Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Out of all the Presidents prior to my birth, I used to say Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite. Not only because I played Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace many moons ago, but because of his character and his bigger then life persona. Now, having read this fantastic, incredibly researched book on the 16th President of the United States, I have to say he and Roosevelt are close in my estimation with Lincoln edging him out purely based on the obstacles he had to face.
This book, as I said, is very well researched. It garners insight from the journals and writings of not just Lincoln himself but of those who lived during that time and came into contact with him. it goes as far as to recount a soldiers encounter with him and uses the letter he wrote to his wife as a source material. In this book we see Lincoln's thoughts on himself and those who he chose to surround himself with.
The Team of Rivals in the title refers to Lincoln's decision to fill his inner cabinet with those who opposed him for the nomination of the Republican Party. It can not be said Lincoln was surrounded by yes men. Lincolns cabinet consisted of William H.Seward ( Sec. State) Samuel P. Chase ( Sec. Treasury), Edwin Stanton ( Sec. of War) , Edward Bates ( Attorney General) and other factions of the new Republican Party were represented in his cabinet.
Out of all his cabinet picks, Lincoln's choice of Seward was the most interesting and most fortunate. Seward , the Governor of New York at the time of the GOP convention, wanted so much to be President. He was shocked , as were many people when Lincoln, the dark horse candidate, put together a coalition at the Wigwam to secure the nomination and later the Presidency. At first, Seward felt he could be the power behind throne. That he could control this simple man from out West and dictate to him the policy of the administration. Well Lincoln , as you shall see if you read this book, put a stop to that but quick.
in this book you see how Lincoln and Seward became the closest of friends. Lincoln and Seward came to admire one another and looked to each other for friendship and counsel, especially during the dark days of the Civil War. This friendship that you see play out through the book makes the assassination of Lincoln and the attempted assassination of Seward ( his son , while trying to protect his father likewise suffered wounds from that night which eventually took his life) all the more tragic.
" He gazed awhile," Noah Brooks reported, " then , turning to his attendant," he announced, " The President is dead." The attendant tried to deny it, but Seward knew with grim certainty. " If he had been alive he would have been the first to call on me,' he said, " but he has not been here, nor has he sent to know how I am, and there's the flag at half mast." He lay back on the bed, "the great tears coursing down his gashed cheeks, and the dreadful truth sinking into his mind." His good friend, his captain and chief, was dead. ( pg 744-745)
On one side you have the loyalty of Seward and on the other there was Samuel Chase. A man who felt the Presidency was his God given right. While Secretary of the Treasury , he actively undermined The President and worked towards his own ends of securing the nomination of the Republican Party. While Lincoln was fully aware of all this, he kept Chase in place as he was by all counts a fantastic Secretary of Treasury. As an indication of how great a man Lincoln was, after removing Chase from the cabinet following Chase's one of many hissy fit letters of resignations ( Lincoln finally accepted it ) , Lincoln would place Chase on the Supreme Court as Chief Justice.
This book shows the inner workings of what the President was thinking in the months leading up to the Civil War. It shows how Lincoln did everything he could short of total capitulation on the issue of Slavery into the states where Slavery did not currently exist in his attempts to keep the Union whole. We see the various factions involved in pursuing the Civil War and how each one tried to influence the administration.
Above all, we see the true genius of Lincoln as well as his faults. There was numerous times that the Civil War could have been finished sooner if Union Generals had pursued a more aggressive path in the early months of the war. Lincoln kept those same Generals, who did not act, in place despite numerous people frothing at the mouth to have them removed. This book examines the reason behind those choices. Understanding the factions tugging at Lincoln and everything he had to face during those dark times will give you a much greater appreciation for what he was able to.
I highly recommend this book in the strongest of terms.
Out of all the Presidents prior to my birth, I used to say Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite. Not only because I played Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace many moons ago, but because of his character and his bigger then life persona. Now, having read this fantastic, incredibly researched book on the 16th President of the United States, I have to say he and Roosevelt are close in my estimation with Lincoln edging him out purely based on the obstacles he had to face.
This book, as I said, is very well researched. It garners insight from the journals and writings of not just Lincoln himself but of those who lived during that time and came into contact with him. it goes as far as to recount a soldiers encounter with him and uses the letter he wrote to his wife as a source material. In this book we see Lincoln's thoughts on himself and those who he chose to surround himself with.
The Team of Rivals in the title refers to Lincoln's decision to fill his inner cabinet with those who opposed him for the nomination of the Republican Party. It can not be said Lincoln was surrounded by yes men. Lincolns cabinet consisted of William H.Seward ( Sec. State) Samuel P. Chase ( Sec. Treasury), Edwin Stanton ( Sec. of War) , Edward Bates ( Attorney General) and other factions of the new Republican Party were represented in his cabinet.
Out of all his cabinet picks, Lincoln's choice of Seward was the most interesting and most fortunate. Seward , the Governor of New York at the time of the GOP convention, wanted so much to be President. He was shocked , as were many people when Lincoln, the dark horse candidate, put together a coalition at the Wigwam to secure the nomination and later the Presidency. At first, Seward felt he could be the power behind throne. That he could control this simple man from out West and dictate to him the policy of the administration. Well Lincoln , as you shall see if you read this book, put a stop to that but quick.
in this book you see how Lincoln and Seward became the closest of friends. Lincoln and Seward came to admire one another and looked to each other for friendship and counsel, especially during the dark days of the Civil War. This friendship that you see play out through the book makes the assassination of Lincoln and the attempted assassination of Seward ( his son , while trying to protect his father likewise suffered wounds from that night which eventually took his life) all the more tragic.
" He gazed awhile," Noah Brooks reported, " then , turning to his attendant," he announced, " The President is dead." The attendant tried to deny it, but Seward knew with grim certainty. " If he had been alive he would have been the first to call on me,' he said, " but he has not been here, nor has he sent to know how I am, and there's the flag at half mast." He lay back on the bed, "the great tears coursing down his gashed cheeks, and the dreadful truth sinking into his mind." His good friend, his captain and chief, was dead. ( pg 744-745)
On one side you have the loyalty of Seward and on the other there was Samuel Chase. A man who felt the Presidency was his God given right. While Secretary of the Treasury , he actively undermined The President and worked towards his own ends of securing the nomination of the Republican Party. While Lincoln was fully aware of all this, he kept Chase in place as he was by all counts a fantastic Secretary of Treasury. As an indication of how great a man Lincoln was, after removing Chase from the cabinet following Chase's one of many hissy fit letters of resignations ( Lincoln finally accepted it ) , Lincoln would place Chase on the Supreme Court as Chief Justice.
This book shows the inner workings of what the President was thinking in the months leading up to the Civil War. It shows how Lincoln did everything he could short of total capitulation on the issue of Slavery into the states where Slavery did not currently exist in his attempts to keep the Union whole. We see the various factions involved in pursuing the Civil War and how each one tried to influence the administration.
Above all, we see the true genius of Lincoln as well as his faults. There was numerous times that the Civil War could have been finished sooner if Union Generals had pursued a more aggressive path in the early months of the war. Lincoln kept those same Generals, who did not act, in place despite numerous people frothing at the mouth to have them removed. This book examines the reason behind those choices. Understanding the factions tugging at Lincoln and everything he had to face during those dark times will give you a much greater appreciation for what he was able to.
I highly recommend this book in the strongest of terms.