[45] But, says Swinton, there was less disproportion
than usual; for the great army which Hooker had had
before Chancellorsville had been greatly reduced,
both by casualties and by the expiration of terms of
service. On May 13 he reported that his “marching
force of infantry” was “about 80,000 men.”
A little later the cavalry was reported at 4677. Army
of Potomac, 310.
[46] Swinton says that whether Meade should have attacked
or not, “will probably always remain one of
those questions about which men will differ.”
He inclines to think that Meade was right. Army
of Potomac, 369, 370.
[47] Grant disliked Rosecrans, and is said to have
asked for this change.
SUNDRIES
It has been pleasant to emerge from the dismal winter
of 1862-63 into the sun-gleam of the Fourth of July
of the latter year. But it is necessary to return
for a while into that dusky gloom, for the career of
a “war president” is by no means wholly
a series of campaigns. Domestic politics, foreign
relations, finance, make their several demands.
Concerning one of these topics, at least, there is
little to be said. One day, in a period of financial
stress, Mr. Chase expressed a wish to introduce to
the President a delegation of bankers, who had come
to Washington to discuss the existing condition with
regard to money. “Money!” exclaimed
Mr. Lincoln, “I don’t know anything about
‘money’! I never had enough of my
own to fret me, and I have no opinion about it any
way.” Accordingly, throughout his administration
he left the whole subject in the hands of the secretary
of the treasury. The tariffs and internal revenue
bills, the legal tender notes, the “five-twenties,”
the “ten-forties,” and the “seven-thirties,”
all the loans, the national banking system, in short,
all the financial schemes of the administration were
adopted by Mr. Lincoln upon the recommendation of
Mr. Chase, with little apparent study upon his own
part. Satisfied of the ability of his secretary,
he gave to all the Treasury measures his loyal support.
In return, he expected the necessary funds to be forthcoming;
for he had implicit confidence in the willingness of
the people to pay the bills of the Union; and he expected
the secretary to arrange methods by which they could
do so with reasonable convenience. Mr. Chase
was cast for the role of magician, familiar with those
incantations which could keep the Treasury ever full.
It was well thus, for in fact no word or incident
in Mr. Lincoln’s life indicates that he had
any capacity whatsoever in financiering. To live
within his income and pay his dues with a minute and
careful punctuality made the limit of his dealings
and his interest in money matters.
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