Vice President Seward?

Now, my knowledge of the 1860 Republican convention is lacking, so I may be asking for something that is impossible. Is there any chance that Lincoln could reach a deal with Seward, allowing Seward to run as Lincoln's vice president? I understand Seward was the favorite to win the presidential nomination until the last moment, so this is probably more difficult than it sounds I imagine.
 
Well, first of all, it was desired to balance the ex-Whig Lincoln with an ex-Democrat. (To be sure, a couple of ex-Whigs were talked about--Cassius Clay of Kentucky and Henry Winter Davis of Maryland--bur they were considered because they were *southerners* and could thus rebut the charge that the Republicans were a purely northern 'sectional" party.)

Second, the vice-presidency in those days was not a very prestigious office, and was unlikely to lead to the presidency except by the death of the president. Seward would have considered it beneath his dignity--he wanted to be "premier" of the new administration as Secretary of State. Remember his famous "April Fool's Day" memorandum "Some Thoughts for the President's Consideration" :

"But whatever policy we adopt, there must be an energetic prosecution of it.

For this purpose it must be somebody's business to pursue and direct it incessantly.

Either the President must do it himself, and be all the while active in it, or

Devolve it on some member of his cabinet. Once adopted, debates on it must end, and all agree and abide.

It is not in my especial province;

*But I neither seek to evade nor assume responsibility.*" [my emphasis--DT]

https://books.google.com/books?id=a7U7AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA268
 
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