Abe Lincoln
With his cabinet Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many historians as the greatestpresident ever to stand at America's helm. This reputation is extremely welldeserved, as Lincoln was able to preserve the Union and gain victory in thecivil war, despite his fighting an uphill battle against his own presidentialcabinet. Had he not been struggling against this divided government, PresidentLincoln could have achieved victory with extreme efficiency and a minimum ofwanton bloodshed. After Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, hewas forced to battle a split cabinet because of campaign promises made tovarious Republican factions, which made it almost mandatory for certainindividuals to be appointed to cabinet posts. He ruled his cabinet with an ironhand, and often acted without cabinet consent or advice
Prior to his appointment, Stanton had strongly criticized Lincoln, and mistrusted his motives. Although no proof was found to substantiate the charge, many historians today lend credence to the accusation. Welles' performance as a member of the cabinet was unmatched by any of the others, but he was frequently squabbling fiercely with Stanton. Seward, clearly considered himself the President's superior, and blandly offered to assume the executive responsibility. This lead to many heated debates within the cabinet, which obstructed the efficiency of the organization. Chase has been described as "jealous of the President," and "overly ambitious. He was in constant conflict with Seward, and in general opposition to Lincoln, particularly over the issue of slavery. 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. In the beginning, Lincoln's secretary of state, William H. Stanton was a man who shared Seward's initial opinion of the President, but who made an excellent secretary of war. As time passed, however, Seward recognized Lincoln's capabilities and gave him complete loyalty. Stanton's rudeness and intolerance made him many enemies in the cabinet, and one of his most bitter foes were Gideon Welles, secretary of the navy.
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Acceptance Essays
