Mr. Lincoln's estimate of the grandeur of Mr. Chase's services, and of the substantial greatness and nobility of his character, was not diminished by the estrangement which had arisen between them, for in the very heat of it he had said: "Of all the great men I have ever known, Chase is equal to about one and a half of the best of them." With his own hand he wrote out the nomination, and sent it to the Senate with a profound sense of the propriety and fitness of the act. This was on the 6th of December, 1864. The Senate confirmed the nomination without a reference. Mr. Chase arrived in Washington in the evening of that same day, and Mrs. Sprague had the happiness first to salute her father with the august title of Chief-Justice. Mr. Chase believed the attainment of this office to be the summit of his ambition, and before sleeping wrote the President a note of grateful thanks, declaring, however, that more than office he prized the Presi dent's friendship and good-will.

CHAPTER XLVI.

Mr. Chase to the President.

“WASHINGTON, December 20, 1862.

RESIGN the office of Secretary of the Treasury, which I have had the honor to hold under your appointment.

"Whatever service my successor may desire of me, in making him acquainted with the condition and operations of the department, will be most cheerfully rendered. ..."

The President to Mr. Chase.

"December 20, 1862.

"Hon. Secretary of the Treasury: Please do not go out of town.

The President to Mr. Seward and Mr. Chase.

"EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, December 20, 1862.

".... You have respectively tendered me your resignations as Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. I am apprised of the circumstances which may render this course personally desirable to each of you; but after most anxious consideration, my deliberate judgment is that the public interest does not admit of it. I have therefore to request that you will resume the duties of your respective departments.

Mr. Seward to Mr. Chase.

"WASHINGTON, December 21, 1862.

"... I have this morning sent to the President a note of which the inclosed is a copy. . . . ""

...

Mr. Seward's Note to the President.

"DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, December 21, 1862; Sunday Morning. ... I have cheerfully resumed the functions of this department, in obedience to your command. . . .”

Mr. Chase to Mr. Seward.

"CORNER E AND SIXTH STREETS, WASHINGTON, December 21, 1862.

. . . . I have received your note, and also a call from Mr. Nicolay, to whom I have promised to send the President an answer to-morrow morning.

"My reflections strengthen my conviction that being once honorably out of the Cabinet, no important public interest now requires my return to it. If I yield this judgment, it will be in deference to apprehensions which really seem to me to be unfounded. I will sleep on it. . . .”

Mr. Chase to the President.

"WASHINGTON, December 22, 1862.

". . . . On Saturday afternoon I received your note addressed to Mr. Seward and myself, desiring us to resume the charge of our respective departments. I had just written you a letter expressing quite another judg. ment, and that you may fully understand my sentiments I now send that letter to you.

"Your note of course required me to reconsider my views; and a further reason for reconsideration was next day furnished, in the receipt from Mr. Seward of a copy of his reply to a note from you-identical with that sent to me-announcing that he had resumed the duties of the State Depart

ment.

"I cannot say that reflection has much, if at all, changed my original impression; but it has led me to the conclusion that I ought in this matter to conform my action to your judgment and wishes.

"I shall therefore resume my post as Secretary of the Treasury; ready, however, at any moment to resign it, if, in your judgment, the success of your Administration may be in the slightest degree promoted thereby.

· ..

Mr. Chase to the President.—Copy of Letter alluded to in the Foregoing Note. "WASHINGTON, December 20, 1862.

.

I intended going to Philadelphia this afternoon, but shall of course observe your direction not to go out of town.

"Will you allow me to say that something you said or looked, when I handed you my resignation this morning, made on my mind the impression that having received the resignations both of Governor Seward and myself, you felt that you could relieve yourself from trouble by declining to accept either, and that this feeling was one of gratification?

"Let me assure you that few things could give me so much satisfaction as to promote, in any way, your comfort, especially if I might promote at the same time the success of your Administration, and the good of the country which is so near your heart.

"But I am very far from desiring you to decline accepting my resignation; very far from thinking, indeed, that its non-acceptance and my

THE CASE OF MARK HOWARD.

