By mid-December 1862, President Lincoln faced a cabinet crisis. Friction within the administration and between the Cabinet and Republicans on Capitol Hill had escalated after several military defeats. On December 18, a senatorial caucus made up of nine Republican senators met for three hours beginning at 7pm to air their complaints. Lincoln received offers of resignation from both Secretary of State William Seward and Secretary of Treasury Salmon Chase, but he declined them both. (By Rebecca Solnit)

Edward Bates, age 71, resigned as Attorney General after President Lincoln's reelction. On November 24, 1864 Bates sent in his resignation, which became effective at the end of the month. Scholars believe that Bates hoped to be appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but Lincoln was looking for a younger Chief Justice and appointed fellow-Cabinet member Salmon P. Chase instead. (By Rebecca Solnit)

President Lincoln accepected Secretary of Treasury Salmon P. Chase's resignation after receiving Chase's June 29, 1864 letter. Although Chase had previously sent in his resignation Lincoln did not accept it until his second term as president, when the assistant treasurer of the United States, John H. Cisco, resigned causing a patronage conflict. Chase was later appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on Decemeber 6, 1864. (By Rebecca Solnit)