. Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson . ttle called this morn-ing to breakfast, having just arrived from New is sore, and dissatisfied with New York trickery andmanagement. We went together to the President, withwhom I had an appointment at ten. They both mani-fested feelings almost of resentment. I felt as much disgusttowards the proceedings and towards Seymours nomina-tion as either of them, but said: Here is Grant, ignorant,untruthful, and unreliable, as we all know, and behindhim is the important question of State rights as againstcentral despoti
. Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson . ttle called this morn-ing to breakfast, having just arrived from New is sore, and dissatisfied with New York trickery andmanagement. We went together to the President, withwhom I had an appointment at ten. They both mani-fested feelings almost of resentment. I felt as much disgusttowards the proceedings and towards Seymours nomina-tion as either of them, but said: Here is Grant, ignorant,untruthful, and unreliable, as we all know, and behindhim is the important question of State rights as againstcentral despotism. Much as we may dislike Seymour andthe disingenuousness of our New York friends, our courseis plain. Seymour, though a heartless politician, timid,selfish, and the devotee of party discipline and partymanagement, will be compelled to go with his friends,whom he has the sagacity to know to be right. Grant weknow to be wholly incompetent. To this both President spoke with some bitterness, I thought, ofBlairs letter, as overturning things, etc. I inquired if. JAMES R. DOOLITTLE NEW YORK LIC LIBRARY 1868] TALK WITH THE PRESIDENT 403 they were not to be overturned, — whether these fraud-ulent governments imposed on the States by a usurpingCongress were to be sanctioned and legalized, or whetherthe legitimate governments were to be permitted in timeto regain their place. The President went into the librarywithout a word. Doolittle conversed with me. On other occasions, when I have brought forward thesepoints, the President has been disinclined to discuss have never been matters of Cabinet discussion, —that is, the future of these Reconstruction questions. Ihave no doubt that Seward is for submission, acquiescence,although he has never said so in words, but that is the bentof his mind; and he easily influences the President. After Doolittle left and we had finished business, thePresident seemed inclined to talk. Said Seymour had notlifted a finger to sust
Size: 1320px × 1894px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherbostonnewyorkhough
