The San Francisco call., 1895-10-18
SALMON p. CHASE AND THE CALL
FORNIA SENATORS.

In his recently published "reminiscences of
Washington in Lincoln's Time, Noah Brooks
Whllom Washington correspondent during the
war OF the sacramento Union, gives an inter.
esLhe insight into certain strained relations
between salmon P. Chase, at that time Secre-
.arJ oI the treasury, and President Lincoln.
According to Mr.. Brooks, Secretary Chase was
lnordlnately jealous OF any apparent invasion
OF the appointing power of his office. He in
sisted that the head of an executive depart
ment should have exclusive control of all
appointments and removals in his branch of
the service. The result OF this theory, if put in
practice would of course be to deprive the Presi-
cent OF all power. even in the matter of
inc most trlding appointments Nevertheless,
the secretary OF the Treasury was implacable
IN ms determination to control all appoint
ments In his department, and carried every
point oy the sheer force of i'll temper and
tnreats OF resignation if crossed. Mr.. Brooks
gives a curious illustration OF this little weak
ness OF the Secretary, who afterward by Mr..
Llnc0lns nomination, became Chief Justice of
the supreme Court Some time early in 1868
tnere nad been thorough overhauling of the
chlef Federal offices in San Francisco, con-
.sty uuctea oy a special agent OF the Treasury De,
partment - Thomas Bowen, q confidential
friend OF Secretary Chase On his report it was
determined in the councils OF the depart
ment to make "clean sweep" which decision
was made known to the three California Con-
gressmen A. A. Sargent (afterward United
States Senator and subsequently Minister to
GGermanyl, F. F; Low afterward Minister to
Chlna) and L. G. Phelps. These gentlemen,
being informed by the Secretary that he in
tended making many changes, were invited
one evening TO his private Office in the Treas
ury nulIdlng, where they were given brief
summary OF Browns report, and Secretary
Chase blandly Informed them that he had re-
solved TO remove all the leading officials and
10 supply thelr places with new men. He then
read list OF the appointments as he had made
them out, and waited to see what the Con-
gressmen would say. But as he had already
announced that his decision was irrevocable,
thefe was nothing for them to say, and
presently they departed, deeply astonished.
A lew days after they paid their respects TO
the PRESIDENT and departed. Mr.: Phelps at
once took steamer for Panama, while'Messrs.
sargent and Low fingered for day or two in
New York. While they were there Mr.. Brooks
was one night urgently summoned by Mr..
Lincoln 10 come Immediately to the White
House. Upon his arriving there the President
told him that he had just learned of the step
which Secretary. Chase had taken without
consulting either him or the California Con-
gressmen and that the Congressman had left
washington very angry and discounted.
with some asperity of manner Mr.. Lincoln de-
sired to know if this was true. Brooks in
formed him that it was and recited the facts
as they had been told him by Messrs. Sargent,
Low and Phelps. The President then angrily
asked why Brooks had not told him this be-
fore, TO which he replied that it was not his
AFFAIR; thatso long as the Congressman had seen
lit to conceal their feelings of disappoint-
iueAt iolH the PRESIDENT Whon tney DaOe
him good-by, it certainly was not his (Brooks)
business to 'tell tales out of school,"
me PRESIDENT expressed his astonishement
that he had been kept in the dark about so
grave a matter as the emptying and filling OF
the most important Federal offices on the Pa
cine Coast. He then anxiously asked ii there
was any way by which the California Congress-
men could be reached and brought back to
Washington; and learning that Sargent and
Low were IN New York he requested Brooks to
telegraph them to return and consult with
President Lincoln. The dispatch was sent. The
two congressman returned and the slate so
carefully prepared by Secretary Chase was
eventually broken. Subsequently Mr.. Lin.
coin informed Brooks that Mr. Chase
was exceedingly hurt by the Presidents in
terference with his plans. curious outcome
or all this business was that Secretary Chase
having been disappointed in his scheme for
filing the office of Collector OF the Port of San
Francisco, insisted that one of the two Con-
gressmen who had returned TO Washington
should be appointed in place of the person
whom he (Chase) had previously selected for
the post. The President suggested that all
three OF the Congressman should get together
in San Francisco, agree upon the list OF ap-
pointments, and send it to him for ratification
and approval. This, however, seemed imprac-
ticable, and when Messrs. Sargent and Low
finally sailed fer San Francisco, Mr.. Low car
ried with him his commission as Collector of
the Port.