The Calumet news., 1912-02-12
". ]. CALBRA|TH
ON ABE LINCOLN
Continued From Page One.
this TO your mind. let me turn aside to-
sketch political situation.
Complex Sitaution.


Complex Sitaution.
William ii. Seward. twice governor
and twice senator from the state OF
New York, was recognized everywhere
as the leader of the new Republican
party. s. Z. Chase, the senator from
Ohio. was looked upon as second in
rank in the Republican party. J. G.
Fremont, who was the idol of the west,
known throughout the west as Free
mont, the pathfinder was TIE first
Republican candidate. Four years be-
fore he had received over million
votes us anti-slave or abolition candi-
date for president. Then Horace Gree
lev editor of the Tribune. was aboli-
ZIONIST and Republican, and man who
stood high i'm the ranks Of the Repuh-
lcan party. Edwin NJ. Stanton, a life
long Democrat man who had spent
his time almost exclusively as an adj
vocate, who had stood as United
States attorney general during the last
two years of Buchanan's administra-
tion. was also 10 play great part In
this terrible drama at the Republican
convention i'm which Lincoln was NOM
mated in 1860.
William II. Seward and $. i. Chase
we're candidates for the Republican
nomination. As you know. Seward
lead on the first ballot and on the sec
cnd ballot, but on the third ballot
Lincoln was nominated by narrow
margin, and II was almost Immediately,
upon the suggestion of friend of Sc
wards, made unanimous.
Lincoln's Cabinet.
Seward was college man, a rare
debater. an accomplished lawyer. a
thorough politician. Chase was nearly
his equal. Fremont was of the West,
man of F'reich descent with the in
dustry and energy OF his race. Lincoln
is inaugurated. as you know, with sew
en- OF the wealthy states of the Union
in secession. In Kentucky. a seces-
sion convention is in progress and at
tempts are being made to take Mis-
souri, and Maryland out of the Union.
Lincoln must form a cabinet and
whom shall he take? or course, Sc
ward is looked upon as the man who
shall be secretary of state. Chase Is
locked upon by some as man lit for
secretary of the treasury. and Cameron
OF Pennsylvania, for the secretaryship
of war, but among these mon there arc
peculiar traits. Seward accepts the
portfolio and then refuses. Chase re-
fuses Il first and is, only upon the ex-
treme solicitation of lincoln. led "a
accept the position. Cameron comes
highly recommended and proved him.
self entirely unfit for the position.
Rare Self Control.
Seward looks upon himself as head
of the party and as such to dictate 10
President Lincoln what he shall do,
He even had the effrontcry on the first
of April. some twenty-seven days af-
ter Lincoln is inauguratcd. to suggest
to him that SO far the administration
has been q failure; that somebody
must take absolute control and with
the suggestion that he Is the some
body who must take control A bit
OF rare imrstii,ence you would say.
yet, the presil.nt with his patience
and largeness of character. never as
long as he lives shows Stewards letter
to but one man. agrees with Seward
that somebody must take charge OF
the affairs md closes the affair with
the statement that he Is that some
body. Seward is surprised and cha
grined. but being man Of sterling
patriotism acts in absolute harmony
with Lincoln. Chase is a great man az
brooks no counsel. is scarcely on
speaking terms with Lincoln at this
ume but Lincoln. simply because of
his large heartedness is determined
that II shall not be a personal adminis-
tration, but that Il shall be for the
good Of the Union. No matter what
may be Chasc's personal peculiarities.
no Is peculiarly fitted for the office of
Secretary of the Treasury. "he is my
Indispensable man." said Lincoln
Another Crisis.
Then came the crisis In the War De-
partment. As I said. Stanton was a
hie long Democrat. In 1856. he had
met Lincoln in Cincinnati. They were
employed as joint counsel on a case
before the United States District Court
az Cincinnati. In which John II. Nanny
and Cyrus w. Mccormack were the
iltigants. The litigation grew out of
rival claims touching the invention OF
the then new method of reaping grains.
stanton had long experience before
the United States Courts. This was
Lncoln's first opportunity to appear
IL an important case outside Of the
state of illinois. During the case II
developed that either stanton or Lin
coin must speak TO the Court. Stanton
had the honor of presenting the case
tnubbing Lincoln brutaliy, speaking oI
MN as being a tall. ungainly man
dressed In a dirty juster. who he did
not think possessed either force oil
ability"