The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-05
Secretary stanton's Coup d'Etst-rhe
Radicals Flamked.

| supposed TO be Arm a. rock, has been turned
| against them. Secretary Stanton, the slayer
of the Philistines, has declared in favor Of
President Johnson's restoration policy. The
faldioai reconstruction scheme of the Joint COM
mittee Of Congress has proved too radical for
Stanton. Perceiving, with the sagacity Of an
old campaigner, that this scheme is sure to
prove bad investment, no seizes the first occa-
sion of Cabinet council to express his I'M
bounded admiration Of the wise and bene6cent
policy of the administration. This movement
Of the enthusiastic Stanton at this crisis is as
remarkable as the abandonment of the Jacobins
by Danton in the midst of the bloody French
"Reign Of Terror" Danton, like Stanton,
from the profession of lawyer, became a re-
publican leader remarkable for his energy and
terrible activity against the rebels and cop
perheads Of bis day; but Danton, in pleading
for mercy to the Girondists, brought upon him
self the wrath of Robespierre and the axe Of
the guillotine. Stanton, like Danton, has evl
IDENTIFY had blood enough Of his own country,
men, and will also have to answer to his
Robespierre Of the convention; but, unlike
Danton, Stanton, in having the balance Of
power on his side, will come of the victor.
Thus the great outrage against justice and
humanity perpetrated in the execution Of Dam
ton WILL as an event in history, he rectified in
the triumph of Stanton.
The lover of Plutarch may enlarge upon this
parallel between Danton and Stanton, for there
oobr II, tho
Of these two distinguished men to pursue
the comparison to any extent; but our pur-
pose is secured in indicating the memory
of Danton in the living and successful
example Of Stanton. Everything depends
upon the circumstances by which we
are surrounded. The same yirtuous act
which one day and IN one place adds another
victim to the guillotine, on another day and in
another place opens the door to a new epoch
of power and glory. Secretary Stanton, with
more patience and calculation than his French
prototype, Danton, uses the political factions
of his day and awaits his opportunity. Thus,
with the decline of Cameron in the War Office,
Stanton, by his adroit and successful batteries
of Gen. Mcclellan, secured the then powerful
influence of that officer in his favor till firmly
fixed in the War Department and then. quick
to perceive the weak points of Mcclellan,
Stanton, without remorse, cut him down. A
politician Of the shrewd and energetic char
acter Of Secretary Stanton, brought up in the
school of Martin Van Buren, and James Bu-
chanan, and in the midst of great revolution,
perfected in his studies under Secretaries Sew
ard and Chase is not the man to play the sub
ordinate TO Tbaddeus Stevens q moment
longer than is necessary.
AS it has been the rule Of men in power in
all ages of the world to seek still higher elc-
walton, we may assume that Mr. Stanton, az
Secretary of War, has not forgotten himself in
his services to the country. We may assume
that there was something of personal ambition
in his shelving of Mcclellan and in his attempt
to disgrace Sherman, which, under all the cir
cumstances, but for the prompt and effective
interposition of General Grant, might nave been
successful. We may even venture upon the
theory that the Secretary Of War, as a profess
sional politician, has learned how to trim his
sails to the popular wind, and that he trims
them accordingly, and has no more reluctance
in parting company with Forney and Greeley
than he had in cutting loose from the old
Certainly, as he has little to lose and fair
prospect of much to gain bya cordial support
of President Johnson, there ia nothing very
surprising in this decision Of the Secretary Of
War with the report Of the Committee of Fifteen
before him. He sees that his radical friends
no disposition to be numbered among the
victims of their folly.
The radicals profess to be incredulous; this
thing is impossible, they say, but they are none
the less alarmed. If Stanton deserts u.s. who
can be trusteds This is the trouble. The
discipline of the party camp is disturbed. con-
fusion is introduced, and the conservative
elements sympathizing with the administra-
ton are invited to take possession Of the field.
With Stanton in cordial cooperation with the
Presidents policy, the State of Pennsylvania,
in October, will cast out the faction of Stevens
and Forney; for, according to the resolutions
Of their late convention, Stanton, in Pennsyl-
vania. is the embodiment among the republic
cans OF all that is good and great. And az
Pennsylvania goes 30 will go the other great
central States of the North, from New York to
Illinois inclusive.
Secretary Stanton, in falling in with the policy
OF the administration, makes An important
change among the figures on the Presidential
chcss-board for thus Secretary Seward, as
the head of the New York conservatives, may
be overshadowed by the more vigorous Stan.
ton and the first gun of the fall elections from
the Keystone State. II is probable, too, thai
the Secretary Of War and General Grant
as in all their relations heretofore, will SCOT
be found in perfect accord on this paramount
question of Southern restoration. The princi
Piles Of Mr.. Stanton may be patriotic, or they
A.. a. -