L~N COLN LORE Bulletin of the Lincoln National Life Foundation • • • - - Dr. Louis A. Warren, Editor Published each week by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, Indiana Number 939 FORT WAYNE, INDIANA April 7, 1947 CALEB BLOOD SMITH-INTERIOR DEPARTMENT Several books whieb have come Chicago no "impl'oper pledges" were for his official family. The fact that !tom the press during the past few asked, "as they wet·e not, and could no member of a President's cabinet yens and especially one of 1946 vin­ not be given/1 had ever been chosen from Indiana tage by Hendrick have c>·eated a new Aside from the ubargain" accusa­ would make a strong appeal for repre· interest in the activities of Lincoln's tion another influence which helped to sentation and between Colfax and cabinet members. Tho opening of the place Sn1ith in the lowest bracket of Smith, Lincoln had gone on record as Lincoln manuscripts in the Library of Lincoln's early cabinet appointees was favoring Smith. Congress this coming July 'viii also the organized opposition to his eleva­ A more far reaching attack on bring to the front again Lincoln's re· tion to the pOrtfolio. Colfax, a fellow Smith was made in the Cincinnati lations 'vith the me>nbers of his otri­ Hoosier was using every possible Commercial which alleged that Smith cial family. It has been thought that a means of gaining the seat and his was dishonest, a mnn of double deal­ brief chronicle and A few comments friends did not hesitate to discredit ings and lacking in business capacity. about the men who served with Lin­ Smith. Lincoln's letter to Colfax after Richard Thompson of Terre Haute coln in the cabinet during the period the appOintment of Smith will be re­ wrote to Smith and asked him if of the Civil War might 6e timely at memliered. The President said in part. there was any special cause for these various intervals in l .. incoln 1-A>re. 01When your name was brought for­ attacks in the Cmcinnati paper. From Possibly it might be well to intro­ ward f said, 'Colfax is a young man Smith's reply it appears that he had duce at the beginning one of the more been retained as counsel in a suit obscure members appointed by Jlfr. CALEB BLOOD S~UTH brought against the newspaper for Lincoln to o cabinet post. Among the ''wanton li6cls" and the case was com­ flrst seven men chosen Caleb l3lood Born, Boston, Massachusetts, April 16, 1808. promised by the Commercial paying Smith. Secretary of the Interior would expenses and making humiliattng re­ rank as the least knov.'1l. Various esti­ Moved with parents to Ohio, 1814 tractions." Another count the pa1'er mates have been placed on Smith's Attended Cincinnati College had against Smith was his OI>pOsibon qualifications {or the oiTice, none of Graduated front Miami University to uJim Day once elected to Con.g·ress them flattering nnd possibly all of Read law at Connersville, Indiana by the know-nothing vote." Smith them too severe. Admitted to the bar, 1828 claimed that the Commercial was Would there have been an oppor­ "very must controlled by Jim Day" tunity for any one, appointed as sec­ Founded and edited lmlimra Sentinel, who was defeated in the election in retary of the rather unimportant De­ 1832 J858 and who charged his defeat to partment of the Interior, to distin­ ~!ember Indiana House of Representa­ Smith "without cause." Smith stated guish himseli in the short time (March tives. 1833-1836 in the letter to Thompson that "Day is 5, 1861-January 1, 1863) which Smith Speaker of Bouse, 1836 the most malignant devil I ever knew." served? Did Smith's predecessors in Grand Master of Free ~lasonry in In­ There seems to be tendency in mod­ the office, Ewing of Ohio, McKennan diana from 1838-1844 ern biography to give more emphasis of Pennsylvania, Stewart of Virginia Elected to 28th, 29th, 30th Congresses, to what a man's enemies say about and Thompson of Mississippi show 1843-1849 him than the testimonies of his outranking capacity to Smith at the friends. The attorney with whom time of their appointments to the Sec­ President of Cincinnati and Chicago Smith as a young man studied law retaryship of the Interior Depart­ R. R. in 1852 stated in a biographical sketch of him ment? It seems an unfair supposition President Elector in 1840 and in 1856 prepared for pubhcntion. to expect Smith to display any supe­ Delegate at large, Chicago Convention "Few men in the West have filled rior talents com1'arable to contem­ S..:onded the nominntion for Lincoln a larger space in tha public eye than poraries situated >n the more colorful the subject of this sketch.... He rose cabinet posts. at Con\·ention Seconded the motion that Hamlin's rapidly at the bar1 was remarkably One would think, after reading some nomination be made unanimous fluent, rapid and eloquent before the of the stQries o! how Smith promised jury, never at a loss for ideas or words support of Lincoln by the Indiana del­ i\lember of committee to notify Lin­ to express them.... He was one of egates at the Chicago Convention in coln of nomination the most eloquent and powerful stump el<change for a place in the cabinet, Member of the Pence Congress of 1861 speakers in the United States.... " that he had introduced log rolling into Secretary of Interior, Jlla:rch 5, 1861- The most important letter in the politics. It would be interesting to Jnnunry 1, 1863 I>oundation Collection written by know what percentage of state dele­ Caleb Smith as a cabinet member was gations at any po1itical convention be­ (38), is already in position, is run.. addressed to Richard Thompson on fore or alter 1860 have not in some ning a brillinnt career and is sure of April 16, 1861, the day after the tiring direct or indirect way expected pat­ a bright future in any event: with on Sumpter. He said In part: "I ad­ ronage for their votes. Smith, never­ Smith it is now or never'." At tbis vocated before the Cabinet the imme· theless, greatly injured his place in time Smith was o3 years old and one diate evacuation of Fort Sumpter. history by doing openly what so many of his friends who aitcr an interval of After a good deal of discussion the politicians did secretly. some yenrs met him in 1858 said: President finally concluded to send Lincoln's letter to Smith written on "How changed; nge has mm·ked him provisions. G<>v. Pickens was formally May 26, 1860, shortly altar the con­ visibly, his bead was bald, his cheeks notified that our expedition would vention, will be recalled. It contained furrowed, his eyes sunken, and cov.. carry neither men nor arms but our this acknowledgment: u1 am indeed ered with glasses." Lincoln was right only object was to supply our men much indebted to Indiana and as my about ''now or never" for Smith be· with food. They refused to admit the home friends tell me, much to you cause he died a year after he resigned supplies and commenced the attack. personally." On January 2, 1861, Jesse from the cabinet. We must now either vindicate the Fell wrote to Lincoln: "Cabinet places Eliminating all the discussion about pOwer of the government or make an should go to Indiana and Pennsyl­ the Davis-Smith bargain, it is likely unconditional surrender. We have vania," although as late as that date that i! no pledge had been made Lin­ concluded to test the power of the Fell seems to have been sure that at coln would have chosen some Hoosier government to protect >tself." .