Year: 1864

gains and refused to write any. such letter;
but it is said that he intilnated that he, as
a military officer, was under the or
ders of the President, and if the latter or.
dered him, to take the field he would
have to or resign. Thus Blair was compell-
ed to return to Washing gton with q big
flea in his ear, and as badly nonplussed
as Montgomery Blair was, few weeks
since, when he wrote a letter to General
Grant asking him to pledge himself not to
allow his name to be used as a, Presiden-
tial candidate against Old Abe, when that
officer replied that he was not politician,
but military officer, and had nothing to
do with politics, and would make no
pledges. 4'''''s@- ".' ''' '' .'l' ''i ~.
b The result of all this is that Blair re-
turned in decidedly Dad state of mind.
He declares that it won't do to give Nc
Olellan command unless he agrees not
to allow his name to be used; for that
will be equivalent to the administration
. taking everything back that they have
done egainst him and acknowledging to
the world that they were all wrorg in re-
moving him and treating him as they have,
which will be equivalent to giving Little
Mac one-half of the republican vote in
November. This, of course, won't do.
All say that even if Mcclellan should
agree to it he could not expect anything
but ten times worse treatment than he has
ever had before just as soon as the cleo
tion is over, or perhaps Immediately upon
the Chicago Convention nominating their
candidate. The interests of the country,
to say nothing of his own. make the ac-
ceptance of any such proposition as Blair's
absurd, preposterous, and, l might say,
criminal. None but an Id, worn out DO
litical hack like Blair could have possibly
made any such proposition. In tho mean
time the troubles in tho Kitchen Cabinet
are on. the increase. New perplexing sub
jects are constantly turning up. Forney
and Seward are both uneasy, and, seeing
the drift of affairs, have. arranged that
Forney shall let some one else take charge
of the bottles for the campaign, and he 20
abroad. Accordingly fussy Forney is to
leave soon for Europe. The expenses of
this trip are to be paid out of the
secret service fund Of the Department
Of State, this having been arranged by
Seward. The fact of the matter ia, Lincoln,
Seward and their colleagues behind the
scenes all have great doubts in regard to
the success Of their party in November


In fact, they are convinced that defeat is
not an improbable thing. Secretary Sew
ard is shaping his course accordingly. He
still aspires to and lives in hopes of the
Presidency, and has an idea that he can
accomplish it four years hence, and in that
view may not worry himself much about
this campaign, or whether his ruse to Cor
win proves true or false. But FOrney,
feeling lat the defeat is probable, goes to
Europe to avoid taking part in what he
fears will be an unsuccessful campaign.
he will remain until after the election is
over, and if Lincoln is defeated will say if
he had been in the country it would not
have happened, and thus shirk all respon-
sibility. The truth of the matter is, every
thing looks very much as though the whole
pack Of Republican managers desire Old
Abes defeat, except the Blsirs, who are
running him. He is the Blair family idol
just now. .v,0.f..t "a I...,.-


Events which are transpiring here look
very much as though even Cameron, who
labored 30 hard to name Lincoln first in
the Baltimore Convention, was about Civ
ing up the contest. and that the leaders
in the West are fast folding their arms in
disgust. The above facts of the working
of matters behind the scenes you may rely
upon. The visit of old Blair and bisinter-
view with Mcclellan l have upon as good
authority as though Mr.. Blair had written
them out or informed me in person. That
Of Forney going to Europe, and his ar
rangement with Seward, is from person
high in the republican party, and intimate
with both, and can be relied upon in all
its details. I might adj other facts, but
these are enough for to-day, to give the
readers of the Herald some 'dea of the
present condition of the Kitchen Cabinet


Old Blair is again back at work trying to
make Old Abe's boots shine; but he ap-
pears very sour and uneasy. No wonder
that Forney wants to leave the country.
The sight of the kitchen arr angements is
sickening even to such old hands in dirty
wator as FOrney. I shall probably be able
to furnish another chapter in few days.