The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-12


handed wisdom and tact that by any and every
means disposes Of obnoxious candidates to
public favor. Stanton is, in his present posi-
tion, relied upon by his radical associates for
the great duty of killing off General Grant, as
in other days he killed off General Mcclellan.
AS the head of the War Department, it is sup
posed he may do great service in that direc-
ton. He may involve Grant in all sorts of
politico-military complications, and put him in
such false positions as TO sadly compromise the
great soldier in the eyes OF the masses, and
thus give the radical orators and writers some
material to work on against that hitherto un-
assailable name. Grants record is so clear, so
plain. so direct a story of unselfsh patriotism,
that radicalsm feels it has no chance against
such a candidate; and it assigns to Stanton the
especial duty to change all this, and involve the
man of the people in the tolls of intrigue. In
the Cabinet, associated so directly with Grant
in the work of reconstruction, Stanton, it is
held, may accomplish this. Outside the Cabi-
net he, of course, could not. Hence it is a
vital part of the radical programme that he
should hold his place; hence even bitter personal
hates are for the time laid aside, and radicals
who love Stanton as little as they love Grant
are willing to risk the Seoretary's gaining
great position in his party, for the mere hope
that he will cripple the man who otherwise is
beyond their reach. ....
This is no new business to Stanton. Corrupt
intrigue, covered always by skilful stimulation
OF bold and honest purpose has been the COM
mon vein of his political life. Before he was
in the Cabinet Chase and his associates, de-
string to manage matters in their own peculiar
style, found Cameron in their way-a man
who did not believe that to make Chase Presi-
dent should be the final object of all human
endeavor. Cameron's place was important, as
1t had all the contracts; and the combination
was made to drive Cameron out and put Stan
ton in, not forgetting to heap at the same time
all possible odium on the retiring Secretary.
Stanton once in, the vast patronage of the War
Department was in the hands OF the combina-
ton, and the case seemed clear. But new
danger arose. Generals began to fill large
place in the popular thought; successful SOL
diers attracted to themselves what was thought
to be an undue proportion OF attention; and
Secretaries were in danger of dwindlng out of
sight. The problem for the conspirators then
was how to carry on the war without letting
any one general achieve such splendid tri-
umphs as would make him the especial glory
and favorite of the nation. The soldier who
then loomed up with greatest promise was
General Mcclellan. For the right kind of
action in West Virginia he had been promoted
to the command OF the nations best army, he
had organized it with great success, and had
taken it skilfuly and with little loss to the
immediate neighborhoOd of the enemy's CAPT
tai. He was looked upon by the whole
country as the man destined to close the war
in blaze of glory, and the case became
desperate for the political conspirators in the
Cabinet. To this soldier therefore, Stanton
resOlutely applied his murderous memorable
policy, determined to kill the soldier even
though he killed the country. He broke that
army into detachments, and paralyzed it by
hampering the commander with all ptiful con-
1.,1 -. al. -
OF that campaign, and there and elsewhere de-
strOying the soldier, though by pushing away
the success then within our grasp he caused
the war to reach the proportions it did and
piled up the great debt that now weighs upon us.
He succeeded against McClellan he de-
stroyed Buell. in the West; he broke down sue
cessivey every man that rose into promi-
nence; he became the nightmare OF the nation.
But Grant rose from battle to battle in spite of
his hindering polcy-triumphing over Stan
ton, almost without knowing it, by plain
honesty of purpose, as he did over the enemy
by his straightforward fighting. Stanton
found that he could not destroy Grant by the
means that had been successful against others,
and resorted to the characteristic plan of put
ting spy in camp under the designation of
an Assistant Secretary of War. 1t was the busi-
ness of this pitiful fellow to foist himself upon
the soldier at all times to be present whenever
there was company, to push his way in at
meals, TO listen at corners, and report all
that might make capital against Grant. All
in vain Grant beat the enemy still, put
down the Rebellion, and became the foremost
man of the nation But even then the game
was not given up, and we have recently laid
before the public facts in regard to another
spy on Grant, detective employed as stated,
by Massachusetts, Congressman. But the
Massachusetts Congressman in question is
hand and glove with Stanton and the game of
one is the game of the other both are lost if
case cannot be made against the great soldier
before the time when the people will choose
another President And in this desperate
position it is the last hope of the radicals,
whether in the interest of Chase, Stanton, or
some other, that Grant shall be killed off and
ruined IN popular esteem. Stanton is relied
upon TO do 1t. Hence he must hold on to his
place by tooth and nail if need be, through
opprobrium.
The Close of the surratt Trial.
From The World