Lincolns Battle With His Cabinet

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.

User Comments