Identifier: abrahamlincol1479coff (find matches)
Title: Abraham Lincoln
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Coffin, Charles Carleton, 1823-1896 Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Sovereign Grand Lodge
Subjects: Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 Presidents
Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant

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e Secretary of the Treasury must be a man of marked ability—one who would command the confidence of the people. Thei864^ Grovernment must have money. Unless it was obtained the ar-mies could not be kept in the field. William P. Fessenden,Senator from Maine, chairman of the Finance Committee, commandedthe confidence of the country. () He would appoint him. Mr. Fessenden is in the anteroom and would like to see you, saidone of the secretaries in the morning. Here, take this to the Senate. Mr. Fessenden is not to come in tillafter you have started, said Mr. Lincoln. After the departure of the secretary, Mr. Fessenden entered the ex-ecutive chamber. He did not know what the President had done. Mr. President, said Mr. Fessenden, allow me to suggest Mr.McCuUoch as a suitable person for the Treasury Department. He sees a smile upon Mr. Lincolns face, and soon learns its meaning. Mr. Senator, I have just sent your name to the Senate. Mr. Fessenden springs from his chair. SUMMER OF 1864. 419
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WILLIAM P. FESSENDEN. Mr. President, you must withdraw^ it. I cannot, I cannot accept it. No, Mr. Fessenden, I cannot withdraw it. I want you. You must decline it before tlie public if you really cannot take it. The nomination was confirmed without a dissenting voice in the Senate. Republicans and Democrats alike knew, esteemed, and honored Mr. Fessenden. 420 LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. It is very singular, Mr. Lincoln said, considering that this ap-pointment is so popular when made, that no one ever mentioned hisname to me for that place. Thinking over the matter, two or threepoints occurred to me: his thorough acquaintance with the business—as chairman of the Senate Committee of Finance he knows as muchof this special subject as Mr. Chase; he possesses a national reputa-tion and the confidence of the country; he is a radical, without thepetulant and vicious fretfulness of many radicals. There are reasonswhy this appointment ought to be very agreeable to him. For sometime past he has

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