The Republican journal., 1870-08-04
From the Galaxy for June.
SEN. WILSON AND EDWIN M. STANTO N.

From the Galaxy for June.
SEN. WILSON AND EDWIN M. STANTO N.
ToMe Honorable Henry Wilson, Senator from
massachusetts,.
CONCLUDED.
The truth is, Mr.. Stanton in perfect accord
with the administration, before and after he be-
came part of it, on every question of fundamental
principle. He had unlimited confidence in the
men with whom he was acting, and they cOntided
in him. For his chief and some of his colleagues
he proessed an attachment literally boundless; for
all of them who stayed during the term. and for
Thompson, who did not stay, he warm in his
friendship. You would now have us believe that
these We're merely the acts of an accomplished i'm
poster; that while he was, i'll appearance jealous
lv cooperating with us, he was reporting to you
that 'he saw treason i'll every part of the govern
ment;' and that he was secretly using all the
means in his power to stir up the vilcst passions
against us.
Some overt acts of the treachery you ascrbe to
him are curious; for instance the Sumner story,
which you tell with singular brevity and GOODNESS,
| Mr.. Sumner called on him ut his office, for what
purpose You do not disclose. Mr.. Stanton did not
receive his visitor either with the politeness of Il
gentleman or the courtesy due to Il Senator, much
less with the cordiality of friend; but hustlet!
him ont of the building as if ashamed to be seen
with him in day light lie told HIM expressly that
he did not dare to converse with him there, but
would see him at one u'rlock that night. The hour
came, and then when the city was wrapped in
Sleep he skulked away TO the meetingplace, where.
under the cover of darkness, he whispered the
tales which he lid nat dQre to utter in the hearing
OF the parties they intended to ruin. And
those parties were his friends and benefactors!
Into what unfathomed gulfs of moral degradation
must the have fallen who could be guilty of
this! But remember, this Is another second hand
| story, and you are not a competent witness We
will trouble you to call Mr.. Sumner, if you please
Let him testify what treason Stanton disclosed and
explain, if he can, how this midnight and secret in
formation against men whom he was afraid to
confront is consistent with Mr. Stanton's character
| as a courageous, outspoken and honest man.
He said nothing whatever to us about the treason
which he saw in every part of the government.
He made report of his discoveries to the Presi-
| dent. He maintained unbroken his traternal rela-
tons with his colleagues. BY your own account,
he admitted to Mr.. Sumner that he did not dare 10
sjp0k of such thing even i'll his own office, lest it
might reach the of his associates in the admin
/ i>tration. Among the members of Congress whom
YOU name as the recipients of his secret cOmnun-
| cations, not one man of moderate views is nclllei
ed; much less did he speak to any friend of the
parties accused. He cautiously selected their bit
| terest enemies, and poured his venom into hearts
already fostering with spite. The House raised
/ committee ''to investigate reasonable Vaccinations
and conspiraces," upon which there were MEM
hers of both parties. Stanton did not go before it
and tell his story; nor did he mention the subject
| to Cochrane Reynolds, or Branch; but he '.made
an arrangement by which Messrs. Howard and
Dawes were informed OF what they wanted to
know 1t appears too, that committee of vigil
ance was organized by the more active republican
members of Congress; in other words the extreme
partsans of both Houses got up a secret body of
their own not to perform any legal duty pertaining
| to their offices not to devise public measures for
| avcrting the ruin which Threatened the country,
| but to prowl about in the dark for something to
| crafty personal malice or make little capital for
| their party. You were a member of that commit
| tee as it was fit you should be, and Mr.. Stanton
| gave you warnings and suggestions how to
! nroceeu That is what you call risng in that
crisis above the claims of partisanshp." AT night
he assisted YOU to rake the sewers in search of ma
terials to bespater his colleagues, and every morn
ing he appeared before them to "renew the assur-
ance of his distinguished consideration" 1t was
self to the loriy duties of an erated patriotism
! What cargoes of defimatory falsehood he must
have consigned to youi Keeping You do not
break the foul bulk, but YOU have given US some
samples which deserve examination. He de-
nounced Mr. Toucey as false to his country, lnsplr-
ed Dawes resolution against him. and expressed
the belief that he ought to be arrested. Let US look
TO Mr.. Toucey's face Mr.. Stanton breathed no
syllable of censure upon his official conduct as
head of the Navy Department. To the President or
Cabinet he expressed no doubt of his wisdom,
much less Of his honesty. He met him every day
with a face of smiling friendship. Toucey certain
" had not the remotest idea that Stanton was de-
| flaming him behind his back, or conspirlng with
abolitionists to destroy his reputation. He would
his food or stab him in his sleep. Can it be poSsi-
bic that Stanton was the author of the Dawes reSo-
luton?
|
ls6O-6i, part second, PIP. 1924, The proceeding
was begun, no doubt, in the hope of finding some
thing on which the charge could be founded of
scattering the navy to prevent it from being used
against the South. But that failed miserably; and
the committee reported nothing worse than 'a
grave error' of the Secretary in accepting without
DELAY or inquiry the resignation of certain naval
officers Even this had no foundation in law or
fact. Its truth was denied and the evidence called
for; none was produced. The right to explain
and defend was demanded, but the gag of the pre-
yious question was applied before word could be
said The accusers knew very well that 1t would
not bear the slightest investigation. Mr.. Sickles
said truly (amid cries of ''Orler'O that ''censure
without evidence disgraces only those who pro-
nounce it, Mr.. Toucey's reputation was never in
jurousy affected by it in the estimation of any fair
minded man. But you fish it up from the oblivion
to which it has been consigned and try to give it
decency and dignity by saying that Stanton nspir-
ed it, You do not appear to perceive the hideous
depth to which your assertion, if true would drag
i him down. 1t is not true; the whole business
bears the impress OF Il different mind.
I Mr. Stanton also suggested that his colleague and
friend Toucey ought to be arrested. This could
not have been proposition to take him into legal