An Office Seeker Visits Lincoln

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011

A good group of three early war-date letters, totaling eleven pages, written by Samuel Storer, between March 2 through April 29, 1861 to his wife Sarah Parker R. Goodwin Storer [daughter of New Hampshire Governor Ichabod Goodwin] on his efforts to receive an appointment under Lincoln, in small part: "…[Willard's Hotel, Washington, March 2, 1861]…John N. Goodwin called to see me…he & the Maine delegation would signify their preference for me. So far his is good…last evening, Judge Spalding of Buffalo, member of Congress, & who entrained Mr. Lincoln, Hardin & Seward etc at dinner the other day here desired the post, if it is so, my chances are rather slim. Still I do not intend to give up. I have left my paper with Marston for the New Hampshire delegation to look over. Whilst in his room this morning Preston came in…I was through the Patent & Post offices & all the Departments…the evening call at Blair's who it is said is sure for the Navy!…in passing by the Presidents house…Mr. Buchanan came out & passed me…I had a good look at him. He is quite gray or rather his hair is white, he had a frock coat, broad business hat, white cravat & the stump of a cigar in his mouth. He looked very slovenly & common & there was a squint…in his eye, that struck me very disagreeably. The crowd is still increasing, there were over 200 registered here at Willard's from nine to twelve o'clock today…the price now is four dollars a day…I saw several members of our delegation on the Avenue this morning; they told me Gov. Yates stopped in Philadelphia & will be here this evening…I see John Smith as seldom as I do any other person in the House. He has not offered to show me the objects of interests here so I have to go my way alone, but when Boardman gets here we can go together…I told you the other day that I had been to the War Department with Smith; it proves to have been the Treasury! So you see how little he is to be [?] on in the most trifling matters…he could not have been mistaken…. I see Jude Marston every day: he tells me not to bother Judge Davis…he will have it witnessed when I make my application…it is now two o'clock [and] I am going to the Capitol to get some documents…[Washington, March 20]…I am…wearied & I trust I shall never again be forced to become an applicant for office. I did a very good day's work…in procuring a recommendation signed by all the members from New Hampshire including Hall & Clark; also a member from Maine…I put the paper on file immediately…Judge Irwin of New York whom I considered my strongest competitor…concluded to accept the Governorship of Dacotal, so my prospects there looked very promising. I went to see Blair last evening, told him what he had done & asked further assistance. He said 'keep working & when the matter comes up. I shall use all my influence.' He said that coming from Illinois was the only obstacle he knew in my way as Lincoln had so many pets of his own, that he wanted them to take all Illinois was entitled to. This morning I called on Mr. Sumner, he said the matter was not in his province, that he must lookout for Massachusetts & that Mr. Adams had been appointed Minister to England. Gen. Schiuler who was an applicant for the London consulate would doubtless ask for something else as two offices so near together could hardly be given to one state-That S. would like Rio if he failed of London, that he was a personal friend of Lincoln & was a prominent man…my chance depends on an early action of the cabinet…I am now waiting for Marston to go with me to the Presidents…[Springfield, April 29]…we begin to see a chance of adjoining…the majority have commenced in earnest to pass their bills & today there are symptoms of more business being done…no relief measure can be passed…the Governor may be induced to call a special session to act on the currency, that is if the Supreme Court decide that it is constitutional for the state to guarantee the liabilities of the bankers. Yesterday there was preaching at the camp, a large crowd was there…the Governor is to leave today…for Cleveland for the purpose of meeting the Governors of the Northern states to consult on the best means to be adopted by them at the present crisis. I do not know how general the call is, whether merely for the North Western States, or New England also…". Also included are all the original stamped transmittal covers. Est.:

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