Evening journal., 1912-03-05
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Lincoln Made a Cabinet
appointment
By Holland

So far as any of the public men of
the time knew. President Lincoln in
1864 chose William Pitt Fessenden as
Secretary Of the Treasury to succeed
Salmon ?. Chase, who resigned the
Treasury portfolio to accept appoint
ment as chief justice of the United
States Supreme Court, without con-
sultation with any one. not even with
any member OF his Cabinet.
The common impression among the
leaders of the Republican party at
Washington was that President Lin
coin would appoint as Chase's success
sor Senator h. d. Morgan of New
York, who had been governor Of New
York and chairman of the national Re-
publican committee In 1860, and who
was ON intimate business relations
with George Peabody, at that time the
head of the leading American banking
house of Great Britain All these con-
sideratione, it was thought would
strongly dispose President Lincoln to
ask Senator Morgan to become Secre-
tary Of the Treasury.
There was some delay in sending
the name Of Governor Chase's success
sor TO the Senate. Rumors were heard
that Senator Morgan had been asked
by the President to become Secretary
of the Treasury and had declined, say
ing that he preferred his seat in the
Senate. Mr. Fessenden, who was then
a United States Senator from Maine,
having heard, as he thought, from an
authoritative source that Senator
Morgan had declined the offer of the
treasury portfolio, called on President
Lincoln to urge the President to in
sist that Senator Morgan take the Of
| fee. What happened at the interview
afterward became known to a few OF
Lincoln's most intimate friends, but
there never was any public report Of
it. Said Senator Fessenden, practical
/ ly in these words, TO the President:
"This is not a time for any man to
/ shirk and responsibilities which. in
your Judgment, he ought to assume.
If Senator Morgan has declined to be-
/ come Secretary OF the Treasury, he
should be told that it is his duty as a
| public servant to accept this post.
These are critical times; you are
leading and guiding the Nation. If you
say to any public servant, I want you
to assist me in the work which l have
now in hand that statement should
be sufficient"
80 YOU think. Senator said Mr.
Lincoln, that if / want a man to serve
as Secretary Of the Treasury and ask
him to serve he ought to heed my re-
guest and accept the responsibilities? p
THAT is exactly what l mean, Mr.
President" said Senator Fessenden.
Very well, Senator" the President
replied, 81 shall send to the Senate to-
day the nomination for Secretary ol
the Treasury, and have no doubt that
the person I nominate and the Senate
will feel that If have thought it best
TO name this man for Secretary of the
Treasury, then he should accept and
the Senate should confirm him.
when Senator Morgan looks at il
i'm this light" said Senator Fessenden
81 am sure he Will feel compelled as d
public duty TO accept the appoint
ment"
Within an hour after the meetinl
OF the Senate that day an executive
clerk from the White House stepped
into the Senate chamber Vice-Presi
dent Hamlin announced that a com.
munication had been sent to the Sen
ate by the President. This communi
cation was read at the clerks desk L
contained the nomination of william
Pitt Fessenden as Secretary Of tn.
Treasury.
For a moment or two Senator Fes
sender seemed dumbfounded, then h'
arose from his seat and hastily lef
the Chamber When his colleagues
found him in the cloak room he was
still in some bewilderment. but h'
said: Il shall have to accept the ap
pointment, ] have already committed
myself Speedily the Senate went int
executive session and Immediately un
animously confirmed the nomination
of Mr.. Fessenden.
Copyright, 1912, by z. ]. Edwards
All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell o
"The Dollar That Became Twelve
Hundred