647

534. Henry C. Whitney (Statement for William H. Herndon).

[1887?]

When Thurlow Weed opposed Montgomery Blair for the Cabinet, Lincoln asked him whom he s[hould] appoint. He replied, "Henry Winter Davis." Linco[ln] replied (David) "Davis has been posting you up on this question. He came from Maryland and has got Davis on the brain. Maryland must, I think, be a good State to move from."

And he then told a story of a witness in a neighboring County, who, on being asked his age, replied "Sixty." Being satisfied that he was much older, the Judge repeated the question; and on receiving the same answer, admonished the witness, saying the Court Knew him to be much older than sixty: "Oh!" said he; "Your'e thinking about that fifteen years that I lived down on the Eastern Shore of Maryland: that was so much lost time and don't count."

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Billy — you will find the above in Thurlow Weeds autobiography: and I think expressed Lincolns opinion of old Davis' pertinacity in trying to force appointees on him

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 4003

nts

Notes.

1. Henry Winter Davis (1817 — 65), a cousin of Judge David Davis.

2. See Weed, 1:607.