Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-11
srANToN,s OPINIoN OF GRANT.

BEANTON'S OPINION OF GRANT
Senator Chandler made a speech in the
Senate on the 9th inst, in which he en-
dea7ored by his own personal testimony to
counteract the declaration of Mr.. Sumner
that Stanton had no confidence in the fitness
of Grant to govern this country. lie as
serted that he had had the best opportunity
Of sscertainiug Mr.. Stanton's views, and
repeated wha. Mr.. Carpenter said in bis
speech, that if Mr.. Summers statement was
correct, then Mr.. Stanton was the most
double faced man who had ever lived. Mr..
Sumner, in reply, affirmed the truth of his
former assertion, and, in support Of his de-
claration, had read letter from MIR. Hor-
ace White, editor of the Chicago Tribune,
and who was formerly Mr.. Stanton's con-
fdentiaI secretary. The following is the
letter:
PHILADELPHIA, June 4.-Dear Mr..
Sumner. The late Secretary Stanton, not
once merely but several times, expressed
himselfto me substantially the same oPin-
ion Of Gen. Grant that he did to you, with
the addition that Gen. Grant had been
greatly overrated as a military commander.
As to the latter point, recall a long con-
versation with him after the fighting al
Spottsylyania Court House, in which he
TMr. 81 expressed more apprehension Of
the results ofthe campaign than 1 had ever
known him to feel concerning any cam
paign. He felt that he could not continue
to III up the awful gaps made by Lee in
our ranks without a further call on the
loyal States for troops. But l suppose you
know all about thag. During a portion OF
this conversation he kept Chandler cooling
his heels in the ante-room in order to fin
ish what be had to say to me, a mere Bohe-
milan, although L twice suggested that it
would be indecorous for me TO remain while
a Senator desired an audience.
HORACE WHITE.
1t will be seen that Mr.. White goes even
further than Mr.. Sumner, and says that Mr..
Stanton had the same want Of confidence
in Grants military skill that he had in his
civil capacity. The Cincinnati Commercial,
in the following paragraph in its issue Of
the It'll inst, corroborates Mr.. White:
at was not alone to Charles Sumner
that Edwin NJ. Stanton expressed his dis
trust of u. S. Grant. Soon after the battle
of Chickamauga, Stanton and Grant met
at Indianapolis, and travelled together to
Louisville, the Secretary explaining the
situation 10 the General, and inpressing
upon him the profound Importance of saw
ing the army at Chattanooga. Arrived at
Louisville, Stanton sent for the officers who
were looking after the transp )rtation,
or pretending to do SO, and stirred them up,
giving premptory orders, in vehement tones,
and impressing upon them with extraordina-
ry energy the necessity ofins.ant and sSt-
emit individual exertion. Then be inquired
for Grant, and ascertained that he was at the
theater, whereupon he did not hesitate to
speak freely his feeling of disappointment
and indignation that in sach a crisis man
upon whom so much depended, and whose
minutes were that night precious TO his
country, should be dawdling at a stupid
theater. He sent for Gen. Grant forthwith,
and asked him when be was going TO the
trout; urged that be should so at once, and
stuck TO him until be got him off the next
morning"