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Lincoln's Battle With His Cabinet
Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many historians as the greatest
president ever to stand at America's helm. This reputation is extremely
well deserved, as Lincoln was able to preserve the Union and gain victory
in the civil war, despite his fighting an uphill battle against his own
presidential cabinet. Had he not been struggling against this divided
government, President Lincoln could have achieved victory with extreme
efficiency and a minimum of wanton bloodshed (Angle 659).
After Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, he was forced to
battle a split cabinet because of campaign promises made to various
Republican factions, which made it almost mandatory for certain individuals
to be appointed to cabinet posts. He ruled his cabinet with an iron hand,
and often acted without cabinet consent or advice. Although his opponents
called his method of rule "dictatorial" and "unconstitutional," it was the
only effective way to get anything done (Simmons 142).
In the beginning, Lincoln's secretary of state, William H. Seward,
clearly considered himself the President's superior, and blandly offered to
assume the executive responsibility. He entered the cabinet with the
thought of becoming the power behind the Presidential chair and openly
opposed Lincoln's control of the Union. This made Lincoln's position as
Chief of State exceedingly difficult and hindered his communication and
control of the military. As time passed, however, Seward recognized
Lincoln's capabilities and gave him complete loyalty (Simmons 174).
This could not be said of Salmon P. Chase, Lincoln's first
secretary of the treasury. Blinded by an inflated ego, Chase pursued his
own presidential aspirations. He was in constant conflict with Seward, and
in general opposition to Lincoln, particularly over the issue of slavery.
Chase has been described as "jealous of the President," and "overly
ambitious." Lincoln's personal secretary, John Nicolay, wrote, "There is
enough in Chase's letters abusing Lincoln behind his back for quite a
scorcher." He grew so furious with the President's capable rule that he
finally resigned his position (Williams 202).
Another weak link in Lincoln's cabinet was his first secretary of
war, Simon Cameron. He was considered an honest politician, being that he
"would stay bought when he was bought." His reputation as a swindler caused
dissent among the cabinet, and he permitted so much inefficiency and
corruption in his department that Lincoln welcomed an excuse to relieve him
of his post (Angle, 660).
Cameron's successor, Edwin M. Stanton was a man who shared Seward's
initial opinion of the President, but who made an excellent secretary of
war. Prior to his appointment, Stanton had strongly criticized Lincoln,
and mistrusted his motives. In fact, he was later accused of masterminding
the plot to assassinate Lincoln. Although no proof was found to
substantiate the charge, many historians today lend credence to the
accusation. Stanton's rudeness and intolerance made him many enemies in
the cabinet, and one of his most bitter foes was Gideon Welles, secretary
of the navy. This lead to many heated debates within the cabinet which
obstructed the efficiency of the organization (Simmons 181).
Welles' performance as a member of the cabinet was unmatched by any
of the others, but he was frequently squabbling fiercely with Stanton.
Welles opposed Stanton's every move and therefore, strategic progress was
slow (Williams, 212).
And thus, in the face of staggering odds, and playing with a deck
stacked against him, Lincoln emerges gloriously triumphant. His good acts
have been magnified and his opposition overlooked in the passage of time.
Even so, Lincoln, against all odds, looms as the greatest of Presidents.
Works Cited
Angle, Todd. "Abraham Lincoln." Collier's Encyclopedia. 1986. Simmons,
Henry E. A Concise Encyclopedia of the Civil War. New York: The Fairfax
Press, 1986.
Williams, T. Harry. Lincoln and His Generals. New York: Alfred A Knopf,
1952.
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