John applied to West Point again in November 1858. Meigs' father met personally with President James Buchanan to win his son's appointment, but John was refused again when the new appointment list came out in March 1859. Montgomery Meigs learned that Floyd had again blocked his son's appointment. Meigs again approached President Buchanan, who told Meigs that he should meet with Floyd. On June 25, Meigs met with Floyd and openly admitted how distasteful the meeting was to him. He gave Floyd a letter in which he outlined his objections to the rejection of John's appointment, and requested that it be reconsidered. Floyd admitted to blocking John's appointment, but said that Meigs had opposed him "in everything" regarding construction of the Washington Aqueduct and the United States Capitol dome and said he would resign from the cabinet if John Meigs' appointment had been approved. Floyd was particularly offended that Montgomery Meigs had seen Buchanan about the appointment rather than him. Meigs apologized, claiming he did not intend to make an end run around Floyd. Floyd accepted the apology, and promised that John would get an appointment if a vacancy occurred.