The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-01-01
Death of e. NJ. Stanton.

States, and next, so closely upon the heels of
that announcement as to be startling, came
smother of his death. He died at his residence
in Washington city at o clock on Friday
morning of last week-Dec. oath, aged "a
years His last sickness was brief On Thurs
day he complained of being i'll, but his family
were not alarmed as to a fatal result, as he
had apparently been in q worse condition pre-
viousiy. Shortly after midnight his symptoms
became alarming. Surgeon Gen. Barnes was
present on his accustomed visit, but found it
impossible to afford rclieG Soon afterward
the sufferer lost his consciousness and was
unable to converse with anyone. The pulsa-
lions of his heart ceased for few moments
and then returned his breathing beng very
faint,--but it was half an hour heior his fam
lily could realize that he was dying. About
o'clock in the morning he expired, quietly
breathing away without a struggle He was
buried on Monday, amidst considerable civic
and military display. The remains were CON
veyed to Oak Ridge cemetery The burial
service was the ordinary one of the Episcopal
church.
From biographical sketch before us we
learn that Mr.. Stanton was born at Steuben-
vile. Ohio in 1885, and when lad moved
with his parents from there to Cupepper
county, Virginia. He entered Kenyon college
in 1898, studied there about year, and then
entered law office. He removed to Wash
lngton some three or four years before the com
menccment Of oul ate civil war, and was APP
pointed by Attorney General Black to 90 to
California and defend the government in Ger
tain land cases OF great Importance then on
trial in the courts OF that state. 1t was while
thus engaged, that Buchanan's cabinet fell to
pieces and Stanton succeeded Judge Black
as attorney general in the Buchanan cabinet.
Up to the election of Lincoln, Stanton had
been a democrat and warm partisan, fully
sympathizing with Buchanan in his opposition
to coercion" and apparently enjoying the
full confidence OF JEFF Davis and the leaders
of the secession movement. 1t was not long
after the war had been commenced however,
would be the winning side, and it was not
surprising, therefore, before the end of 1861, to
find him in full sympathy with the republican
party. On the retirement Tor rather expul-
sion) ofCameron from the War office, Stanton
received from Lincoln the appointment of
Secretary OF War, and from that date his his
tory in the history of the country. Besides
the management of the war, tor the next four
years, the government had little other bust.
ness, ard the management of the war was in
the hands OF Stanton alone. Whatever there
was Of vigor or vascillation. of wisdom or
laundering i'll that management, it was all
Stantons. Lincoln cor tessed that his influence
wasn't worth pigs tracks" in the war office.
The position unquestionaby, was one that
required man who could think rapidly, de-
eide promptly and act with energy, and Stan
ton WAS that man. Had his great capacity
been bent exclusively to crushing the rebellion,
the observance Of the axiom to speak only well
OF the dead. would not be, as it is too heavy
draught on human charity to be readily
honored
Clothed with almost unlimited power, it
was not IN the nature of the man to use with
out abusing it. The whole system of arbitrary
arrests in the loyal states, at time when no
people in the world obeyod the laws as read.
lily and implicitly as did the people of the
northern states, was an objectionable and tyr
annou3 abuse of power, with no conceivable
aim save to punish political enemies. 1t was
the invention of Stanton, and had no other
object. The enlistment of negro troops was
ordered by Stanton before congress could
muster courage even seriously to debate 50
questionable Il step The seizure and closing
OF the churches at the south, the expulsion of
their ministers and placing "loyal' ministers
in Their puipts was step that Napoleon in
the height of his power would no, have ven.
tured upon; while the dismissal Of Lieut.. Ed.
gerly from the army for voting the democratic
ticket in Connecticut, Was as brutal an cAhi.
bition OF partisan biscuy lis ever was placed
on record,
SO We could go Oh and name his steady re-
iusai to exchange prisoners, Which caused so#
much suffering among our poor soldiers his
ill-trcatugnt OF Mcclellan ana of Sherman his
uniform contempt for and disregard ol legal
or constitutional restraints; and last though
net least. his double dealing with President
Johnson, writing .,s veto Of the tcnurc.oiof-
ticn la a and ottprygarJ, r.tucin.r T., lnaya ,h,