The National Republican Convention at Chicago in 1860--How Lincoln was nominated in preference to Seward--the Secession movement after the election--Trumbull makes a speech at Springfield which includes a brief statement of Republican policy written by Lincoln--Correspondence between Lincoln and Trumbull before the inauguration--Trumbull advises his friends in Chicago not to make concessions to those who threaten to overthrow the Government--He has a debate in the Senate with Jefferson Davis--Makes a speech at the night session, March 2, 1861, against the Crittenden Compromise--The latter defeated in the Senate by Yeas, 19; Nays, 20--Some items of Washington society news from Mrs. Trumbull--Interview between President Buchanan and Judge McLean--Text of Trumbull's Speech against the Crittenden Compromise 102
Trumbull's interview with William Cullen Bryant, and others, who oppose William H. Seward as a member of Lincoln's Cabinet--They consider Seward's coterie in New York corrupt and dangerous--Trumbull communicates the objections to Lincoln--Lincoln thinks that the forces which backed Seward at the Chicago Convention must not be snubbed--He has already offered a place to Seward--The question of Cameron more difficult--David Davis's bargain with friends of Cameron and of Caleb Smith--Cameron tries to procure an invitation to Springfield, but Lincoln refuses--Leonard Swett gives invitation without Lincoln's authority--Cameron visits Springfield and secures promise of Cabinet position from Lincoln--A. K. McClure protests against Cameron's appointment and Lincoln requests Cameron to decline--Cameron does not decline--Trumbull advises Lincoln not to appoint Cameron--Lincoln's Illinois friends protest against Cameron--Trumbull urges appointment of Judd--Seward and Weed support Cameron, who is finally appointed Secretary of War--Trumbull, reëlected as Senator, becomes Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary--The last great service of Senator Douglas to his country--His death and Trumbull's tribute to his memory 139
The Senate appoints a committee to ask the President to recall the appointment of Harvey as Minister to Portugal--He had notified Governor Pickens of the Government's intention to relieve Fort Sumter--Trumbull a member of the committee--Seward says that he did not know of Harvey's action till after the appointment was made--In fact, Seward gave the information to Harvey intending that he should send it to Pickens--John Hay's Diary says that Lincoln, before his inauguration, offered to evacuate Fort Sumter--Also that he repeated the offer after inauguration--This confirms a narrative of John Minor Botts--The controversy between Botts and J. B. Baldwin concerning the latter's interview with Lincoln on April 5, 1861--Reasons for believing that Botts's story is true--Remarkable interview between Douglas and Seward as to Fort Sumter 155