Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-01-05
Edwin II stanton.

upon Ine OGaln OF Mr.. CLdnlOu, rs
given in the New York S5ln. Mr..
Dana, of that paper, was associated
with Mr.. Stanton in the War Office,
during the rebellion.
CALLED INTO MR.. LINC0LN'S CABINET.
After Mr.. Lincoln came into Office,
Mr.. Stanton remained at Washington
in the practice of his profession until
January 20, 1862, when, on the resig-
nation of Mr.. Cameron, he was placed
at the head Of the War Department
From this time until the close of the
rebellion his personal history is per-
haps more identified with the history
Of the war than that of any other in
dividual. His labors during the whole
time were enormous. His devotion
never faltered. His faith in the final
triumph of the Union could not be
shaken. Night as well as day found
him sssiduOus at his post. That he
was sometimes harsh and in1perious
amid his heavy cares and constant
tells is certain indeed, he could 9TH
erwise hardly have accomplished his
work; but none Of his enemies has
ever questioned the sincerity of his
devotion to his duty, or attempted TO
depreeiate the fidelity with which he
gave every thought and every mo-
ment TO the public service. Indeed,
it was his unsparing industry in the
War Department that exhausted his
great natural strength, and, by aggra-
waiting an asthmatic tendency which
had long affected him, fixed upon
/ him the disease from which he died.
HIS CHARACTER
His presence weighty, dignified and
impressive. His ordinary expression
of countenance was grave, but it easily
gave way to mirth, and his smile,
which was always ready at any sally
of humor, was exceedingly sweet and
tender. His eye would kindle with a
peculiar light at the presence of chill
dren, of whose company he was fond,
and with whom he was always gentle
and playful. He was very fond of the
society of his friends, and took great
delight in discussing with them the
history Of public affairs or principles
of law, or recalling events of the war
or of politics that were little known
and understood.
He liked anecdotes, told q story
with effect, and had no objection TO a
joke. But he had no patience with
levity when serious business was on
hand. On the night of Mr.. Lincoln's
second election q few confidential
friends of the President Were gathered
AT the War Department TO see the re-
turns as they came in by telegraph
Between the dispatches, Mr.. Lincoln
took out of his pocket little pamph-
let, by the Rev. Petroleum V. Nasby,
and read aloud one extract after anoth-
er to one of the gentlemen present
This was utterly repugnant to Mr..
Stanton's solemn interest in the event
of the day. During one of the pauses
he beckoned the Presidents auditor
into the next room, and there express
ed his indignation in language of
much vehemence, after which they
went back and resumed the study of
the returns.
THE PROCLAMATION OF EMANCIPA-
TIOS.
His impatience with the slowness of
President Lincoln to proclaim eman-
cipatiOn was great, and was expressed
more freely to the President than to
any one else. When the proclamation
finally came, his delight and his graft
tude to God were unbounded. Now
at last he felt that no blunder and no
disaster would avert the ultimate tri-
umph of our arms. He at once took
measures to organize negro regiments
ande4o member of the Administration
cared more faithfully than he for
those humble defenders of the Union.
He protected their interests at every
point, and long refused to exchange
prisoners with the rebel authorities
because they would not include our
black soldiers in the exchanges. Per-
haps there was no point in all the
complications of the war which sub
jected Mr.. Stanton to so much obloquy
as this; but, rs in every thing else, he
would not turn from his work to de-
fetfd himself, and left the vindicatiOn
of his conduct to time and the hands
of others.
HIS INFLUENCE WITH MR.. LINCOLN.
At first Mr.. Lincoln was somewhat
shy at this positive, uncomprOmising
intractable man, but this feeling soon
wore off; and though their action
sometimes clashed, the Secretary did
not always yield with grace, yet the
relation between them ripened into a
warm friendship. Toward the last of
Mr.. Lincoln's life none of his advisers
had so much weight with him as Mr..
Stanton. They felt in common how
necessary it was, in bringing the war
TO a close, to prevent any possible as
sumption of superiority on the part of
the military arm. Accordingly, they
took the greatest care always to guard
the Just predominance of the civil
power; and hence it was that when,
on the approach of the final operations
about Richmond, it became necessary
to give new instructions to General
Grant, he was ordered to abstain seru-
pulously from making or entertaining
any pretentions Of a political nature.
It il but justice to General Grant to
say that he cheerfully obeyed these
orders, and confined the stipulstions
for the surrender Of General Lee
strictly within the limits Of military
transaction. The same jealous watch
fulness led to the rebuke of General
Sherman for his unauthorized negoti-
ations upon political subjects in &C
cepting the surrender Of General J. E.
Johnston. All this implied no special
distrust Of eitherof those distinguished
officers; but We think the wisdom OF
such p1Rhution will not now be ques-
tioned.
HIS RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS.
Although not q member of any
he may have recently
become one-religious feeling was one
Of Mr.. Stanton's most striking eharae-
teristics. The imagery of the Old
Testament was familiar to him, and
he often undesignedly used it in Illus
tration of military occurrences during
the war. He believed instinctively in
the presence of God in human affairs,
and that Right must at last prevail be-
cause Of. that presence. Though not,
we suppose, habitually q devout man,
the sentimento Of devoutness was active
with him. In 1854 a party Of Qnakers
came to Washington upon business
with the welfare of the
freedmen. Among them was q lady
from New Bedford, remarkable not
emily for her ability - Q preacher, but !
for . sanity beauty. They visited |
the Secretary Of War at his house.
When the matter was disposed of, !
about which they had called, and IS