G. H. Giddings was selected as the bearer of a message from the
President to Governor Sam Houston, of Texas. A conflict had arisen there
between the Southern party and the Governor, Sam Houston, and on March
18 the latter had been deposed. When Mr. Lincoln heard of this, he
decided to try to get a message to the Governor, offering United States
support if he would put himself at the head of the Union party of the
State.
Mr. Giddings thus told of his interview with the President:
“He said to me that the message was of such importance that, before
handing it to me, he would read it to me. Before beginning to read he
said, ‘This is a confidential and secret message. No one besides my
Cabinet and myself knows anything about it, and we are all sworn to
secrecy. I am going to swear you in as one of my Cabinet.’
“And then he said to me in a jocular way, ‘Hold up your right hand,’
which I did.
“‘Now,’ said he, consider yourself a member of my Cabinet.”’