Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-16

Audience Of theEseeretary Of War.
There is, writes a Washington cores
| pondent, but q small idea abroad Of the real
mode of performing the practical business
Of the Government. From distance, it
| seems that the President and heads of de-
partments are like so many oracles, con-
stantly surrounded by an almost impassa-
bic barrier, and only to be consulted by q
favored few. Zach is imagined to be
dressed in fine clothes, seated on a throne
Of state, and being approached in the NEST
abject manner by the half dozen who are
admitted to his presence, talking to them
with the mien Of a king. Until Washing
ton is entered, and the Secretary visited,
such an impression prevails; but after the
suitor has had his interview, he walks
away thinking what q ninny be had been
to believe anything Of the sort
Since the rebellion began, the War De-
partment has been the Mecca Of nearly all
who bow at the shrine of power, and every
day hundreds Of visitors enter its doors.
The great majority stop on the lower floor,
their business being with the Adjutant
General, or Surgeon General, or Quarter
master General, or Chief Commissary, or
others Of the subordinates. Very few as
cend the stairs to the holy of holes above
the Secretarys reception room and
there they are again sifted, many calling
on the clerks, or that genial gentleman of
most arbitrary authority, Mr.. Sanford the
Military Supervisor of Army Intelligence
A fair proportion, however, crosses the
threshold of Mr.. StauntOns audience
chamber.
Wonderful as has been the business
transacted there, still the room is of the
most ordinary style. The floor is of plain
border, the edges rounded, and the nails
shining from the multitude who have
passed over them. 1t is a small place,
about twenty feet by sixteen. The walls
are Of no desoribable color, being, how
ever, anything but ornate. The paint is
dingy from age, and the ceiling stained by
the rain leaking through from above. On
either side, the door leads into the private
rooms Of the Secretary and his clerks, and
two unwashed windows, at the end, let in
the light On the left, is an old fashioned
CRATE and mantelpieoe, the former filled
with crunched paper and tobacco guilds
and a stone ink-bottle, doubtless empty,
standing alone on the latter. The furni-
ture is about worthy the character Of the
room. Ten plain, STRAIGHTFORWARD chairs,
such as can be readily obtained for two
dollars apiece, and a bookcase of the
plainest character, are distributed about
the floor, and over in one corner is a secre-
tsry, with an armchair before it, the seat
Of the chief clerk. A tall desk in the
centre is the secretary's post, and behind
one Of the doors hangs an aged straw hat
r l..
severest economy, and, were it not for four
beautiful little pictures, of victories
achieved in the Mexican war, one might
think such to be the intention.
Behind his desk Mr.. Stanton stands,
with round face and heavy black beard.
His clothes are loose and plain, and his
shoes bear evidence of a walk upon the
dusty avenue At his left stands Mr.
Potts, the chief clerk, a largo man, with
spectscles, and moderately profuse in his
and Whiskers. He seems TO
understand the routine of the
place, and has a kind word for all who
consult him. In front of the desk are
crowd, each one awaiting an audience, and
lnxiously scanning the whispering audi
tor who has attained the privilege and is
telling his story at the Secretary's right
hand.
To each one Mr.. Stanton listens, says q
word sometimes in explanation or sppro-
val, but often Of disapprovsl or rejection,
and patiently hearing him ont, stands
ready for the next They are from all
parts of the country, many being of the
military line, and not a few disappointed
some are dressed in their very
best clothes, whilst others do not seem to
have paid the Secretary that honor. One
man, with the longest and ugliest pair Of
boots ever seen in polite society, brings out
a large bundle Of letters Of reeommenda-
ton, presenting them to Mr.. Stanton, who
looks askance at the envelope Of one, and
hands the whole back. Such things are Of
as much use as so many pieces Of blank
paper.
A grand looking parsonage next intro
duces to the Secretary solemn looking
man whom he calls "judge." The judge
tells his tale and leaves. An intellectual
man, with q visionary gaze, shows numer-
Gus drawings to Mr.. Stanton, who takes a
side look at one, quickly returning it. and
taking another, glsnces at it over the
owners hand This suitor is an inventor,
and has scheme which, if adopted, will
bring the war to successful
termination. officers come-Colonels and
Generals-whisper their story and 60, and
thus, hour after hour, the current runs un-
til the fatigued listener retires to the pri-
vaov Of the next room