The Capitol Dome

43 THE CAPITOL DOME Like any other politician—past or present—Lincoln wanted to do right by his friends and political allies, es- pecially as one specific individual, Dr. Anson G. Henry, ranked as both. In 1848, both Henry and Lincoln joined forces and vigorously stumped Illinois for the Whig Party and Zachar y Taylor. 41 The two men had been in early daily contact for two decades, and Henry oen treated the Railsplitter's bouts of hypochondria, earning Lincoln's grateful comment that the doctor was "necessary to my existence." 42 Even before the inaugural Lincoln began bombarding cabinet members about securing Dr. Henry some federal position in Minnesota Territory, telling the new Secretary of State John M. Clayton, "on this [matter], my solicitude is extreme" (fig. 13). 43 Lincoln penned sev- eral letters to the new secretary of the Home (now Interior) Department, omas Ewing, enclosing recommendations from fellow Whigs omas Corwin, Truman Smith, and Caleb B. Smith, all backing Henry's appointment saying that his choice "has been made by them as a sort of com- promise, he having been most respectfully recommended for Secretary of that Territory, and they feeling bound to recommend a different man for that place. I am exceedingly anxious that Dr. Henry shall have an appointment, and, in the present situation, that it be one of the Land Offices in Minnesota; but I would prefer it should be Register rather than Receiver, which I understand is a matter of indiffer- ence with the above named gentlemen." 44 Trekking back to Springfield, Lincoln continued to send pleas to Washing ton. From Carrollton, Illinois, on 29 March 1849, Lincoln pressed Henr y's claims on Taylor's secretary of the navy, William B. Preston, adding that Pennsylvania Whig John Dickey had encountered him in Pittsburgh and asked for help in securing his own appointment. Lincoln wrote of Dickey he is of excellent business capacity, and habits—you perhaps remember him, as I certainly do, as one of the strongest opponents of Gen. Taylor's nomina- tion, but when nominated he did not hesitate, but at once engaged, and fought actively and efficiently to the end—I hope he may be successful in what he desires. One word more—I am especially anxious that Dr. Anson G. Henry shall be Register of the Land Office at Minnesota—This is not in your department, but Mr. Ewing's[;] I urged the appoint- ment upon him so pressingly, that I believe he will gratify me when he comes to fill the office, if he does not forget my anxiety about it. Now if you will, at some convenient moment, tell him to remember Lincoln's man for Register at Minnesota, it will probably serve my object, and I shall be very grate- ful to you." 45 When nothing came of these appeals, Henry packed his bags and, armed with Lincoln's letter of introduction to the secretary of State, set off in November 1849 to personally lobby Washington for an Indian agency. e visit did not rattle the patronage levers, so Lincoln once more wrote to Secretary Ewing in March 1850 saying that Henry "has done more disinterested labor in the Whig cause, than any other one, two, or three man in the state." 46 At last in June 1850 Lincoln's constant appeals seemed to have some effect— Henry received a commission as an agent in Oregon Terri- tory, but found the duties and climate so onerous that he resigned his frontier post within two years. 47 While always willing to help friends, Lincoln did not rule out putting himself in line for a possible patronage position, especially when its potential benefits outweighed the prospects of resuming his law practice. Somewhat belat- edly, he let it be known he was interested in becoming com- missioner of the General Land Office, but when that position fell through, Lincoln was offered employment as secretary to Fig. 14. e new Whig administration of President Zachary Taylor made a gesture of political patronage to Lincoln by offering him the post of secretary to the territorial governor of Oregon, which Lincoln declined.

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