Lincoln and Hamlin?

[RJNorton]

This calls to mind Lincoln's quip about not changing horses mid-stream.

Good point, Lane. But I wonder how much difference it really made to Lincoln as neither Hamlin nor Johnson even attended Cabinet meetings. I am wondering if Lincoln even cared who the Vice-President was.

William O. Stoddard, Lincoln's assistant secretary, wrote: "It seems that a sort of etiquette has been established, in accordance with which it is not considered good taste for the second officer of the Republic to meddle much with public business, and which, at all events, keeps him away from the Executive Mansion."

And neither Hamlin nor Johnson had a good relationship with Mary Lincoln; so I think they generally did not feel welcome at the White House.