The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-02-01

doubt not, wOuld give Il good deal it
he had never listened TO the seduction
lot the orange-tintcd tempter, and
committed the folly in his old age, OF
trying TO be san author" He had
much better have left EsSayIsm to his
rhetorical colleague. They, however,
who have most reason to deplorc this
beginning of strife, are the family
and friends if he had any, of
the late Sccrctlry of 4 The rug
lgcd Gu liiiics which marked him in
lie might he thought virtues, or kin
drod to virtue, by such az like that
sort of %truculent organ %ization /; and
the rep t. of those he had. HIS con-
version from B~rcckinridgc Democracy
to RadicaliSm, when he took Office
under Mr.. Lincoln, was per Sc not a.
strange rs his who voted fifty-Onc
times for Jefferson Davis rs President,
and then spiang, with Il leap of love,
into tie arms Of abolition
ism.
But to have it proved that he was
a false, ~insincere, doublc-d ealing TICK
ster, Qualities as to which there is as
little d,ssent,) ~betraying his friends
and patron, fetching and carrying
Cabinet secrets to opposition leaders,
holding midnight meetings with them
and then going, in the freshness OF
the next days morning, to take coun-
sci with his official as ociatcs whom
he had betrayed-this Is what those
who are interested in Mr.. Stanton's
memory have to thank Senator VII
son for. Mr.. Buchanan was, az we
all know, very far from being George
Washington either in strength or
sternness of character, and Mr.. Stan
ton was net Edmund Randolph but
if, in those dark winter days OF 1850
81, the then President had intercepted
the letter which Mr.. Dawes says he
read under a lamp post, and without
a word laiI it before its author, it
would have Len the counterpart OF
the historical scene of seventy-six years
ago. Even he would tremble and
turn pale, for the FGIchet document
was 4 trife in comparison. As it was,
Mr.. Buchanan died without this dark
discovery or even a suspicion, and
Mr.. Stanton without this reproach.
Judge Blacks last publication is
terrible and we should do gross in
Justice if we were favorably to criticise
it in detail, or try to make extracts,
or an abstract. 1t must be read and
this we confidently say, that no one,
be his political or personal opinions
and feelings what they may, With or
diEary intelligence, will lay it down
after he has once begun it. Those
WHO, like ourselves, agree with the
writer, need not pause to say that the
tone of this scorching rebuke might
. have been milder, anI :ts style more
subdued. No doubt there wcro pri,n
sensitive folks who thought Burke
favored too highly his letter to Il no.
BILE Lord, and that he might have been
more gentle with the Duke of Bedford
or Lord Lauderdale We are content
to take things rs they are. Not only
arc We willing to have a spade called
Il sfspade," but ifsny one throws dit,
and the worst kind-the mould from
an unsodden grave-in or faces, We
see no wrong in striking the slandercr
over the head with its sharpcst edge
This, Judge Black has done most
thoroughly, and it needs the sooth.
ing influence of the poultice which
Massachusetts, has just applied tc
make her Senator bear without wine
ing the blow that has just b~efaller
hiri-
And yet, there is running through
this fierce eiiiIsion, d thread Of gentle
and kind feeling towards the dead, a
sort of hesitat:hg selfreproach ct being
compelled ~ircidentlly to disparagc {
former friend, which Is very noticeable.
There are memories of old friendship
frankly stated. There are tributes tc
Mr.. Stanton's intellectual, and, Il;
they once seemed, his moral merits.
which arc more impressive and viii
be more acceptable to those who are
interested than Mr.. Wilson's pompou>
platitudes of praise. Judge Blac
tells how. for a friend he thought wor,
thy, he struggled with Mr.. Buchanau'>
instincts and other peoples. prejudi-
ces; how tic tried to have Stanton
made Postmaster General, and how
che caused him" (the pharse is rath-
er strong) "to be made Attorney
General" and then adds-and it is
one of the few extracts we can ven
ture on:
"After he took Office under the
Lincoln Administration our paths di-
verged so widely that [ did o often
sec him. When L did he sometimes
overwhelmed me, as before, with ny
| DeThaIical demonstration of thank uI.
ness and friendship. If his feelings
aver changed he "dicd and made no
sign" hat was visible to me. Here
let me record my solemn declaration
that L never saw anything dishonora-
bic i'll his conduct while L was with
him. He never disappointed me
while he was employed under me, or
while we were colleagues in office !;
and he never failed me i'll anything
that ! had a right to expect at his
hands. His enemies spoke evil of
i'm, but that is ''the rough brake that
virtue must go through" and 1 al
lowed no tale bearer to shake my faith.
My W personal knowledge does not
enable m to accuse Kim of any mean
OF d~isgraceful att. How far you have
succeeded, or may hereafter be able
to succeed. in proving him a treacher
Gus ~hypocrite, is another question:"
This. we repeat, will sound moro
pleasantly in the cars Of genuine
S~tantonites, if there be such, than
Mr.. Wilson's dulcet notes of sncaking
SANDER; and yet, we doubt not, it Will
no tho ono of Ro1ioaIi.o 70 on1I