The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-01-12
Aneodote of Edwin N. Stanton.

4 The press is teeming with anecdota.
| of the late Mr.. Stanton. We have ons
4 to narrate, which illustrates the cold
I severity and cruelty of his character
;. A man by the name of Davis-liyipo
in Maryland, who had never been %
the Southern army, or in any way in
their service, but who resided in the;,
lines-had occasion to visit the North
during the war. He foolislily and in
noeently consented to be the bearer Of
a number of private letters from par
ties in the Confederacy to others IN
the North. He was arrested as a snv
and with these Letters upon him
brought before Military Commission
which, upon the technically Of he
case, convicted him, and'sentenced him
to death by hanging. He was a gen
tleman OF character and position, and
was related to some of the best Ami
lies of Maryland, who made areat
efforts to prevent the execution Of xhis
cruel sentence. At their solicitation =
gentleman we'll known to us. and from,
whose lips we have tue story, visited
Washington as an intercessor. He was
nnacqnainfed with the President, M
Lincoln, bnt had been for years an old
| friend of Mr.. Stanton, his Secretary Of
War. He first paid his respects. Of
course, to the latter, desiring to inter.
est him fav0rably in the case,<
He visited Stanton's house. and
after sending in his name, waited ma.
tiently for that dignitary to finish his
dinner, as it was shrewdly coniectured
that an interruption of the latter wonld
not conduce to the sweetness Of HI.
temper, or incline him favorably ~
the luckless person who caused =
When he made his appearance. ~.
friend thought he would, after some
preliminary conversation, approach
him on the religious side of his cbarac.
ter. Something like the following dia.
tlogue then ensued:
Observation-Disclosures, you ought IN
be very grateful man to God fyY the
very great kindness VIII CHI he han shown
you more than most Ut men.
Stanton-HOw sol "a
Interlocutor-Why, he has not only
given You in profusion all the creature
comforts of this life,. but, in, addition.
clothed you with extraordinary powers
which, l trust, ip. consideration Of your
great responsibility, you will always
exercise on the side of mercy.
At this point the wife of the Secreta.
rs made her appearance, who, over
hearing the latter part of the converss.
tiOn, Immediately responded in tie
af1irmatitive, Seeing he had an ally
in Mrs. Stanton, the gentleman inter-
ested IN Davis remarked to her that
Ire knew her husband to be q generous
and humane man, but that, unfortu.
nately, there was belief widespread
among the people that the reverse was
the tact-that he was hard-hearted
and crnel; and that he would fam
have the Secretary do something that
would remove that impression. This
was gradual approach to the subject
of intercessiOn for Davis.
Stanton-My friends do me justice.
/ am humane and liberal, except in re-
gard to those engaged in this rebellion,
and upon them would visit to the full
letter all the penalties. Willy, only re.
Gently, was importuned by several
parties to do something for that trail
tor and spy, Davis, who is sentenced
to be hanged ON JOhnsOn's Island
Stop the execution! Why, if had my
way, would hang him on a gibbet as
high as Hannah! But I suppose they
will get around Old Abe, at the White
House, and that this decree OF justice
will not be enforced. SAT-
Our friend, seeing that Stanton's
mind was made up-that nothing could
be done with him-eptirely omitted to
mention the matter which brought him
there, and took his leave with mingled
feelings of disgust and indignation at
the heartless cruelty which thus pre-
judged plea for mercy.
He next visited another Cabinet OFF,
Ger, who was an old personal friend of
his superior officer, Lincoln, and in.
duced him to bring up the case to the
Presidents attention. The Executive,
after hearing his statement of the facts,
replied something as follows:
Lincoln-Wall, I rather guess the
worst use You can put man to is to
hang him: You don't think then, Mr.
that this man Davis would spoil if We
kept him awhilef Saying this with
roguish twinkle in his eye.)
Cabinet Oficerl am pretty sure he
would not, Mr.. President.
Linc0ln-Wali, Us you think he will
keep. l will stop this business, and
order the proceedings for time to let
up. $50. r.sz ~
Cabinet Oficer-As he is to be hung
day after tomorrow, there is no time
to be lost. 1t is now in the depth. Of
winter. and if the telegraph wires
should happen to be down by storms
your Executive clemency would be
prevented.
Lincoln-I will see to that. There
are three lines to JOhnsOn's Island. /
will use them all. My dispatches
haveprecedence over all others, and
viii drawthem up Immediately. Como
in Tomorrow and gness you will find
it all right:
Tomorrow came, and with it tho
friendly Cabinet officer, who as soon
as the President observed him, remark
ed: "Ah! that Davis case. There il
dispatch (handing it to him) which
| received from the Commander at
Johnson's Island" The Cabinet OH
Ger found that the order had been re
ceived and obeyed, and that the pris-
oner was then on his way to Fort Della
ware. He there remained three to four
weeks, when he was paroled and re-
leased, and terrible tragedy, which
was favored by Stanton, avcrted BY
the humanity Of the President. This