James Guthrie
... that James Guthrie was Abraham Lincoln's first choice for Secretary of War, but he declined the position due to age and failing health?
... that <b id="mwAWA"><a class="mw-redirect" href="./James_Guthrie_(American_politician)" id="mwAWE" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="James Guthrie (American politician)">James Guthrie</a></b> was <a href="./Abraham_Lincoln" id="mwAWI" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Abraham Lincoln">Abraham Lincoln</a>'s first choice for <a href="./United_States_Secretary_of_Defense" id="mwAWM" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="United States Secretary of Defense">Secretary of War</a>, but he declined the position due to age and failing health?