Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-01-07
The Life and Services OF Edwin NJ
stanton.

parted for the year Just drawing to its
Mr. Stanton was native Of Ohio,
whittier his parents emigrated from Cul
pepper county, Va lie was born at Stu.
benville in 1916; studied at Kenyon Col
lege in 1888, remained there barely year;
served as booksellers clerk at Columbus,
at the same time that he was studying his
future profession was admitted to the
bar in 1896, and began the practice OF the
law in Harrison county. He soon gained
an extensive reputation for ability in the
argument of abstruse questions of law, as
well as for success with juries. The memory
of some Of his moro remarkable efforts,
especially In the latter department Of hls
profession, is still fresh in all that part Of
Ohio and the neighboring region Of West
ern Virginia. lie also became known as
an active politician of the Democratic
party, Of which Senators Alien and Tap.
pan were then leaders In Ohio; and into
the political contests which then prevailed
he cas-. himself with all the fire and pas
sion of his powerful nature. In 1913 he
removed TO Pittsburgh, whence, in 1857,
he transferred his residence to washing
ton, where his professional occupations,
especially in patent cases, soon became rs
constant as they were profitable. Indeed,
y
of bis country and entered Mr.. LinColns
Cabinet he abandoned practice worth
$4,000 year.
Mr. Stanton's first appearance in official
life was for brief period during the dis
astrous closing events of Mr.. Buchanan's
administration. In those days of gloom
and anxiety he was Attorney General,
while Mr.. Holt was Secretary of War, and
MIR. Dix, Secretary of the Treasury; and
it was chiefly to him, and to these patri.
otio associates of his, that we owe the
preservation of the Government from
total shipwreck before the 4th of March,
1861, so that the helm Of power could be
put into the hands of Mr. Lincoln The
services which Mr.. Stanton then rendered
were known especially to Mr. Seward,
with whom, as the designated Secretary
of State OF the new Executive, he was In
constant communication. and 10 this fact
undoubtedly is due his subsequent choice
as War Minister in Mr.. Lincoln's Cabinet
on the retiring of Secretary Cameron.
Mr. Stanton came into office on the Goth
of January, 1862, month before the deCi-
stve and cheering victory Of Fort Donel-
son. Though never Identified with the
party by which MIR. Lincoln was elected,
his appointment was urgently recon,
mended by both Mr.. Seward and Mr.
Chase, as well as by Mr. Cameron, whose
retirement caused the vacancy which he
was to fill. He had always. been thor.
oughgoing Democrat Of the Jackson
school; but these Republican leaders well
knew the earnestness of devotion to the
Union and the extraordinary power he
had manifested while a member, for a
brief but momentous period, of Mr. Blu.
chanans Cabinet IL was also felt TO be
desirable to give prominent part In the
work of the administration TO some rep.
resentative man of the War Democrats
who were then nobly sustaining Mr. Lin.
coin IN his efforts TO vindicate the national
integrity. -..
AT the time when Mr. Lincoln appointed
him to this office, these two remarkable
men, who were destined to an intimacy
which history will never cease to remem.
ber, had not seen each other The first
meeting between them was when Mr.
stanton went to the White House to re.
ceive his commission. We believe. also.
that the first notice which the new Secre.
tary received of his appointment, was but
the day before the nomination was sent
to the Senate, when he was informed of il
Just as he was about TO rise for the argu
ment OF cause in the Supreme Court.
The relations thus commenced between
the President and the Secretary of War
always remained exceedingly cordial; or,
rather, they constantly became warmer
and more confidential, down to the last
fatal day which ended Mr.. Lincoln's
earthly career. While he was rarely seen
at the offices of the other executive de
partments, at the War Office he was not
merely frequent but constant visitor.
His tall form, wrapped in his familiar
gray shawl, was usually TO be seen making
It's way along the back alley that leads
there from the White House, at from 10
10 o'clock in the morning, or about m
the afternoon; and persons who were nd
mitted to see the Secretary on important
business in his private room at those
hours would sometimes lind the President
stretched upon the sofa there, as iC the
discussion between him and the Secretary
had not yet been concluded. Indeed, the
Tie between them seemed to be quite as
much that Of private affection as of on.
cial duty; and when the catastrophe oc.
CURED which robed the nation In mourn.
ing, all Will remember how Admiralty tho
confluence OF the deceased statesman in
nus friend and adviser was justified by the
latter. For a brief time, in that awful
crisis, the whole Government seemed 10
rest upon the shoulders of the Secretary
OF War; and the country will not soo1
forget the manner in which the momen-
tous trust was discharged.
Ihe circumstances of Mr.. Stanton's re-
manning In the Cabinet under Mr., John.
son, OF his suspension from that Office, of
ms re-enterlng upon its duties, of his re-
lusil si 20 Vacate IL ON the appointment of
oulutantdcneral Thomas, and of his final
Ies'ghatlon on the failure of Impeachment,
are too well remembered to need sneciai
That time remained in private life, engaged
IN seeking to restore his shattered health
Within the past few days he was nom.
mated and confirmed as Associate Justice
oil the supreme Court, TO fill the vacancy
occasloned by Judge Grier's resignation
MT. Stanton was called the American
Carnot He took the most laborious NO.
sition in the Cabinet at the darkest hour
and under the force of his will energv
and power Of organization, order sprang
forth from chaos, and from that day tiil
the close OF the rebellion there was no
delay or lmbecility that could be charged
upon the head OF that department. NiSht
ana day, almost without intermission or
rest he toiled and planned, with a courage
lhat never was dispiriled by defeat. and a
trust in the cause of the Union ths1
made him always buoyant when other
members of the Cabinet were desnon5.
ent; Lincoln leaned upon him IN the
darkest hours, and he stayed his hands
10 point 10 the coming and certain
triumph of freedom. Red tape, the nre.
tensions of civil officials the plausihls
treachery of the Seymours and other
Democratic leaders who industriousIy
heaped up difficulties and multiplied Oh.
stacles In the rear, while his heart and
hands were more than filled with the gi.
gan'ic and awful life-and. death struggle
gong on at the front, the sel6shness of
place seekers and the greed of contrsctors
and money-makers-all were swept ont of
the way by his herculean strength of mind
and viii, as he planned and executed with
sleepless vigilance and unintermittinr la.
bor for the salvation Of the Nation. rhis
intense ana unparalleled devotion, beyond
all question, is the cause of the death which
the country must deplore. His whole ner. |
vous system, though that Of an unusually
ROBUST man, was pnostrated by tolls and |