A World on Fire_ Britain's Crucial Role in the American Civil War - Amanda Foreman [48]
The French minister, Henri Mercier, was a large, hearty figure who did not cave easily. He was sufficiently irritated by Seward’s badgering to suggest to Lyons that they obtain discretionary power from their governments to recognize the South whenever they saw fit. Lyons was appalled by the idea and persuaded Mercier that it would put them in considerable personal danger from Northern and Southern extremists. He proposed a different plan—that they keep to a unified policy at all times. Seward would be less ready to pick a quarrel if it meant engaging America in a battle of two against one, and he would never be able to use one country as his tool against the other. Mercier agreed. A few days later, Lyons heard that there had been a “stormy sitting of the Cabinet” on the day of his dinner and assumed this was the reason for Seward’s outburst.
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In only three weeks, Seward had changed from being the self-appointed “ruler” to the odd man out in Lincoln’s cabinet. He tried to maintain his old mastery while struggling to find a place in the new order. His ability to dictate to Lincoln had come down to thwarting Charles Sumner’s bid to become the minister to Great Britain. Seward managed to persuade Lincoln that Charles Francis Adams should have the post. William Dayton was once again moved around the checkerboard of patronage and given the Paris legation, despite being unable to speak French. It was a pyrrhic victory for Seward, however, since by staying in Washington, Sumner became the new chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The post would give him great power and leverage against Seward, if he could change Lincoln’s impression of him as a pompous know-it-all. “Sumner,” Lincoln allegedly said after their initial meeting in late February, “is my idea of a Bishop.”24
Adams was no longer sure he wanted to be a minister when the telegram announcing his appointment arrived in Massachusetts. “The president had seemed so intent on the nomination of Dayton, that the news finally came on us like a thunderbolt,” recalled Charles Francis Jr. “My mother at once fell into tears and deep agitation; foreseeing all sorts of evil consequences, and absolutely refusing to be comforted; while my father looked dismayed. The younger members of the household were astonished and confounded.” Mrs. Adams was surprised, continued Charles Francis Jr.,
when presently every one she met, instead of avoiding a painful subject or commiserating her, offered her congratulations or expressions of envy. So she cheered up amazingly. As to my father, he had then lived so long in the atmosphere of Boston, that I really think the great opportunity of his life when suddenly thrust upon him caused a sincere feeling of consternation. He really felt that he was being called on to make a great personal and political sacrifice.25
Adams’s poor opinion of Lincoln had increased after the inauguration ball, when the president did not even pretend to recognize him. He traveled to Washington to accept his appointment in a state of deep pessimism. Breakfast with Seward on March 28 made him feel worse; “he spoke of my appointment as his victory,” complained Adams indignantly, “whilst he made a species of apology for the selection of Mr. Wilson which seemed to me a little lame.” Charles Wilson was to have the important post of legation secretary as compensation for missing out on the plum job of heading the Chicago Post Office, a position with a high salary and little responsibility.26 Seward admitted that the Illinois newspaper editor could hardly be less qualified or suited to work under Adams, but Lincoln had insisted on the move as a quid pro quo for replacing Dayton.
Seward accompanied