Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-10-03
THE LATE SECRETARY STANTON.
Incidents of His Life.

| among Une many interesting sketches Of
our public men, written by Col. Forney
none possess more interest to patriots than
the following just tribute to the character
of the great War Minister, endeared to
every loyal citizens by his untiring devo-
/ ton and incompatible services to the
Union:
No modern character possesses more ia
terest than Stanton. The time has not
come when his biography may be faithful
ly and dispassionately written. Up to the
rebellion he lived life of singular tran1
quillity. Discarding Office and avoiding
politics, his ambition was in the line of the
law, in which he soon became giant. A
close student, clear, compact logician, a
bold and impetuous advocate, his best pow
ers were given to his profession. Sought
after far and near, and employed in most
of the great cases, his reputation and large
influence in his native State of Ohio and
in his adopted State of Pennsylvania as
sumed national proportions when he re-
moved to the city of Washington. He
lowered in the Supreme Court a leader of
| leaders. An authority of wide accepta-
| ton, he was genius of his school. Forced
finally into public position at the close of
Buchanan's administration, his bearing as
scientiOus that when General Cameron re-
tired from the War Department. popular
opinion pointed him out as the fittest man
for that responsible post, and when Presi-
dent Lincoln selected him the whole
country cried Amen.
[ knew him well. Long before his name
was cited in the catalogue of great lawyers
| met and learned to love him, wondered
at his mind and gathered instruction from
III II ~ IA
He hated slavery from the start, although
cooperating with the Democratic party.
Once he was sent to Columbus as a dele
gate to Young Mems State Convention,
and when the chairman endeavored to dis
regard the sentiment to which the MAORI
ty were pledged, Stanton was in the Sec
Ond or third tier, and made several efforts
to obtain a hearing. At last he caught the
chairman's eye, and commanded his atten-
ton by beginning his speech as follows:
address you to-day as the meanest man
among the thousands of young men of
Ohio whom you have attempted to betray.n
When he accepted the portfolio of War
Minister, it was in the same spirit of the
generals of Cromwell's Puritan army The
first thing he did was to put himself out of
sight, In the long catalogue of calumnies
heaped by bad men upon his honored
nome, not even suspicion of personal am
bition is found. They hated him because
he loved his country-because that love
was sincere, vigilant, exacting. He was
rough in his manners to those he had rea-
son to believe corrupt, but he was sweet as
summer to the poor, the humble and the
brave. By his own example he conquered.
Asking nothing for himself. he refused
everything to others that was not just. AT.
ter several Generals had failed, I heard
him say, more than once, Il will find
leader for these armies, if he must be taken
from the ranks" m
The intensity with which he was iden-
titled with his clients cause was in &C
cOrdance with his intense devotion to the
Republic. 1 have seen him more than
once order back the laggard to camp in |
tones of stern rebuke, and Immediately af- |
terward take the mother of a private SOL |
der by the hand and cheer her for the loss |
of her son. Utterly regardless of social |
pleasure, he had no hope, no object, no |
time but for the cause. He worked harder |
than any of his subordinates. and STAYED /
longer in his department.. 1t was aston
lshlng how this man, who had never par
ncipated IN party warfare, comprehended
the political situation. Fertile of sugges-
ton, he was mine of information to an
editor. He thought quickly and wrote
strongly. He would give a keynote for
campaign, which, sounded in the columns
1f newspaper, would thrill continent.
He was no respector of persons. FIRE.
luently, to provoke his iron impartialiby,
ne reproached his nearest friends when he
eared they were faltering. He studiously
from public speaking. His re-
ports were brief, but clear and cogent his
etters Were few and simple; his gazettes
victory were marked by all
he COvenanter's fire. Reproduce that in
which he promulgated the decisive victo-
lies of Grant before Richmond:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C.,
;. April 9, 1S65-930P P. NJ.
General Grant.
Thanks be to Almighty God for the great vic
ory with which He has this day crowned you
md the gallant army under your commando
fhe thanks of this Department, and of the Gov
,rnment, and OF the people of the United States,
heir reverence and honor have been deserved.
md will be rendered to you and the brave and
gallant officers and soldiers of your army for all
ime. EDWIN M. STANTON
90 Secretary of War
In these two sentences you have an in
light into the character of Edwin M. Stan
on. Every word seems to have been coined
'ut OF the purest gold and weighed in the !
incest scales of gratitude. They are short,
tut how ponderous! Written for the living
Millions, they will be read by the coming
millions. AS we ponder them and recollect
nat In five little days Abraham Lincoln 7
lept in death, and that little more than
i've years later-after that terrible struggle
With Andrew Johnson, which may be said
have literally crushed the heart of the
reat statesman-Stanton himself was sum- \
noned to his last account, let us never {
ease to cherish and follow his natchless
xample. Had he lived to take his seat
pom the bench of the Supreme Court of
he United States, the words of Daniel 4
Webster, applied to the illustrious John
ay, would have been equally true of Ed
yin nj. Stanton When the spotlegs er-
nine of the judicial robe fell upon him it
0uched nothing less spotless than itseIf.D