491

continuance in the Treasury Department will be most for your comfort or for the benefit of the country.

"On the contrary, I could not if I would, conceal from myself that recent events have too rudely jostled the unity of your Cabinet, and disclosed an opinion too deeply seated, and too generally received in Congress and in the country, to be safely disregarded, that the concord in judgment and action, essential to successful administration, does not prevail among its members.

"By some, the embarrassment of administration is attributed to me; by others to Mr. Seward; by others still to other heads of departments. Now, neither Mr. Seward nor myself is essential to you or to the country. We both earnestly wish to be relieved from the oppressive charge of our respective departments, and we have both placed our resignations in your hands.

"A resignation is a grave act; never performed by a right-minded man without forethought or with reserve. I tendered mine from a sense of duty to the country, to you, and to myself; and I tendered it to be accepted. So did, as you have been fully assured, Mr. Seward tender his.

"I trust, therefore, that you will regard yourself as completely relieved from all personal considerations. It is my honest conviction that we can both better serve you and the country at this time as private citizens than in your Cabinet.

"Retiring from the post to which you called me, let me assure you that I shall carry with me even a deeper respect and a warmer affection for you than I brought with me into it.

Mr. Chase to the President.

"WASHINGTON, February 27, 1863.

66

I learned to-day at the Senate-Chamber that the nomination of Mark Howard, to be collector of internal revenue for the First District of Connecticut, was rejected by that body.

"It is due to Mr. Howard to say that a no more faithful, capable, or honest man, has been appointed to any collectorship under the law; and that he has performed the responsible duties of the office to the entire satisfaction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and myself.

"I am told by Senators that Mr. Howard's nomination was rejected at the instance of Senator Dixon, and merely in deference to his personal wishes, notwithstanding the unanimous report of the Committee on Finance in favor of confirmation, and without the slightest impeachment of the character or capacity of the nominee.

"Such, I have no doubt, is the fact; and I feel bound by my duty to an honest man, to your Administration, and to the public interests placed under my charge in this department, to protest, most respectfully, against the appointment to the vacancy created by this rejection, of any person recommended by the gentleman who procured it. Such an apppointment

would, indeed, manifestly tend to the grossest abuses; for if gentlemen hostile to a particular nominee, or eager to secure his place for some favorite, can expect to control the appointment, after rejection, it is manifest that confirmations will depend less on merit than on animosity or favoritism.

"In my judgment, Mr. Howard should be renominated in order that the Senate may have an opportunity to reconsider its action, calmly and dispassionately. His renomination, under the circumstances, seems to me a simple act of justice to him, and a proper assertion of your own right to have your nominations considered on their merits.

“I, therefore, send a renomination for your consideration, and your signature, if approved.

"Should your judgment differ from mine on this point, I shall ask permission to recommend some other person, selected on the same considerations which governed my original recommendation of Mr. Howard, namely, capacity, integrity, and fidelity to the country and to your Adminis

tration.

After much reflection, and with a good deal of pain that it is adverse to your wish, I have concluded that it is best not to renominate Mr. Howard for collector of internal revenue at Hartford. Senator Dixon, residing at Hartford, and Mr. Loomis, the representative of the district, join in recommending Edward Goodman for the place, and so far no one has presented a different name. I will thank you, therefore, to send me a nomination at once for Mr. Goodman. . . .”

Mr. Chase to the President, but not sent.

"WASHINGTON, March 8, 1863.

". . . . Finding myself unable to approve the manner in which selections for appointment to important trusts in this department have been recently made, and being unwilling to remain responsible for its administration, under existing circumstances, I respectfully resign the office of Secretary of the Treasury. . . ."

Mr. Chase to the President.

"WASHINGTON, May 11, 1863.

'. . . . Some weeks ago you verbally directed me to investigate the papers connected with the case of collector of the Puget Sound district, and to report the result to you.

"Almost immediately afterward, important business of my department called me to the Eastern cities. On leaving, I directed the Assistant Secretary to examine all the papers, arrange them in proper order, and make a brief of the contents, so that, on my return, I could at once make the investigation you required.