But Then, As Is
Ever The Case With Such Men, There Came Suddenly A Downfall.
Mr.
Cameron went from the cabinet, and everybody knew that Mr. Seward
would be no longer commander of the commander-in-chief.
His prime
ministership was gone from him, and he sank down into the
comparatively humble position of Minister for Foreign Affairs. His
lettres de cachet no longer ran. His passport system was repealed.
His prisoners were released. And though it is too much to say that
writs of habeas corpus were no longer suspended, the effect and very
meaning of the suspension were at once altered. When I first left
Washington, Mr. Seward was the only minister of the cabinet whose
name was ever mentioned with reference to any great political
measure. When I returned to Washington, Mr. Stanton was Mr.
Lincoln's leading minister, and, as Secretary of War, had
practically the management of the army and of the internal police.
I have spoken here of Mr. Seward by name, and in my preceding
paragraphs I have alluded with some asperity to the dishonesty of
certain men who had obtained political power under Mr. Lincoln, and
used it for their own dishonest purposes. I trust that I may not be
understood as bringing any such charges against Mr. Seward. That
such dishonesty has been frightfully prevalent all men know who knew
anything of Washington during the year 1861. In a former chapter I
have alluded to this more at length, stating circumstances, and in
some cases giving the names of the persons charged with offenses.
Whenever I have done so, I have based my statements on the Van Wyck
report, and the evidence therein given. This is the published
report of a committee appointed by the house of Representatives; and
as it has been before the world for some months without refutation,
I think that I have a right to presume it to be true.* On no less
authority than this would I consider myself justified in bringing
any such charge. Of Mr. Seward's incompetency I have heard very
much among American politicians; much also of his ambition. With
worse offenses than these I have not heard him charged.
* I ought perhaps to state that General Fremont has published an
answer to the charges preferred against him. That answer refers
chiefly to matters of military capacity or incapacity, as to which I
have expressed no opinion. General Fremont does allude to the
accusations made against him regarding the building of the forts;
but in doing so he seem to me rather to admit than to deny the acts
as stated by the committee.
At the period of which I am writing, February, 1862, the long list
of military successes which attended the Northern army through the
late winter and early spring had commenced. Fort henry, on the
Tennessee River, had first been taken, and after that, Fort
Donelson, on the Cumberland River, also in the State, Tennessee.
Price had been driven out of Missouri into Arkansas by General
Curtis, acting under General Halleck's orders.
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