Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-05-29
from the Ne,c lojk san.
Ec{Wip NJ. stanton

The first consequence of the acquittal
of the President is the resignation OF
Mr.. stanton. This event took place on
Tuesday afternoon, Immediately after {
the adjournment OF the Impeachment I
Court.
Mr. Stanton was appointed Secretary I
of War on the Goth of January, ls62.
He has held Office nearly six yealsand
half. The great events of these years
are still fresh in every mind. we an
know the phases of the War for the
Union it, fiuctuating successes and
failures: its protractcd hopes and over
whelming anXietics. 1t is well settled
in most mems opinions that Mr.. stanton
PLAYED avery important part in this long,
difficult almost supcrhuman struggle.
But few have had The opportunity of
knowing how important his services
were; very probably the whole truth /
respecting them will never be fully re- /
vealed; but high as the estimate of their
value is generally set, it is not higher
than his deserts.
In all great historical epochs indj- |
viduals have appeared so exactly fitted |
to answer the requirements of the time
that they are called providential men.
| Mr.. Stanton is one of these. When he
took office everything was unsettled,
! Vast preparations for war had been set
on foot but there was 30 concentration,
no clear purpose, no definite action
| Mr.. Lincoln, a man of cautious mind,
slow in concluding, rosOlutc in never
acting in advance OF public opinion, was
not vet aware OF the magnitude which
! the war was destined to assume. Hating
slavery by nature, feeling that it was
the life OF the rebellion, he had not yet
understood that success could never be
attained until slavery was stricken
down. We had no policy, no General
to command the army, and, above all,
no earnest, resolutc, inspiring initiative
anywhere. The press complained and
criticised with fitful and spasmodic
warmth, but nothing was done. If at
any time during the rebellion the ma
tional cause was on the verge of hope
less shipwreck, it was then
Mr.. Stant0n's fidelity and power had
been tried and proved in the latter por-
ton of Mr.. Buchanan's administration.
On the disruption of the Cabinet, which
; occurred on the 14th Of December, 1860,
he took office as Attorney General, and
held that place till the 4th of March
following. TO his fiery zeal and uniiag-
ging persistency, in conjunction WIN
the efforts of Joseph Holt, jeremiah
t Black, and John A. Dix, loyal members
of the Administration with Rim, is due
the preservation of the Government
through that period ofunopposcd treas
/ on and imbecile tolerance. No man, save
= the few behind the scenes, can imagine
what the nation owes to these four faith
full officers. But for them all would
t have been lost. During the time Mir.
: Stanton was i'll constant communication
). with Mr.. Seward as the Secretary OF
o State in the incoming. Administration,
: and with Mr.. Chase, Mr.. Cameron, and
c the leading Republican Senator's and
G the qualities he then displayed were
what led Mr. Lincoln year later to Sc
lect him as his Secretary of War.
We shall not here attempt to recount
;. ~. ,s.;,- Of thn War nonnrtment dur
). integrity utterly pure and incorruptible
: LIS great Intelligence and ardent, i'm
@ pulsive nature know no divided or half
# ing allegiance With him patriotism
@ was never cold or Il calculating senti.
@ ment. His soul was always at white
!. heat i'll his country's cause. Indifferent
: TO ms own interests, neglecting attacks
f on his reputation as he did foundations
to sWerVe from his duty, he lived onIv
; for the Republic. Her liberties. he,
e greatness, her destiny, the suspicious fu-
( ture OF her free institutions, formed the
exclusive object of his thoughts, his
tolls, his existence. He loved the Amer
lean democracy, its ideas, its unity, its
form or government, its mission among
mankind, with passion whose depth.
constancy, and energy partooll of fanat,,
icism. This was the Inspiration of his
: career and the source of his eXtraordi-
f nary capacity for the transaction of pub
lie business. The amount of work he
could perform was astonishing. He
was always ready, always swift, always
untiring, always resolute. His facul-
!ies were habitually kept in the most
intense activity; he reasoned and acted
with the heart as well as with the brain.
IL Is sald tiat MS action was sometimes
precipitatc and faulty but such criti-
cism is very cheap and easy now that
the crisis is gone by and its weighty eX-
agencies are forgotten. 10 pretend that
he was never mistaken, would be TO
make him more than human but the
faithful historian must ever record that
at all times and under all circumstances
he was honest, unsellish, faithful to his
country, and gifted with abilities equal
to the occasion. WELDING such pow
ers, as few men have ever swayed, his
most envenomed enemies cannot pre-
tend that he has ever used them for his
own advantage, or for the profit of
friends OF faVorites. He goes out of Of
flee poorer man than he went in. He
has never sought to build up for him.
self political faction. The arts of pop
ularity he despises and has never prac-
tised. His personal friends and init
mates are few, and they love him for his
public character and life, rather than
because he has couued their affections
or sought to attach them to his person.
, With Mr.. Lincoln, Mr.. Stanton's re-
lations Were peculiar. There was no
extraordinary sympathy between them
till near the close of the rebellion. The
determined manners and uncompromis-
ing earnestness of the Secretary were
not attractive to the gentler and more
variable nature of the President; but at