The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-29

New ork Evening Post. was likewise
caught in similar peculations, Wil>
liam Cullen Bryant and his son-in-
law. 4. L. Godkin. declared war on
the navy department. The strange
things that were done TO save this
"high-toned' thief suggest recent
events In more ways than one.
When, however. the diarist tells US
in tho most circumstantial way that
when Seward was touring the West
In 1850 in behalf OF the Republican
cause he stopped ut Springfield and
waited for Lincoln to cali on him in
his car, and when the candidate ap-
peared Seward affected not to know
him at first. but finally recognized and
greeted him eondescendingly. we ara
somewhat astonished. But surprise
becomes amazement when next hs
shows how Seward sent Weed to
Springfield to tell the President select
10 visit him at Albany in the winter
of is6o-Si and talk over cabinet mat
ters! Weed made the request OF Linz
coin and found that the latter was
not inclined to make the desired visit.
Then Weed said that William Henry
! Harrison had visited Clay at Ashland
In 1904. To which Lincoln's sense
OF humor suggested the reply: That
/ may be, but somehow I was neve1
! a great admirer of Harrison" Lincoln
did not 80 to Canossa, and Seward
declared that he would not accept
office under the new President---a dec
ciaration which was 30 often repeat
ed that men believed ne expected n
seat In the cabinet: at any rate, wa
know he did not decline when tha
offer was at last made. None OF
Stewards biographers have empha<
sized these unfortunate facts. perhaps
/ TEap hnNa mn hasn ~
Welies co-operated with Lincoln Ia
bringing about tho nomination of
Andrew johnson AZ Vice President
and after the death OF the President
ne was prompt to give his loyal sup<
port to the new chief, He had been
Il mainstay of i4incolns in times Of
| greatest stress: he WIS the one mems
/ Der OF Johnsons cabinet who never
! betrayed his chief. Al ieas; such Is
/ the showing OF the diary. and tho
evidence Ii convincing. Seward again
| essayed his role of patronizing HIS
| chief He managed" and sohem ed
and betrayed until WeIles advised a
| breakup OF the cabinet. Thuriow
| Weed Henry ]. RaymonS. Stanton
| and Seward were In frequent secret
| conference In Washington. in New
York city Or Albany. they encour-
aged the radicals in their course to.
/ Ndid inc beiPieSa Noulu ana even
consented TO the Impeachment pro-
ceedings. The President knew OF thu
| treachery OF Seward and Stanton. but
/ did not feel strong enough to dis
niiss them: finally Stanton went so
! far In his hostility to the administrs-
| ton that Johnson sounded General
! Grant to know II he would accept
the war portfolio. Grant agreed to
accept. but when Stanton was dis
1 T. r.
| dismissed minister and In a short
while proved more treacherous to
his chief than his predecessor had
/ been. There was a most painful cab
! met session, IN which the general
acknowledged his duplicity and was
convicted of telling the President
| fa'sehoods. =
1t Ia painful reading: this careful
! and honest record OF the weakness
! sind turnings and nnfaithfuiness OF
! great men--or at least Of men who
bore great regulations.
When Grant was elected President
g. public dinner was offered him IN
! New York city; the President elect
accepted in an open letter only on
condition that members Of Johnson's
cabinet should not sit down at the
same table! And when the inaugu.
ration came Grant sent word to the
I managers tIidt he WOutO not Tlde In
tho same carriage with the Presi-
dent nor come into any relations
Whatsoever with him. johnson re-
fused to participate in the ceremo-
| MES. though Seward besought him t.
yield and sacrifice his self-respect.
! The sturdy Tennesseean. much 4,
Welles' delight. refused 20 be "a tail
to Grants kite" and quietly vacated
the White House at noon of the day
when his official duties came to an
end. This was not good augury
! for the new administration. and II
| Is recognized by historians that thu
Grant presidency was tho worst IN
/, the history OF the country
These are soine Of the interesting
things In these interesting volumes;
| there IL muc;f else. No student OF the
I Civil War and reconstruction can af-
! ford to miss this work. IT is tho
ereatest diary in American historical
| literature after that OF John Quinn
| ~ adams: 1000 pages OF careful
| record Of events az they tran spired.
| of intrigues and nfalfeasance in Of
I Ace during a momentous crisis. No
| ono can consult Gideon Wellsr withs
/ out profit or without declining
respect for some OF the men who
have filled high stations in our Of,
! fetal life. Lincoln alone suffer. no
serious disparagement from. these
revelations
WILLIAM E. DtDDD
University >of Chicago. Dsa ~