Abe Lincoln

president ever to stand at America's helm. This reputation is extremely well

deserved, as Lincoln was able to preserve the Union and gain victory in the

civil war, despite his fighting an uphill battle against his own presidential

cabinet. Had he not been struggling against this divided government, President

Lincoln could have achieved victory with extreme efficiency and a minimum of

wanton bloodshed. After Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, he

was forced to battle a split cabinet because of campaign promises made to

various Republican factions, which made it almost mandatory for certain

individuals to be appointed to cabinet posts. He ruled his cabinet with an iron

hand, 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.

Common topics in this essay:
President Lincoln, Edwin Stanton, Abraham Lincoln, Chase Lincoln's, Stanton Welles, Simon Cameron, John Nicolay, William Seward, Gideon Welles, Union Lincoln's, own presidential, lincoln's secretary, abraham lincoln, secretary war,

Approximate Word count = 564
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Already a member? Click here