Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-01-22

vital want which threatened to be tb,
fatal defect OF the times. viz. an ener
getic, wise, and efficient government o.
the armies and Of the country.
1t Is not too much to say, that from
the hour Mr.. Stanton put his shoulder
under the burden Of the war, the eoun.
try had a master. II is not too much tc
say, that the country would never have
had Lincolnj IL Mr.. Lincoln had not
had a Stanton. He gave TO his superior
the needed qualities. Mr.. Lincoln was
for the time like great and staunch shiI
driven before the gale But Stanton's
influence developed in the President that
wisdom, which, alone, he had not the
| power, under the terrible blasts Of war.
to uniurl and hold to its place
In comparing Mr.. Stanton with his
compeers, we shall find in others a judy
meat as sound as his reason, both
perceptive and reflective, as quick and as
! piercing personal integrity as unsul.
/ lied but there is none that will Compare
with him in the forward action of all his
faculties, and the plunging force of his
! will Though he was familiar with his
tory, and though his large experience in
legal affairs, had stored his mind with
| precedents, he did not. niser-like, limgcr
IN the knowledge of the past, counting
1t over and over lie had sagacity, fore
sight, an aptitude tor seeing things yet
to be, as if.they were realities Ills
thoughts lived far along beyond other
mems. Such benefit did he derive in
practical affairs from an active imagina-
ton.
But, above all, his force, or it may better
! be said, was TO be fOund in his extraorli-
nary VIII. 1t was versatile, fruitful
and abundant will, which gave intensity
to bis conviction, steadastness to his pur-
poses. and overwhelming power to the
execution of his plans.
Nf Lincoln too lfad strength of will.
but it acted only in the line of firmness.
1t klndled no other mans will. 1t spent
itself within him. NTr. Stantou's was a
propulsive will. 1t drove other men for.
ward. 1t seized all the organs of govern
ment and impelled them. 1t filed the
channels which Legislation had dug, with
an irresistible stream. 1t was what steam
was to the ocean boat, or what the trade
winds are to ships of war.
His nature was large enongh to enable
him to comprehend the whole sphere of
this gigantic war, and his will was capa-
cious AID energetic enough to make his
Influence felt throughout its bounds. He
had had no military training, nor did he
etlnce the native qualities of great
General. There is little that would have
given him eminence, in either his plans
OF campaign or suggestions Of strategy.
1t was in his administration of the gov.
ernment, in his selection of men, in the
impulse which he gave to them, in the
organization which he impaired to the
whole machine of war. that we are to
find his distinguishing excellences!
In the sublime task he almost gave up
his identity, and mingled himself with
the cause which he served. Or, it NAV
be more properly said, that lie took up
the whole cause of liberty and union in
to his proper personality, and made the
country part of himself. Wrong done
to the country was wrong done TO him.
lie was defeated in defeat, and lie was
victorious in the nations victories. While
it lasted he had no other life than the
life of the war; There was to him no
world but that of shadows; outside of
the struggle for national life AMI unity. |
His own fate, his fame, his property5 his |
happiness, were trifes. The one great
passion of his life, which took into it |
self the fire and force of his whole ma |
ture, was the crushing of the rebellion,
and the reinstating of the Government ! |
Mercenary men that in the country's dis |
tress hung about the Government tor per-
sona gain he hated with a tervent ha- |
tired. Moung dnd plotting politicians
were like loathsome vermin to him
Whoever would honestly and heartily |
serve the country, him would he serve
with all his heart. Whoever, III the |
great day of her dis ress, would seek to
fleece the country for his own private
interest, he abhorred with a scorn that
burnt like fire. Flippant politicians, pre-
tentious martinets, corrupt public men,
venal scribblers, and the whole tribe of |
apes and pecocks, he ground beneath his
feet with merciess fury. When, at a
safe distance they cbattefed and vindic--
lively assailed his honor, he let then.
snarl, caring no more for them then does
4 housewife for the flies which she has
JHCe brushed out Oh ucI room. ANaflce
banked, and wounded vanity, make des-
perate enmities. Even now, in the hour
Of death, there may be seen some loath-
some creatures standing in the door of
sepulchre, growing for his corse.
Mr.. Stanton seldom spoke of himself
and never Wanted his services. Bnt
none knew so we'll as Mr. Lincoln how
often he saved the country at those deci-
sive points which came SO frequently in
The two last years Of the conflict. To
Mr.. Stanton we owe it, in all hkehh Jod,
hat the Confederate armies did not, al-
er Rosecrans' defeat at Chicamauga, do
by the great Northwest what afterwards
sherman did by the Southeast.
Mr.. Lincoln's advisers urged him to
withdraw the army from East Tennessee
md to fall back upon Nashville. He re-
luested Mr.. Stanton to give the orders
or such movement. Stanton protest
ID. Mr.. Lincoln came to the War De
,artment with an eminent general, to rea-
on the matter.
"We cannot hold the ground Mr.. Stan
on"
"Mr. President; it must be held"
''It is impossible we cannot reinforce