The New York herald., 1870-02-02
JERE BLACKS LETTER TO ATTORNEY
GENERAL HOAR.

GENERAL HOAks
.~~>-~~1>>Y~~N>-~>~>~~-
Mr.. Hoar's EaIosy On tho Into Secretary
stanton.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 49, 1870.
| Hon. =. r. HoAR, Attorney General.
SIR was not present IN court yesterday 10 hear
your remarks on Mr. stanton but to-day was
| SHOWN newspaper report OF them, which pre-
sumo to be perfectly accurate The following para
| graph has struck me with surprise:--
But 1t In not OF the lawyer eminent as he was IN
the science and practice OF the law, that men chleny
kInd was on higher and wider field. He was
appointed Attorney General by Mr. Buchanan on
hours Of the coantrys history, wnen the
Union seemed crumbiing to pieces. without an
public counseis was IouStinr and WITHIN were
fears; when feebleness ana treachery were uniting
TO yield whatever defiant rebellion might demand
ana good men everywhere were ready to despair OF
| the republic. For ten weeks OF that winter Of ma
tional agony and shame with patriotism tnat never
wavered and courage that never quaied, TINS true
American, happily not alone. stO00 manfuy at his
post Detween the living and the dead,n gave what
nerve he could to timid aud trembling mbeciity and
met the secret p0ters OF their counIrys ruin with
IN undauned front until before tnaI resOute pre-
sence the demons OF treason and civil discord ap-
peared in their own shape as At the touch OF thu
rle's spear, and ned bafned and bowling away.
This statement was carefully and deliberately
written down before you delivered It. You spoke
for the American bar its organ and ofncial head
and you addressed the highest tribunal In the world
knowing that your words were TO 20 upon It's re-
cords and there remain forever. ] take 1t for
granted under these circumstances that no earthly
temptation could make you denect hairs breadth
from the facts Gs you understand and believed tncm
The inevitable conclusion s that you must have in
your possession within your reach some evidence
which convinces you that what you SAID ID the
truth, and nothing but the truth. sure you will
excuse me for asking you to say what that evidence
H. The paper have transcribed from your address
sounds like the authoritative summary OF his
toriaD as he closes the most interesting chapter OF
his book. You Can hardly consider the curiosity I'M
pertinent that prompts an American citizen to
inquire what your Judgment IL founded upon.
Besides, have some friends whose regulation Is
deeply involved In the affairs you pronounce upon
wltn SO much confidence. Moreover nave per-
sonal concern In your remarks, for am one OF Mr..
Stanton's colleagues and am liable as any OF
them 10 be taken on your statement for one Of the
secret Doters Of their countrys ruin" BE pleased
therefore, to give me the information seek.
DO you md on the records or your office anything
which shows that Mr.. Stanton was In violent or
dangerous conflict with demons Of treason and
ctv discord, or any other description OF demons
Did Mr.. stanton himself ever lay claim to the heroic
character you ascriDe to MIN that he had
performed those pr0dIgi0us featS 0i courage whti6
he was In Mr. Buchanans CaDineLP Has any Otaer
person who was In u condition 10 know the facts
given you that version OF them which you re-
peated to the coart2 II yes, who are tue witnessesY
What particular danger was ne exposed 70 which
tested ms vaiof ana made his "undauuted fontu q
thing 30 wonderful III the description OF its Whose
eeDeness and trcachery was it that united to yield
whatever denant rebellion might denandf" and
how did Mr.. stautOn's COURAGE dissolve tne combi
nation or defeat Its purpOseS2
You say that for ten weeks "he stood manfnlly at
when The first law OFFICER Of the United states ad
dressed the Supreme Court on special occasion,
mean sOmeInIng by what ne says. How IS TINS 70 be
understOodf You certainly did not intend to assert
merely that he stuck to his commission as long as he
could and gave up only when he could not help It,
Standing manfuily at post Of any KIND, and espe-
claly wnen the stand Is made between the Nv
ing and the dead, /" has, doubtless, deep slgni6-
canoe II one could but manage 70 find out wnat 1t
10. VINO were tue dead and who were tue living
and how did 1t happen that Mr.. stanton got between
them Wnat business had he between them and
wny did he stay there for ten weeksf These ques-
tons you can easily answer, and the answer needed
for, in the meantime c0necturai interpretations
very various ana some OF them injurious To the dead
and living aforesaid as well as to Mr. stanton, whO
them.
/ can comprehend the well worn simile Of Thu
riel's spear, but lido not see what earth
use OF It unless you thought 1t ornamental and 0rlg
nal, for you make Mr. stanton by his mere presence
and Without % al, spear p "a 90 o. wnat mat narsi hmssf
ment. The angel with the spear compelled demon
to lay aside his disguise. wnlle mortal man dealt
with many demons and not only made them all ap-
pear IN their proper shape but drove them 'bafled
and howling awayn out Of his "res0lute presence
do not object TO this because the figures mixed
or because 1t 10 an extravagant outrage on good
taste; the custom Of the times allows men VINO
make euiogles on tneir political friends to tear their
welcome 10 haunt them. But call your attention
TO l. In the hope tnat you Will talk ike man OF this
prose, q particular account OF the very important
transactions to which you refer, together with the
thought OF being taken literally; your description
OF Ar. stanton conjurlng demons ls only . meta.
phorcai way you nave OF saying that lie frightened
certain bad men. l beg you TO tell me VINO shey
were and how he scared them.
l repeat that you ale NOS charged, and, In my
opinion could not be Justly charged, with the great
SIN OF faDricating statements ike these. You nave
no doubt seen or heard what you regard as sufi-
been misied by the false accounts which partisan
writers have invented, not to honor Mr. stanton,
but to SANDER others.
duct while he was ssAttorney General, anu told 1t
SIMPLY, you might have done great honor To his
fashioned democratic Union saver. lie believed In
the constitution AZ The fundamental law OF the land.
bona by which the States could be rghtfully Reld
together. he regarded MS Official oath ~ 0 solemn
covenant with God and his country, never
TO oe violated under any circumstances;
and no had . right Wholesome contempt
for that corrupt code OF morality which
teaches oaths are not binding upon the rulers Of
Tree country when they dnd II inconsistent with
their interest to keep them He uniformly behaved
WITH modest stiffness and HUMILITY, except when
coming deierence 10 Others. From that part Of his
life ~ least you might by telling II truly, nave de-
rived sl0ty lesson" indeed. But this quiet, unpre
tending, nigh Drncipled, democratic gentleman -
converted Dy your maiadroit oratory into hector
ing bully OF the abolition school, rainpaging through
the White House and around tue department.,
trying to frighten people with Dig looks.
beSeech you to re-examlne your authorities. II
you still think them uf1cent to sustain you can
not doubt your Willingness to communicate them
for the scrutiny OF others who are Interested. IT, on
the contrary, you shall be satisfied that you have
parties,
and especially 70 the subject OF your well meant but
unfortunate eulogy, requires some amends TO be
made. IL will be for you to say whether you Will or
viii not ask the court for leave to withdraw that
part Of your speech from the record.
J. s. BLACK.
lncaMnIur uapYc