The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1870-02-17
Che 8eaford 6azette
JUDGE BLACKS LETTER To ATTOR-
NEY GENERAL HOAR.
Mr. HOar's EuIOgy ON the Late Secre-
tary stanton.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1870.
f. Il. Hoar, Attorney General.


newspaper report of them, which
presume to be perfectly accurate. The
following paragraph has struck me
with surprise:
''But it is not of the lawyer, eminent
as he was in the science aud practice oi
the law, that men chiefly think as they
Kind was ona higher aud wider field
He Unsupported Attorney General by
Mr.. buchanan on the 20lh Of December
1860. in one of the darkest hours OF the
cuuntry's history, when the Union
seemed crunbling To pieces, without
AN ar,n raised for its support; when
without the public councils was doubt
ing, and within were fears; when fee
bleness and treachery were uniting to
yield whatever defiant rebellion might
demand and good men everywhere
were ready to despair Of the republic,
Fof ten weeks of that winter of ma
tional agony and shame, with patriot
ism that never wavered and courage
that never quailed, this true American,
happily, not alone, stood manfully at
his post, "between the living and the
dead" gave what nerve he could to
timid and trembling imbecility and
met the secret plotters Of their cOun-
try's ruin with an undaunted front TN
til before that resolute presence the de-
mons of treason and civil discOrd APP
peared in their own shape, as at the
touch of Ithuriel's spear, and fled bal
fed aud bowling away"
This statement was carefully and de-
liberately written down before you de-
livered il. You spoke for the American
bar as its organ and utfic al head, and
you addressed the highest tribunal in
the world, knowing that your words
were to 60 upon its records and there
remain forever. | take it for granted,
under these circumstances, that no
earthly temptation could make you de-
feet hairs breadth from the facts as
you understand and believe them
The inevitable conclusion is that you
must have in your possession, or with
in your reach, some evidence which
cOnVinces you that what you said is
the truth. | am sure you will excuse
me for asking you to say what that
evidence is. The paper l have trans
cribed from your address sounds like
the authoritative summary Of a histori-
an, as he closes the most interesting
chapter of his book. You can hardly
consider the curiosity inpertinent
that prompts an American citizen to
Inquire what your judgment is found
ell upon. Besides, | have some friends
whose reputation is deeply involved
in the affairs you pronounce upon with
so much confidence. Moreover, have
a personal concern in your remarks, for
| am enc of Mr.. Stanton's colleagues
ana am as Liable as any one of them to
be aiken on your statement for one Of
the secret plOtters of their country's
rain" BE pleased, there ore, TO give
me the information | seek
Do you lind on the records of your
flee anything which shows that Mr..
Stanton was in violent or dangerous
conflict with demons of treason and
civil discOrd ?" or any other descrip-
ti0n of deInOns?" Did Mr.. Stanton
ever lay claim TO the heroic
character you ascribe to bin or declare
that he had performed those prodigi-
Gus feats of courage while he was in
Mr.. Buchdnan's cabinet. Has any
other person who was in condition to
know the facts ever given you that
version of them which you repeated to
the court? If yes, who are the wit
nessess? what particular danger was
he exposed to which tested his vaIor,
and made his "undaunted front"
thing so wonderful in the description
oft? Whose "feebleness and treach-
cry was it that united to yield whatev-
or defiant rebellion might demand ?''
and how did Mr.. Stanton's courage dis
solve the combination or defeat its pur-
posse?
You say that for fen weeks "he stood
at his post, between the liv-
ing and the dead F" Now when the
first law officer ofthe United States adj.
dressed the Supreme Court on spe-
cial occasion, and after elaborate pre-
he is presumed to mean
by what he says. How is
this to be understood p? You certainly
did not intend to assert merely that
he stuck to his commission as long as
he could, and gave it up only when he
could not help 1t. Standing manfully
at post of any kind, and especially
when the stand is made between the
living and the dead" has, doubtless, a
deep significance, if one could but man
age to find out what 1t is. Who were
the dead and who were the living?
and how did it happen that Mr.. Stan
to got between them? What business
had he between them, and why did he
stay there for ten weeks? These Gues-
tons you can easily answer, and the
answer is needed; for in the meantime,
interpretations are very va
rious and some of them injurious to
the dead and living aforesaid, as well
as to Mr.. Stanton, who according to
your representation, stood between
them.
1 can comprehend the well worn sim
lie of Ithuriel;s spear, but / do not
see what on earth was the use of it un-
IS you thought it ornamental and orig
inal, for you make Mr.. Stanton, by his
mere presence, and without spear, do
I'll ,rI l. =. i