Evening journal., 1911-03-15
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Hitherto UnSOIVed Cabinet
Mystery
BY "HOIIand."


No comprehensive history Of either
Lincoln or Grant could be written
without the appearance many times
of the name Of Elihu B. Washburne.
He was one Of Lincoln's closest
friends. All through the movement
that resulted in Lincoln's nomination
for and election to the Presidency he
was in intimate touch With Lincoln
When Lincoln slipped quietly into
Washington for the Inauguration,
Washburne and William H. Seward
we're the two men who met him at the
railroad station and conducted him to
his hotel; and all through the war
Washburne's counsel was sought by
the President It was due to Wash
burne's recommendations that Lin
coin nominated Colonel L. s. Grant
to be a brigadier-general, and many
other times throughout the war Grant
had reason TO feel grateful for the
friendship and good offices OF Wash
burne, who represented the Galena
Oll.) district In Congress from 1853
to 1869.
After Grant had become President
elect and when he was turning over
in his mind the composition of his
cabinet, be fixed at once upon twc
men for places in It, One was Elihu
B. Washburne, of Illinois, for Secrc-
tary of State, and the other was Cen
eral Jacob d. Cox, of Ohio, for Secre-
"a aF h. Int 81
that Washburne especially would be
pleased to be called to the premier
cabinet position. but to Grants sur
prise this shortly turned out to be
not the case
Il appreciate greatly the honor you
have in mind 10 bestow upon me-"
was Washburne's reply. when Grant
offered him the State Department.
but ! should rather serve as Minis
ter to France. The situation I'm that
empire has been intensely interesting
TO me for some time. am sure that
exciting times await France. and 7
would like to witness them at frs,
hand as our minister at the French
court"
Thereupon Grant intimated strong.
ly to Mr. Washburne that personally
he would greatly prefer to have his
friend remain I'm this country In
charge Of the diplomatic business Of
the Government; and he reminded Mr.
Washburne of the great prestige ane
honor attached to the nosition of Sec.
retary Of State. Mr.. Washburne con.
fessed knowledge of that prestige ant
honor and yet. re frankly stated thai
II he we're to have any Official an
pointment from the new administra
ton. he much preferred to be mad,
Minister to France.
So the matter stood between III,
two men until General Grant declare,
fatty that only by appointing Mr.
Washburne Secretary OF State coul,
he express fully his appreciation q
the relation that had been establishe,
between him and Mr. Washburne
But" the General added. "if vo,
should still desire to go to Franc
after you have been Secretary of stat
for awhile. you canresign-you ca,
resign as soon as you care TO do :,
after you have taken the ofice-an
then your name will be sent to IN
Senate Immediately as that OF IN
new Minister to France
~ IAAAu - NocuUuiuC became Sec
retary Of State-and great was III
surprise Of the country, when afte
only two weeks service in the cahine
he resigned therefrom and was q
once nominated as Minister to Franc.
All sorts Of surmises and explana
tions Of the move were made. bu
here for the first time is told the rea
history Of that unprecedented resis
nation OF a superior Office to take
subordinate place under It.
II should be added that Mr. Wash
burne's service as Minister to Franc
has become traditional in diplomat
history. He was the only diplomat
representative who remained In Pari
throughout the bloody period Of tn
Commune. During the Franco -Prus
sian war he represented the Germa
Interests In France and during IN
siege Of Paris he was Of great servic
not only to the United States but ais
TO the people of other nations VIII
were caught In Paris at that critics
period. At one time he stood betvee
them and the most desperate DANCE
Copyright. 1911. by E. ]. Edward
All rights reserved.)