The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-24

made public until It's fulnlment WAS Just
at hand, but as il was reoited by
grave and venerable Senator in open
Senate, no one present could deny
the singular prophetic honors claimed by the
prophet for himself. But war has ceased
Newspapers and kilograms now go from the
Lakes to the Gulf, and subdued Rebels, long
bound in silence by the oonqueror, now
venture occasionally to interpose corrections
of what they allege to be perverted history.
that Mr.. Cameron was doubtless incorrectly
reported as no such remarks we're made to
him when he withdrew from the Senate.
Mr.. Cameron did not venture to explain, but
Colonel Forney answered, denounced Davis
as Rebel, and therefore not to be believed,
and transferred the scene from the Senate to
Mrs. Davis breakfast table. 1t was safe to
assume that Mrs. Davis would not rush into a
public contradiction; and so that disputed
historical event, involving MIR. Cameron's
claims to the honors of prophecy, remains
unsettled.
One of the most remarkable instances of
historical antagonism is exhibited by Judge
Blacks article on Mr.. Stanton, copied in our
columns on Saturday from the GALAXY for
June. If Mr.. Wilson is to be believed, Mr..
Stanton was one of the earliest as he was one
of the sblest and boldest champions of eman-
cipation, colored troops, universal suffrage,
and of all the radical measures of reconstruc-
ton. If Judge Black is to be believed, Mr..
Stanton fully and cordially harmonized with
him in the Buchanan Cabinet, and held that
all the violent measures growing out of the
war were unconstitutional and revolutionary.
Judge Black processes to speak from frequent
and most intimate intercourse with Mr.. Stan
ton both before and after the war, and he
details with great minuteness various circum-
stances in support of his positions. On the
other hand, Mr.. Wilson was chairman of the
Military Committee of the Senate, was
doubtless in the closest intercourse with
Stanton while he was Minister of
War, and must have had at least
equal facilities with Judge Black
to know Mr.. Stantons convictions and
purposes. 1t is not to be presumed that
either has deliberately falsifed but the two
distinguished men have been Mr.. Stantons
intimate associates under widely different
circumstances, and each judges him from
widely different standpoint. Judge Black
knew the Mr.. Stanton of the Democratic
faith, before treason and Rebellion had defied
the Constitution and the laws, and Mr.. Will
son knew the Mr.. Stanton whose new duties
were taught by the new occasion that called
the nation to exercise its extreme powers to
preserve its own life. Without discrediting
either personally, such will be the general
judgment of the nation. 1t is well, however,
that both have written, for both will mate
rally aid history in attaining high measure
of perfection in estimating Mr.. Stanton.
Another instance of disputed history was
developed in our columns on Saturday by the
somewhat impassioned letter of General Ma
gruder, vindicating himself against the accu-
sations made against him by Mr.. Cameron in
the Senate recently. Mr.. Cameron, in de-
bate on the condition of things about WASH
ington when the war commenced, made GER
tain statements imputing positive treachery
and dishonor to Magruder, who was in COM
mand of battery in Washington when Mr..
Lincoln was inaugurated. He did not name
tinctness that the remarks could be applied to
no one else. He also claimed especial credit
for preventing Captain Magruder from be-
treying the President, and also from deserting
with his battery to the South. If Mr..
Camerons statements are true, he deserves
great credit for his vigilance, and
Magruder deserves to be reprobated as a dis
honored and treacherous man. But Magruder
comes out over his own signature and pro-
n noupcao Gapoarcp's n afatamant Ga ,nonstroy,c
malicious, reckless, and infamous lie, and
he follows it up with q detailed account of
his fidelity while holding q commission, and
also giving the particulars of his resignation.
He goes farther. He alleges that Mr.. Came
ron manifested particular kindness for him,
and at breakfast party voluntarily offered
to tsend Magruder to Russia to escape
the conflict In this case the issue of
veracity is clear and unmistakable. Either
Cameron or Magruder deliberately falsi-
fes, and the public will judge between them.
Cameron has the advantage in the North,
because Magruder joined the Southern army;
but Magruder has an advantage in the fact
that his reputation for truth has not yet been
riddled so thoroughly as has Mr.. Cameron's.
In the recent historical antagonisms Mr..
Cameron has been confronted by several
living Witnesses and he has not as yet ven-
tured to meet any of them when challenged
to the proof.
We welcome these antagonisms as likely to
lead the public to a correct judgment on the
points at issue. The time is past when the
testimony of intelligent men, who have been
sotors in or coonizant of iponortant avan+s