Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-01-07
The Life and Services OF Edwin NJ.
Stanton. s-s,a-

other to the list OF truly great names that
will be borne on the lmusterroll of the de-
parted for the year just drawing to its
close. -ost.r,tAe,, 8
Mr. Stanton was a native Of Ohio,
whittier his parents emigrated from Gull,
pepper county, Va. He was born at Stu
benville in 1915; studied at Kenyon Col
lege in 1888, remained there barely year;
served as a bookseller clerk at Columbus,
at the same time that he was studying his
future profession was admitted to the
bar in 1886, and began the practice of the
law in Harrison county. He soon gained
an extensive reputation for ability in the
argument Of abstrase questions of law, as
well as for success with juries The memory
of some of his more remarkable efforts,
especially in the latter department OF his
profession, is still fresh in all that part of
Ohio and the neighboring region of West
ern Virginia. He also became known as
an active politician of the Democratic
party, of which Senators Allen and Tap
pan were then leaders in Ohio; and into
the political contests which then prevailed
he cast himself with all the fire and pas
sion of his powerful nature. In 1848 he
removed to Pittsburgh, whence, in 1857,
he transferred his residence to Washing
ton, where his professional occupations
especially in patent cases, soon became as
constant as they were profitable. Indeed,
it is saidthat when he yielded to the call
of his country and entered Mr.. Lincoln's
Cabinet he abandoned practice worth
$4,000 a year. e. dJ3fs 9eJ9aa" e5fi
Mr.. Stanton's first appearance in official
life was for brief period during the dis
astrous closing events of Mr.. ,Buchanan's
administration. In those days of gloom
and anxiety he was Attorney General,
while Mr. Holt was Secretary of War, and
Mr.. Dix. Secretary of the Treasury; and
it was chiefly to, him, and to these patri-i
otto associates. of his, that we owe the
preservation of the Government from
total shipwreck before the 4th of March,
1861, so that the helm of power could be
put into the hands of Mr.. Lincoln. The
services which Mr. Stanton then rendered
were known especially to Mr. Seward,
with whom, as the designated Secretary
of State of the new Executive, heywas, in
constant Communication, and to this fact
undoubtedly is due his subsequent choice
asTWar Minister In Mr. Lincoln's Cabinet
on the retiring of Secretary Cameron.
Mr.. stanton came into Office on the goth
of January, 1862, month before the deci-
sive and cheering victory of Fort Donel-.
son. Though never identified with the
party by which Mr.. Lincoln was elected,
his appointment was urgently recon-
mended by both Mr.. Seward and Mr..
Chase, as well as by Mr.. Cameron, whose
retirement caused the vacancy which he
was to fill. He had always been thor
oughgoing Democrat of the Jackson
school ;Tbut these Republican leaders we'll
knew the earnestness OF devotion to the
Union and the extraordinary power he
had manifested while member, for
brief but momentous period, of Mr.. Blu
chanan's Cabinet. 1t was also felt to be
desirable to give prominent part in the
work of the administration to some rep
resentative man of the War Democrats,
who were then nobly sustaining Mr.,Lin-
coin in his efforts to vindicate the national
integrity! ,g. .srir-.. IS. .tj .ss..ti ficaat
Atthe time when Mr.. Lincoln appointed
him to this Office, these two remarkable
men, who were destined to an intimacy
which history will never cease to remem-
Der, had not seen each other. The first
meeting between them was when Mr..
Stanton went to the White House to re-
ceive his commission. We believe, also,
that the first notice which the new Secre-
tary received of his appointment, was but
the day before the nomination was sent
to the Senate, when he was informed of it
just as he was about to rise for the argu-
ment of cause in the Supreme Court
The relations thus commenced between
the President and the Secretary of War
always remained exceedingly cordial; or,
rather, they constantly became warmer
and more confidential, down to the last
fatal day which ended Mr.. Lincoln's
earthly career. While he was rarely seen
at the offices of the other executive de-
partments, at the War Office he was not
merely frequent but a constant visitor.
His tall form, wrapped in his familiar
gray shawl, was usually to be seen making
its way along the back alley that leads
there from the White House, at from to
10 o'clock in the morning, or about in
the afternoon; and persons who were adj
mitted to see the Secretary on important
business in his private room at those
hours would sometimes find the President
stretched upon the sofa there, as if the
discussion between him and the Secretary
had not yet been concluded. Indeed, the
tie between them seemed to be quite as
much that of private affection as of Off
cial duty; and when the catastrophe oc-
Cured which robed the nation in mourn
ing, all will remember how admirably the
his friend and adviser was justified by the
latter. For brief time, in that, awful
crisis the whole Government seemed to
rest upont the shoulders of the Secretary
of War; and the country will not soon
forget the manner in which the momen-
tous trust was discharged. -, cry a t,..f.
The circumstances of Mr.. Stanton's re-
naming i'm the Cabinet under Mr. John
son, of his suspension from that office, of
his rc-entering upon its duties, of his re-
fusal to vacate it on the appointment of
Adjutant- General Thomas, and of his final
resignation onthe failure of impeachment,
are too well remembered to need special
recapitulation Mr. Stanton has since
that time remained in private life, engaged
in seeking to restore his shattered health.
Within the past few days he was nom-
mated ana confirmed as Associate Justice
of the Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy
occasioned by Judge Grier's resignation.
Mr.. Stanton was called the American
Carnot. He took the most laborious po-
sition in the Cabinet at the darkest hour,
and under the force of his will, energy,
and power of organization, order sprang
forth from chaos, and from that day till
the close of the rebellion there was no
delay or imbecility that could be charged
upon the head of that department. Night
and day, almost without intermission or
rest, he toiled and planned, with courage
that never was dispirited by defeat, and
trust in the cause of the Union that
made him always buoyant when other
members of the Cabinet were despond-
ent. Lincoln leaned upon him in the