Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

President Lincoln met the demand of
the republican senatorial caucus for a
cabinet reorganization with
LincOln'S frmness that prevented
IT.. what would probably have
1AnesS. been disastrous shift in
the administrative organization. In The
Star of December %. 1862. is the follow
ing comment on the situation:
I'VE feel sure that the President. in reply
to the recent tender Of their designations
by the three members of the cabinet who
took that step last week. has requested
them to continue in the discharge OF
their respective ministerial functions.
with an intimation that he entertains no
idea of the severance of their official as
ISOLATION. 1t is understood that Messrs.
Seward. Chase and Blair only had ten
dered their designations before this action
OF the President induced the others to
decline sending in theirs. This course
on the part of President Lincoln was by
no means unexpected to u.s. inasmuch as
we felt perfectly sure that the investiga-
ton OF the possibility of administering
the government under entirely radical
auspices would very speedily convince
him that it could not be done. The
reader will please not understand us as
intimating a belief that the President has
at any time entertained that purpose;
though acceptance of Mr. Stewards res
ignation and closer utilization with the in
f1uences that inaugurated the senatorial
caucus proceedings inducing the course
OF Mr.. S. would have amounted to moth
al 10,
1t was. at least. questionable whether
the withdrawal of Mr.. Seward from his
present position would not have precipi-
tated the administration clearly into a
minority in both houses Of Congress upon
every point objectionable to the repub-
ilcan party conservatives-that is, dur
ing the balance of the life of the present
Congress. After the 4th Of March
next. had an attempt been made to place
the affairs Of the country wholly in the
keeping Of the radicals. their policy
would have been sustained by hardly
more than corporars guard in the
Much criticism Of the Army of the Po-
tomac for its failure to carry the Con-
federate position at Fred
PRESIDENTS ericksburg followed the
praiee withdrawal of the Federal
forces across the Kappa
hammock. In The Star of December %.
1862. is the following, which indicates that
this feeling was not shared i'm the highest
administrative circles:
The following touchingly eloquent adj
dress of the President. taken in connec-
ton with Gen. Burnside's report, which
we published yesterday. forms chapter
in the history of this war hardly less
creditable. indeed. to human nature than
to the distinguished authors of the two
papers themselves:
10 the Army of the Potomac: | have
Just read your commanding generals pre-
urinary report of the battle of Freder-
lcksDurg. Although you We're not sue
cessful. the attempt was not an error,
nor the failure other than an accident.
The courage with which you, in an open
field. maintained the contest against an
entrenched foe and the consummate skill
and success with which you crossed and
recrossed in the face of the enemy show
that you possess all the qualities of a
great army. which will yet give victory to
the cause of the country and of popular
government. Condoling with the mourn
ers for the dead, and sympathizing with
the severely wounded, / congratulate you
that the number of both is comparatively
so small. l tender to you, officers and
soldiers. the thanks of the nation
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
AS time passed the refusal of the Pres
ident to yield to the radicals of the Sem
ate in the matter of the
Foreign cabinet officers whose res
10000 ignatiOns were demanded
appeared to have been
most fortunate for the country, especially
with reference to the judgment of foreign
powers respecting the prospects of the
Confederacy. In The Star of December "a.
1862. is this comment:
During the recent cabinet imbroglio we
heard from more than one we'll informed
source of the serious solicitude felt and
expressed by the ministers of the various
foreign powers as to the future of our
country. The resignation of the Secretary
of State under such circumstances was
generally pronounced to be the beginning
Of the disruption of the governments
disruption which in all revolutions COM
mences with faction and divided coun-
sells, and ends in chaotic ruin. When the
gloom was increased by the announcement
of the resignation of the Secretary of the
Treasury, whose services were felt to be
not less Indispensable i'm his department
than those of the Secretary of State in
his, this view of affairs was strongly con-
firmed. That the contemplated change I'm
at every European court, there is little
reason to doubt What new schemes of in
PREVENTION would have been built upon
it, and how far they would have been
successful. who can tell? Fortunately,
this additional trial of our national
strength has been averted. and the steam
err of today will take out the Intelligence
that the American government, in cir
cumstanceS under which many another
government has succumbed. has displayed
only new proof of her stability. 1t is
due to the foreign ministers to say that
we are informed and believe that their
congratulations upon the judicious action
OF the President are not less sincere than
those of our own citiZens:'
Railroad travel fifty years ago was not
luxurious especially as there were many
people who failed, in using
Railroad the transportation facil
ties, to consider the rights
ne1oIM. of others. The following
in The Star Of December -.
1862, indicates, however, that some ad-
vance was being made toward better con-
ditions:
Passengers travelling between this city
and New York are loud in praise of the
late arrangements of the companies COM
posing the line of railroads between the
two cities to secure the greater comfort
of their patrons than the latter were
heretofore able to enjoy. No passenger is
now permitted to incommOde his fellows
by monopoliZing seats that he or she has
not paid for. while others in the car may