The Cotton Deals

[DanielC]

(01-05-2014 06:02 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Dan - There are two Cabinet members that I have always wanted to pin guilt on: Judah Benjamin in the Confederacy and Salmon Chase in the Union. How much was Chase supporting his son-in-law? For some reason, assassination authors never seem to give Mr. Chase much attention. Maybe because he doesn't deserve any, but my female intuition keeps nagging at me about that man...

Jerry - Excellent point about the British and our war. It seems that a lease deal would be workable, but also any long-term deal that would basically turn the South into a "slave" economy once again to feed the demands of two industrialized nations - and I'm not thinking black servitude here.

Great point Lori... As for Chase's relationship to his son-in-law that is a good question. Chase's ambition for higher office was matched only by his daughter Kate's for her father. As far a support, Sprague's marriage to Kate was going to bring a great deal of financial support to the family, and in return, Sprague would be introduced to the many power brokers in Washington for his own political ambition.