The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-15
How Mr.. Cameron left the War Depart
.ss iment, and how Secretary Stanton Was
appointed. d.n z ja-i,,,,, a, q ~

special Correspondents Of the Chicago Republican,
es.l.. ri 4a.9 f srR1so1nID, III, July Q, 1895.
A gentleman of this State, well &C.
quainted with ex-Secretary Cameron,
relates "reminiscences of the war, which
puts different aspect upon the matter
Of the resignation of that gentleman,
as Secretary of War, and also relieves
him from the appearance of being amen
able to charges made against him by
Democratic papers, and even tacitly, if
not openly, concurred in by many Re-
publicn journals. The story Of Mr..
Cameron's resignation, indeed, as told
by this Illinois gentleman land who, I
may add, had been, during nearly the
whole war, associated with one of our
leading Generals in very important
and confidential capacity not only en-
tirely does away with any doubts as to
Mr.. Cameron's honesty and fitness for
the position he held, but proves him to
have been true patriot; to have placed
the honor and safety Of the country
above all private and personal conside-
rations whatever. It is pleasant to be
able to rescue the fame and name of one
of our great statesmen from unjust re.
proach or obloquy. The editor, orwriter,
for q newspaper is SO often calledupon to
censure rather than praise, that the ten
dency in his case is to become cynic, and
even, many instances very pariah in
society, who, on accountofhisind iscrimi-
nate attacks upon good and bad alike,
has been outlawed by all respectable
people. 1t is, indeed, refreshing for one,
who has himself attacked so many po-
litically and even personally, to be able,
once and while, at least, to say some
thing good of his fellow-nan; but, es-
pecially, to be able to show that that
man has not only been wronged by the
public generally, but that, sooner than
do or say anything to injure his country
or his President, he has suffered that
same public to continue to live on in the
delusion it labors under as regards his
character, and the motives which actu-
ated him in voluntarily resigning the
which he had been appointed by Mr..
All will remember that after the bat
tie at Bull Run, at which the Union
| forces suffered so disastrous defeat, the
| utmost ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in Wash
| ington. Had the rebels been fully
aware of its defenceless condition, and
the panic which prevailed there, they
might have marched upon and captured
it with ease, or at least cut it off from
all communication with the North,
which would have eventually compell-
ed it's surrender. In this condition of
affairs, it was absolutely necessary to
find some man to take the command of
the Union forces. General Scott was
| too old, and, besides, had physical in
| firmities which prevented him from be-
ing able to participate actively in the
campaign. General Mcclellan, or at
least his Generals, had been successful
in Western Virginia. e.81.a
Finally, the resignation Of Secretary
Cameron took place, much to the sur
prise Of the public. Various rumors as
to rs cause were set afloat, among the
primo ual of which, was, that fayorism
had beeio shown in contracts, by which
his partit ular, friends, especially in
Pennsylvan.''a, had been benefited. In
deed, there wee but few persons, even
among the Secre.' ary's most ardent po-
litical supporters, " no dld not LOOK upon
the resignation as tan tamount 70 an ac-
acknowledgement Of the charges OF the
democrats against him. " seemed 10
confirm all the attacks of the opposltlon
press upon this leading republic, an STATES,
man. Among those who thus looked
upon ~ WAS tlC kCAtACAlAk1A llOLI
State, alluded to at the commencement
of this article. Happening to be in
Washington at the time, he called at the
ex-Secretary's to obtain, if possible, an
explanation of an event he looked upon
as SO disastrous to Mr.. Cameron's politi-
cal and even personal reputation. The
Secretary was not at home; but Mrs.
Cameron The is intimate with the fami-
ly), told him that If he would call at
eight o'clock that evening he could see
Mr.. G. He did so, and very interest
ing conversation took place, during
which the Secretary explained the true
reason for his resignation, showing that
they were of an entirely different char
acter from those generally believed by
the public.
He remarked at the commencement
"Well s., suppose you think that
either have retired in disgrace or that
the President has committed great
outrage upon me-" S. replied that, to
tell the truth, this was just what he
thought, and that he called to see what
possible explanation the Secretary could
give. him for his course, which would re-
move the bad impression it had left upon
his mind. The Secretary replied with a
smile: "Well s., see you are as baG-
ly fooled in this matter as any of them.
But thought that you, who knew me
30 wal, would certainly conclude that
never would have left my post under
the circumstances that have, unless I
was compelled to do 80 by some great
consideration of state which involved
the very existence Of the country. /
will, however, open your eyes to the
true condition of affairs, and which has
made it absolutely imperative on me to
tender my resignation to the President,
and as absolutely imperative to him to
accept it. You know that at the time
General Mcclellan was called to the COM
mand Of the army, things in q military
view were in a most deplorable condi-
ton. Nowhere, except in Western Vir-
ginia, had success crowned our arms
and, in fact, nothing had occurred to res
cue the country from the slough of des-
pond into which it had been cast by the
Bull Run disaster. We were compelled
to call Nice lellen to the head ofthe army
at a time when he could dictate his
terms, and he actually did so. He stipu-
lated that he should pass upon all APP
pointments and promotions, and the
President and myself felt compelled for
the sake of the country and its safety to
accede them. Well, things went on,
under his rule, from bad to worse, and
knowing the condition Of affairs, and
finding no hope in the future, Isaw that
the only way to save the country was to