The quaint remark of the President to an applicant, “My dear sir, I have
not much influence with the Administration,” was one of Lincoln’s little
jokes.
Mr. Stanton, Secretary of War, once replied to an order from the
President to give a colonel a commission in place of the resigning
brigadier:
“I shan’t do it, sir! I shan’t do it! It isn’t the way to do it, sir,
and I shan’t do it. I don’t propose to argue the question with you,
sir.”
A few days after, the friend of the applicant who had presented the
order to Secretary Stanton called upon the President and related his
reception. A look of vexation came over the face of the President, and
he seemed unwilling to talk of it, and desired the friend to see him
another day. He did so, when he gave his visitor a positive order for
the promotion. The latter told him he would not speak to Secretary
Stanton again until he apologized.
“Oh,” said the President, “Stanton has gone to Fortress Monroe, and Dana
is acting. He will attend to it for you.”
This he said with a manner of relief, as if it was a piece of good luck
to find a man there who would obey his orders.
The nomination was sent to the Senate and confirmed.