The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-10-26

tdlucu ulSC1IACl1On LII the war. lie
found Stanton resting his massive form
upon the desk of the war office, which
has now become historical. There was
gloom upon his stern face. He had
evidently been troubled by some Of the
complications of the great war, the
entire complications of which, he
seemed to consider, were placed upon
his shoulders. Stanton heard Gen.
Mitchell's statement, but had already
been notified of the death Of the major,
whose place Mitchell sought to fill.
The war secretary brusquely replied to
Mitchell that provision had already
been made to fill the vacancy. Gen.
Mitchell Immediately retired to rein
force himself with greater influence
than the simple petition he had Of the
officers Of the corps in which he was
stationed.
Gen. Mitchell proceeded ut once to
the Office of the President. Mr.. Lin
coin heard his story and endorsed his
petition with these words: "The
Secretary of War will mako the APP
pointment in accordance with the
within request.'
Gen. Mitchell, accompanied by the
then Senator POmerOy, who was at that
time at the height of his political in
fiuence, returned to the war depart
ment. At the door of the war office
! they were met by bluff Ben Wade,
who returned to the secretary with
them, feeling curious, perhaps, to see
how Stanton would act in obeying the
| orders of his superior. Wade's curios-
! ity' soon afterwards assumed Il very
| different complexion. In the presence
Of these three gentlemen, the petition
| of the army officers for the promotion
desired by Gen. Mitchell, " ith the en-
dOrsement of the President thereon,
was presented to Stanton without COM
ment. Stanton quietly read the petit
tion and the endorsement, and then
deliberately tore the petition into
shreds, which he deposited in the
waste basket. The three gentlemen
were astOunded at what seemed to
them, and might very properly have
appeared to anybody, an act of stupen-
| dous impudence. The only comment
that Secretary Stanton made consisted
| in the words uttered in quiet tone,
| with his large eyes closed somewhat
| behind his spectacles:
s'The appointment will not be made"
The three gentlemen retired speech
less with rage and establishment. Mr..
Lincoln was a man much after Ben
Wade's heart. This act of Stanton's
had aroused the old mans wrath and
set loose tongue which, in Its theo-
logical expression, does not always
strictly follow ecclesiastical euphemism.
A sardOnic grin played about the
grimly mobile features of old Ben
Wade's face. He clutched his hands
as if the sturdy neck of the rcbellious
secretary was within his vigorous
grasp.
Wade strobe to the front, aud told
his companions to follow, muttering,
" We will see about this.'' Gen.
Mitchell was then lame from a recent
wound, and with Pomeroy, who was
already puffy from rapidly developed
obesity, naturally fell behind. Wade
could not wait, and strobe on, driving
his tough Oaken stick into tho ground,
and blurting out oaths us rocket
leaves sparks in its trail. The two
Kansas gentlemen might have i'm
agined that they were following some
PlutOnic herald. The distance between
the war department and the White
House is not great. At the threshold
OF the Executive Mansion the irate
Ben turned, and shaking his cane at
his two less swift companions, shouted,
'sCome on" The twain fastened their
steps, for they feared that the heated
representations of Mr.. Wade might be
less respectful to Stanton than would
be beneficial to their cause.
They arrived at the ante-room of
the Presidents Office just in time to
hear old Ben blurt out:
HWhat sort OF clerk do you
keep over at the war department?
Wade fairly trembled with rage at
what he regarded the indignity to the
presidential authority. Mr.. Lincoln
coolly asked the reason for the encr-
getic inquiry. Wade told the story in
! his emphatic way-how the petition
| had been respectfully presented how
the 'clerk in the war Office" had read
the Presidents instruction, and had
then torn the whole document into
pieces. The President listened TO the
story with much apparent nervousness,
and great agitation was manifest on