The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-11-19
E. M. Stanton's Suicide.

pered, but in no indefinite way. There
are men about the national capital, who,
IN conversation among themselves, talk
frankly of Stanton's death and the horrible
circumstances attending it. These men
say that upon the very eve of the merry
Christmas day of 1869, by the stroke OF Il
razor, Stanton made the term of his eX-
lstence only question of hours. AT this
| Tune the circumstances were known to
| very few, and the number of those prlvy
10 the secret has not much increased since
Outslae OF our congressional librarian, and
d leW "ell-tralned trusty servants of the
capitol, who guard secrets as they would
thelr lives, and outside Of two or three
members OF the Stanton family, the story
OF the suicide, given below, is probably
not known to dozen people in the coun-
| try.
| Getting his first taste of national public
life in the brief service as Attorney Gen
eraI under Buchanan in the latter days of
| that administration, Stanton was willing
| enough to take up the portfolio which
Cameron laid down in 1862, and became
| the war secretary. After the first few
| weeks Lincoln seldom interfered with him
Stanton was virtually commander-in-chie
| OF the army from that day until the meet
| ing OF Grant and Lee under the apple tree
at Appomatox. 1t is a matter OF history
that Stanton was the embodiment and
| moving spirit Of the war, ceaselessly Wig
! liant tyrannical and vengetul. The war
gave him his mission and he followed it,
| regardless Of any human influence, entire
ly indifferent to all but his work When
the better days of peace and reconciliation
dawned, Stanton could not accept it He
fought az soinot IL to the bittcI end, and
overcome by the tide of public opinion
which recognized our national brother
hood, Stanton went under, and in despair,
in gloom, found death with his own hand.
His course in the Surratt trial, and later,
in the Impeachment OF President johnson,
only exemplitied what is stated more gen
orally above He forced the trial Of Mrs.
Surratt to the result it took, and then,
with heart which loved justice without
mercy, sedulouoly guarded all avenues
for commutaton or reprieye 1t was his
auxiliary, Preston King. who met poor
Annie Surratt on the steps of the White
House, going up to intercede with the
President tor her mothers life. and when
he knew her errand pushed her away, and
told her she could not see Mr.. johnson
And when she threw herself on her knees
and implored for hearing it was Preston
nantad tho n+;tioa f La 't.lC 49, r.et
te, r. '''O P'''''''' - '''' -''''''4
.......- .,,-. .....,,
May not tAe memory OF mat poor oId
woman hurried INTO eternity from me
scaffoId, nave pursued hln9 ana ms chiei
Ike a shadow, until both We're driven
to suicide hIng, IN the New York Gus
tom House, with career before hln winch
had not cloud Iii 1t, hIled his pockets with
Shot ana dropped from 4 Terry BOAT INTO the
East river and stanton, with 4 place up
on the supreme bench, Just bestowed upon
nm IN recognition OF what ne had been,
IN tne midst OF the hauonaL eaPltai
galety' areW razor across ms throat and
ehued MS existence.
ilh tAe execution Oh MIS- 0urratl'
stanton saw ms unlimited authority peSIn