York _Herald_, March 28, 1861.

"Mr. Barney's quiet, unostentatious bearing has deprived him of the
notoriety which attaches to most of our politicians of equal
experience and influence. Nevertheless, he is well known to the
Republican party and universally respected as one of its foremost and
most intelligent supporters."--New York _Evening Post_, March 27,
1861.]

[Footnote 741: Thurlow Weed Barnes, _Life of Thurlow Weed_, Vol. 1, p.
528; _Ibid._, Vol. 2, p. 322.]

At the conference of the President and New York senators, Seward,
accepting the inevitable, received Lincoln's announcement of Barney's
appointment in chilling silence. Without openly disclosing itself, the
proposed step had been the cause of much friction, and was yet to be
opposed with coolness and candour,[742] but Lincoln's firmness in
declaring that Barney was a man of integrity who had his confidence,
and that he had made the appointment on his own responsibility and
from personal knowledge,[743] impressed his hearers with the belief
that, with whatever disfavour Seward listened, he had practically
surrendered to the will of his superior. Another scene occurred, as
the interview proceeded, which also indicated the master spirit. After
reviewing the extended list of names presented for collectors and
other officers, Seward expressed the wish that the nominations might
be sent forthwith to the Senate. The embarrassed senators, unprepared
for such haste, found in the secretary of the navy, who had
accompanied the President on the latter's invitation, a ready opponent
to such a plan because other members of the Cabinet had been wholly
ignored. Welles inquired if the secretary of the treasury and
attorney-general had been consulted, insisting that a proper
administration of the departments made their concurrence in the
selection of competent subordinates upon whom they must rely, not only
proper but absolutely necessary. Seward objected to this as
unnecessary, for these were New York appointments, he said, and he
knew better than Chase and Bates what was best in that State for the
party and the Administration. The President, however, agreed with the
secretary of the navy, declaring that nothing conclusive would be done
until he had advised with interested heads of departments. "With
this," says Welles, "the meeting soon and somewhat abruptly
terminated."[744] So far as it related to the distribution of
patronage, this conference, held early in March,