Who Said This?

[LincolnMan]

He was president up to 1866 according to Herdon? Did I miss something?

[Gene C]

A mistake or misprint. I was tempted to correct it in my post.
You didn't miss anything.

[Gene C]

Who called one of Lincoln's friends "a brainless, egotistical fool", and who was the friend he was talking about

(There is probably more than one answer, but I have a specific incident in mind)

[RJNorton]

Was either person David Davis?

[Rogerm]

Was this person referring to Secretary of War Stanton?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Stanton?

[Rogerm]

And, might the person making the insulting remark have been Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Wells?

[Gene C]

All good guesses, but no

1st Hint....This event occurred before Grant was promoted to Commanding General of the US Army

[Eva Elisabeth]

Mary about Seward? Or McClellan about Grant?

[RJNorton]

Dennis Hanks? (I realize not likely but my mind is essentially blank on this one.)

[Gene C]

2nd Hint
This occurred before Lincoln's 1st inauguration

(not Dennis)

[RJNorton]

This occurred before Lincoln's 1st inauguration

This clue woke up my aging brain. Allen Pinkerton did not think much of Ward Hill Lamon, and he expressed his opinion of Lamon in this manner. I have an old book on the Baltimore Plot. It's titled Lincoln and the Baltimore Plot 1861 edited by Norma Cuthbert. The words Pinkerton used to describe Lamon are on the top of p. 86.

[Gene C]

Very good Roger, but I am sorry I woke you up at 3:55 in the morning when the answer came to you.
I read the quote from David Donald's biography on Lincoln.

My next clue was going to be...this friend of Lincoln shares the same first name as an important character on Leave it To Beaver
(not Lumpy)

[Gene C]

Who said this?

"Sir, when I came into Congress ten years ago, this was a Government of law. I have lived to see it a Government of personal will.
Congress has dwindled from a power to dictate law and the policy of the Government to a commission to audit and appropriate moneys to enable the Executive to execute his will and not ours"

[Gene C]

I can see do to the outpouring of responses, a hint is needed

This quote is from 1864, and while considered a Radical Republican, he was no supporter of Lincoln and his policies.