Page 452
To Salmon P. Chase1Jump to section
Executive Mansion, July 18, 1861.
My dear Sir: I can scarcely avoid an ``unpleasantness,'' not to say a difficulty, or rupture, respectively with Mr. Senator King and Mr. Speaker Grow, unless I can find a place for each a man. Mr. Grow, knowing I have Mr. King on hand, as well as himself, was here this morning, insisting that the second and fifth auditorships are still open, and that I might give them to Mr. King's man and to his. Is the fact so? Are those places open? If they are, you would both oblige and relieve me by letting them go as indicated. Grow's man is Joseph E. Streeter,2Jump to section really of Illinois (no acquaintance of mine), but, as Grow says, to be charged to Pennsylvania. King's man is --- Smith,3Jump to section of Minnesota. I neither know him nor remember his Christian name as given by Mr. King. Yours as ever, A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] NH, VI, 329-30. Chase wrote to Lincoln, July 6, 1861, ``Senator King presented the papers of a Mr. Smith [Simeon Smith?] of Minn. for auditor and recommended another Mr Smith [Delano T. Smith] of Minn. for the like place.
``He withdrew the papers of the first Mr. Smith & the other Mr. Smith was made Chief Clerk in the 3d Auditor's office sometime ago, with an understanding that he wd be recommended for appointment as Auditor when the public interests seem to allow. . . . '' (DLC-RTL). On July 19, Chase replied to Lincoln's letter of July 18, ``Neither of the places . . . can be fairly considered as open. One is promised with your sanction to the gentleman who now fills the chief clerkship [Ezra B. French?]. . . . For the other you have named several gentlemen. . . . '' (DLC-RTL). Ezra B. French was second auditor and John C. Underwood fifth auditor, as of September 30, 1861.
[2] Joseph E. Streeter was nominated associate justice of Nebraska Territory, December 9, 1861, and confirmed January 22, 1862.
[3] Probably Simeon Smith. See memorandum, April 2, supra, and note.