Evening journal., 1912-05-02
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Hitherto UnSOlved Cab
met Mystery
By Holland

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 Lincolns closest
friends. All through the movement
that resulted in Lincolns 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 II. Seward
we're the two men who met him at the
railroad station and conducted him
to his hotel; and all through the war
Washburnes counsel was sought by
the president It was due to Wash
burne's recommendations that Lin
coin nominated Colonel U. 5
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
Washburne, who represented the Ca
lena, Qll.) district in Congress from
1858 to 1869
After Grant had become PRESIDENT
elect, and when he was turning over
in his mind the composition of his
cabinet, he fixed at once upon two
men for places in it. One was Elihu
b Washburne, Of Illinois, for Secre.
tary Of State, and the other was Gen.
eral Jacob d. Cox, Of Ohio. for Secre-
tary Of the Interior. He felt sure 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 yoW
have in mind to bestow upon me-" was
Washburne's reply, when Grant Of
fered him the State Department, but
/ should rather serve as minister to
France. The situation in that empire
has been intensely interesting to me
for some time. ! am sure that exeit-
ing times await France. and ! would
like to witness them at first 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 in this country in
charge OF the diplomatic business Of
the government: and he reminded Mr.
Washburne Of the great prestige and
honor attached to the position of
Secretary of State. Mr. Washburne
confessed knowledge of that prestige
and honor. and yet. he frankly stated
that If he were TO have any official APP
pointment from the new administra
ton. he much preferred to be made
minister TO France
So the matter stood between the
two men until General Grant declared
fatty that only by appointing Mr..
Washburne Secretary Of State could
he express fully his appreciation Of
the relation that had heen establish
ed between him and Mr. Washburne
But" the General added, "if you
should still desire to 20 10 France az
ter you have been Secretary of state
for a while. you can resign-yon can
resign as soon as you care 10 do so
/ after you have taken the office-and
then your name will be sent to the
Senate Immediately as that of the new
minister 70 France"
So Elihu b. Washburn became Sec
retary of State-and great was the
surprise Of the country. when after
only two weeks service in the cabi-
net. he resigned therefrom and was at
once nominated as minister to France.
All sorts of surmises and eXplana-
tions OF the move we're made, but
here for the first time Is told the real
/ history Of that unprecedented resig-
nation Of Q superior office 10 take a
subordinate place under It.
II should be added that Mr.. Wash
Burne's service as minister to France
has become traditional in diplomatic
history He was the only Diplomatic
representative who remained in Paris
throughout the bloody period Of the
/ Commune During the Franco-Prus-
sian war he represented the German
interests in France and during the
siege OF Paris he was of great SER
vice not only to the United States but
also to the people Of other nations
who were caught in Paris at that
critical period At one time he stood
between them and the most desperate
danger.
Copyright 1912. by e J. Edwards.
All rfoI,ta rocort-oI