Year: 1874

coins READING TO THE CABINET


The life of Chief Justice Chase b,


Warden will contain the following ex
tract from Mr.. Chase's diary, date oi
Sept %. 1862:


All the members of the cabinet were
in attendance. There was some general
talk, and the president mentioned that
Artemas Ward had sent him his book


Proposed to read chapter which he
thought very funny. Read it, and seemed
to enjoy it very much the heads alsc
Except Stanton) of course. The chap
ter was High-handed Outrage at Uti
ca" The president then took grave
tone, and said:


Gentlemen, | have, as you are aware
thought great deal about the relation
of this war to slavery, and you all re.
member that, several weeks ago, | read
to you an order had prepared upon the
subject, which, on account of objections
made by some of you, was not issued.
Ever since then my mind has been much
occupied with this subject, and l have
thought all along that the time for act
ing on it might probably come. think
the time has come now. | wish it was a
better time. | wish that we we're in a
better condition. The action of the
army agaiest the rebels has not been
quite what | should have best liked.
But they have been driven out of Mary
land, aud Pennsylvania is no longer in
danger of invasion. When the rebel
army was at Frederick | determined, as
soon as it should be driven out of Mary
land, to issue proclamation of emanci-
patton, such as l thought most likely to
be useful. / said nothing to any one,
but l made promise to myself and
(hesitating a little) to my Maker. The
rebel army is now driven out, and / am
going to fulfill that promise. Ihave got
you together to hear what have written
down. | do not wish your advice about
the main matter, for that 1 have deter
mined for myself. This / say without
intending anything but respect for any
one of you. But | already know the
views of each on this question. They
have been heretofore expressed, and
have considered them as thoroughly and
carefully as / can. What have writ
ten is that which my reflections have de-
termined me to say. If there is any
thing in the expression / use or in any
minor matter which any one of you
thinks had best be changed, l shall be
glad to receive the suggestions. One
other observation | will make. l know
very we'll that many others might, in
this matter as in others, DO better than
| can; and if | was satisfied that the
public confidence was more fully DOS.
sessed by any one of them than by me,
and knew of any constitutional way in
which he could be put in my place he
should have it. would gladly yield it
to him. But, though / believe that
have not so much of the confidence of
the people as l had some time since, l
do not know that, all things considered,
any other person has more and, how
ever this may be, there is no way in
which | can have any other man put
where | am. | am here. / must do the
best | can, and bear the responsibility of
taking the course which feel / ought to
take"


The president then proceeded to read
his emancipation proclamation, making
remarks on the several parts as be went
on, and showing that he had fully con-
sidered the subjects in all the lights un-
der which it had been presented to him.


After he had closed, Gov. Seward
said : "The general question having been
decided, nothing can be said further
about that. Would it not, however,
make the proclamation more clear and
decided to leave out all reference TO the
act being sustained during the incum-
bency OF the present president and not |
merely say that the government recog-
lizes, but that it will maintain the free
1om it proclaims ?"


| next followed, saying -" What you
nave said, Mr.. President, fully sat
SIZES me that you have given to every
which has been made a kind |
md candid consideration. And you
iave now expressed the conclusion to
which you have arrived clearly and dis
inctly. This it was your right, and.
lnder your oath of Office, your duty to |
10. The proclamation does not, indeed.
mark out the course l would myself pre-
er; but l am ready to take it Just as it
3 written and to stand by it with all my
'eart. L think, however, the sugges-
ions OF Governor Seward very judicious,
md shall be glad to have them adopted"


The president then asked us severally
ur opinions as to the notifications pro-
'osed, saying that be did not care much
bout the phrases he had used. Every
ma 20 uorad fba ,ood,Hoa..o. - :. |