Evening journal., 1912-04-19
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
HOw Grant Selected HiS
First Secretary Of the
Treasury
BIZ Holland


of the cabinet to the United States
Senate shortly after his inauguration
on March A, 1869, both the Senate and
the country were astonished to learn
that his nominee for Secretary of the
Treasury was the great merchant
prince Of that day, A. T. Stewart.
There had not been the slightest inti-
nation that the President had contem-
plated the appointment.
Speedily it was discovered that Mr..
Stewart was ineligible because Fed
eral law prohibited the appointment Of
any one as Secretary Of the Treas
ury who was an importer Of foreign
goods. Deeply disappointed, the Presi-
dent withdrew the name of A. T. Stew
art, and then gave the country another
surprise by sending the name of Geo.
S. Boutwell, of Massachusetts to the
Senate as his nomination for Secre-
tary of the Treasury. But to no one
did the Presidents appointment of
George S. Boutwell, as Secretary Of the
Treasury come as a greater surprise
than to Mr. Boutwell, himself.
On the afternoon OF the day that the
nomination of A. r. Stewart as Secre-
tary of the Treasury was withdrawn,
Mr.. Boutwell,, then in Congress, re-
ceived a communication from Presi-
dent Grant asking him to call at the
White House on the evening of that
day. Mr.. Boutwell, had scarcely taken
his scat in response to that summons
when the President said to him:
Mr., Boutwell,, I am going to send
your name to the Senate tomorrow for
or aaf firm nf
Treasury"
For a moment Mr.. Boutwell, was so
greatly astonished that he was unable
TO make any reply Al last he said:
Mr. President, may / ask why you
have selected me for so great an
honor when there are so many other
men more competent than l to serve
as Secretary OF the Treasury"
IL have selected you Mr.. Boutwell,
partly, because of your long expert
ence in the House of Representatives
and partly because l have recently
learned of your great service as the
commissioner who organized the in
ternal revenue department of the
United States early in the war. What
you then, did has remained practical
| ly unchanged to this day. Your record
as commissioner of internal revenue
Of itself qualities you for service as
Secretary of the Treasury"
But" said Mr. Boutwell,, II would
not feel justified in accepting the Of
fice of Secretary Of the Treasury un-
less could be assured that the as.
sistant secretary would be a man oi
ability and congonial to me"
In that view you are quite right,
-said President Grant; II will see to Il
that any man whom you select for as
sistant secretary is appointed.
But said Mr.. Boutwell,, won
that put you in antagonism with SOM
of the pollticians2 You will be bese
by politicians who want this or tina
man appointed assistant secretary"
Mr.. BoVtwell while am Presiden
the Treaeuty Dopartmeul OF the Unit
ed States Will not be ril by the poll
ticians. Can YOU thinkNof any goo
man for assistant secretary
Yes: he is william A Richardson
now a Judge Of one Of the Massachu
setts courts But I doubt If he woul
accept appointment have heard tC
day that Governor Claflin OF Massa
chusetts is going to nominate MI
Richardson for Judge of one Of tn
higher courts of Massachusetts.
fact his commission is already mad
out"
well" said President Grant. 81 hav
no doubt that if you communicate tc
night with Mr. Richardson and tel
him that he is needed at Washingto
that he is to be Assistant Secretar
of the Treasury under you he will re
gard il as his duty as a citizen to aC
cept the appointment, even at person
al sacrifice"
Thereupon, Mr.. Boutwell, said h
would telegraph to Mr. Richardson. in
forming him precisely what the Presi
dent had said.
Next day he received from Mr.. Rich
ardson a reply stating that, althoug
Governor Clafin had made out hi
commission as Judge Of the Superio
Court OF Massachusetts life posi-
ton, practically he fel
the force of what the President ha
said and would accept appointment a
Assistant Secretary of the Treasur,
President Grant never forgot thi
sacrifice on Judge Richardson's par
and when Mr. Boutwell, resigned a
Secretary of the Treasury Grant AZ
pointed William A. Richardson to tn
vacant chair.
Copyright. 1912. by e. J. Edwards
All rights reserved
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards viii tell d"
Story of the Origin of the America