settled nothing
beyond Barney's appointment; as to the question whether Seward was
President or Premier, however, the New Yorker soon learned that he was
to have influence with his chief only by reason of his assiduous
attention to the public business and his dexterity and tact in
promoting the views of the President.[745]

[Footnote 742: "Strong protests against Barney have been received
within the last twenty-four hours."--New York _Herald_, March 14,
1861.]

[Footnote 743: Gideon Welles, _Lincoln and Seward_, p. 72.]

[Footnote 744: Gideon Welles, _Lincoln and Seward_, p. 73.]

[Footnote 745: "Executive skill and vigour are rare qualities. The
President is the best of us." Seward's letter to his wife.--F.W.
Seward, _Life of W.H. Seward_, Vol. 2, p. 590.]

To the outsider, the appointment of Barney looked, for the moment,
like a substantial defeat for Seward. "The mighty struggle," said the
_Herald_, "is for the possession of the New York appointments, and the
strife is deadly and bitter."[746] The anti-Weed forces, reinforced by
the arrival of Greeley,[747] the coming of Barney,[748] and the
persistence of Harris,[749] were elated over reported changes in the
Weed slate, believing the fruit of their long labours was about to
come at last, but from the sum-total of the nominations, made day by
day, it appeared that while several attaches of the _Tribune's_ staff
had been recognised,[750] Seward had secured all the important
offices save collector of the port.[751] During this turmoil the
Secretary's unfailing calmness was not disturbed, nor his uniform
courtesy ruffled.

[Footnote 746: New York _Herald_, March 30, 1861.]

[Footnote 747: "Thurlow Weed patched up the New York appointments and
left this morning. Greeley arrived about the same time and has been
sponging Weed's slate at an awful rate."--_Ibid._, March 26.]

[Footnote 748: "Barney arrived this morning in response to a summons
from the President and the secretary of the treasury."--_Ibid._, April
1.]

[Footnote 749: "Senator Harris has proved himself more than a match
for Weed."--_Ibid._, April 4.]

[Footnote 750: "Thus far four attaches of the _Tribune_ have been
appointed.... These appointments except the last were Mr. Lincoln's
regardless of Mr. Seward, who bears the _Tribune_ no love."--_Ibid._,
March 29.]

[Footnote 751: "Seward secures all the important offices save the
collectorship, which was given to Greeley."--New York _Herald_, Marc