Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Dan Sickles and the First Presidential Cover-Up

 


The Grandson Of Francis Scott Key Arrested By Lincoln
 In our time, we think we know a lot about presidential cover-ups. There was Nixon’s Watergate, of course. Some of us remember Lyndon Johnson’s problems with Bobby Baker. And President Kennedy had his secret girlfriends.

All of these, however, are minor matters compared to the granddaddy of them all, the biggest presidential cover-up in American history, the murder of Barton Key (son of Francis Scott Key of “National Anthem” fame). A complicated tale, it all began in the years before our Great War, in the heat of controversy, during the public life of old Dan Sickles.

Before James Buchanan became president in 1857, he was Minister to England under President Pierce. During that time, Buchanan asked Pierce to appoint Daniel Sickles of New York to be the Minister’s Secretary.

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2 comments:

  1. taminator013January 17, 2017 at 11:08 AM

    Very interesting story. Seems that not much has changed in the last century and a half when it comes to politicians. While there are scandals on both sides of the political fence, why are the majority of the most salacious perpetrated by Democrats? Or are Republicans just better at cover ups?

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    Replies
    1. Brock TownsendJanuary 18, 2017 at 3:43 AM

      Yes and of course the two parties have changed positions.

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