No matter of special importance; nothing but current
business in Cabinet. Seward and Stanton were not present. The latter seems to
make it a point recently not to attend. Others, therefore, run to him. I will
not. Military operations are of late managed at the War Department,
irrespective of the rest of the Cabinet, or of all who do not go there. This is
not difficult, for the President spends much of his time there. Seward and
Chase make daily visitations to Stanton, sometimes two or three times daily. I
have not the time, nor do I want the privilege, though I doubtless could have
it for Stanton treats me respectfully and with as much confidence as he does
any one when I approach him, except Seward. But I cannot run to the War
Department and pay court in order to obtain information that should be given.
Chase does this, complains because he is compelled to do it, and then, when not
bluffed, becomes reconciled. To-day he expressed great disgust towards Halleck;
says Halleck has done nothing while the Rebels were concentrating, has sent no
reinforcements to Rosecrans and did not propose to send any. Those that had
gone were ordered by Stanton. Halleck, he said, was good for nothing, and everybody
knew it but the President.
A large delegation of extreme party men is here from
Missouri to see the President and Cabinet. So intense and fierce in their party
animosities, that they would, if in their power, be more revengeful — inflict
greater injury — on those Republicans, friends of the Administration, who do
not conform to their extreme radical and fanatical views than on the Rebels in
the field. The hate and narrow partisanship exhibited in many of the States,
when there should be some forbearance, some tolerance, some spirit of kindness,
are among the saddest features of the times.
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30,
1864, p. 447-8
No comments:
Post a Comment