. against all my personal predictions
the matter
Mr.. Nicolay's public telegram to Nj
1amlin saying that the foregoing stat
nent is entirely erroneous" is rs ms
ent as it is false; and the correctness
my statement is not even inferential
contradicted by Nicoay's Quotatit
from Lincoln. On the contrary, Mic
lays statement given in his Listo
(vol. o, pages 72-3l, proves simply til
Nicolay was dress parading at Baitimo
and knew nothing OF the Prcslden
purposes. True, he seems to assuI
that he had responsible charge of {
Executive duties, as he says that "
Nicolay wrote letter 10 MIR Hay, "
had been left in charge Of the EXecuti
Office asking whether Leonard Swe
tone of the Presidents most intim;
friends" was "all right ia lrgi
the nomination of Judge Advocate-ge
eral Holt for president. Had Nit
lay ever learned anything in the WI
House, he would have known that f
living men Leonard SWEET was the o
most trusted by Abraham Lincoln, u
he should have known that when Wv
was opposing lIamlin, Lincoln was
yearning for Hamlin's renominatil
Then comes Iincoln's answer to Mi
lays bolnbastic query, saying s.
is unquestionably all right and becai
Lincoln did not proclaim himself f,
by giving Nicolay IN opportunity
herald Lincoln's sacredly private e.
victions as 10 the ce-presidency,
assumes that lie has i4incohi's writ
words" to justify his contradiction Of
circumstantial statenentand an eXecu
purpose of which he could have hud
knowledge. When Leonard SWEET =
against Hamlin none could escape
conclusion that opposition to Ham
was no offence to Lincoln. | saw d
conferred with SWEET almost every Ii,
Of the period Of the convention.
both labored TO nominate johnson, (;
SWEET made Holt, who was an impo
l1 tttlif Il IA s. t..