Received yesterday a note from Chase that the President
proposed to change two of the nominees under the new tax law in Connecticut.
Called on the President, and stated to him I did it as a duty, that duty alone
impelled me. He said he fully believed it, and was glad to do me the justice to
say that in matters of appointments, patronage, I had never given him any trouble.
Having an appointment this Friday morning at 9 with the President, I met there
Babcock1 and Platt2 of Connecticut. They had called and
stated their case, which was extremely unjust to Mr. Howard, and, turning to
me, Mr. B. said H. claimed he had procured or secured my appointment. The
President said he had a slight acquaintance with Mr. H. himself. Had met him in
Illinois and knew him as a friend of mine. Had received letters from him
expressing regard for me, and one signed jointly by H. and Senator Dixon. But
these gentlemen did not originate his action in relation to my appointment. “The
truth is,” said he, — “and I may as well state the facts to you, for others
know them, — on the day of the Presidential election, the operator of the
telegraph in Springfield placed his instrument at my disposal. I was there
without leaving, after the returns began to come in, until we had enough to
satisfy us how the election had gone. This was about two in the morning of
Wednesday. I went home, but not to get much sleep, for I then felt, as I never
had before, the responsibility that was upon me. I began at once to feel that I
needed support, — others to share with me the burden. This was on Wednesday
morning, and before the sun went down I had made up my Cabinet. It was almost
the same that I finally appointed. One or two changes were made, and the
particular position of one or two was unsettled. My mind was fixed on Mr.
Welles as the member from New England on that Wednesday. Some other names
passed through my thoughts, and some persons were afterwards pressed upon me,
but the man and the place were fixed in my mind then, as it now is. My choice
was confirmed by Mr. H., by Senator Dixon, Preston King, Vice-President Hamlin,
Governor Morgan, and others, but the selection was my own, and not theirs, and
Mr. H. is under a mistake in what he says.”
_______________
1 James F. Babcock, editor of the New Haven Palladium.
Lincoln appointed him Collector at New Haven.
2 O. H. Platt, subsequently United States
Senator.
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864,
p. 81-2
