The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-07
LINCOLN AND STANTON.
Their First Meeting in Court and stanton's
Appointments.
[DOn PiAit iu Washington Capital

appointment.
Don Piatt in Washington Capital
To those who knew the men. the offer of
the war office by Lincoln and the acceptance
by Stanton were matters of much amazement.
Stanton was not only pro-slavery Demo-
crat of the most violent sect but he had con-
tempt for Lincoln. This had been expressed
in way that cut Lincoln to the quick, al
though he was not a man of much sensitive
ness. Stanton had been employed as leading
counsel in railway case, and II Sew moments
before the case was called at Cincinnati he
learned that Lincoln was 70 appear as his as
sociate counsel. Stanton threw down his
brief in disgust, and announced to his clients
that if that 1Illinois ape" us he called Mr..
Lincoln, was to appear, he (Stanton) would
abandon the case.
1t was extremely awkward; but as Mr..
Stanton alone was in position to conduct
the trial In behalf of his clients, there was
nothing left for them but to inform Mr.. Lin
coin.
We have heard Secretary Stanton fire.
qucntly tell of the affair, and the insult Of
fered the man who subsequently, became our
president was really pitiable. 1t was hot
summer day, with the Thermometer marking
the nineties, and Lincoln appeared in long
linen buster, with carpet sack, from which
he took books and papers, and proceeded to
place them upon the courtroom table. Not
only did his long, slender, angular figure
and awkward motions attract attention, but
his linen duster exhibited on the back in two
splotches resembling the map of North and
South America, where the perspiration had
dampened the coat
. When he appeared, with his queer old car
| pet-sack, and proceeded to spread his author
titles upon the table, he was quite self-pOs-
| sessed, or, as Stanton said, 'peert." After,
/ however, when taken aside and told of what
the leading counsel had said, and that he
could not appear, he returned for his papers
and books with an abashed air that told the
insult had struck in.
1t was after such treatment that President
/ Lincoln offered Mr.. Stanton the war de-
| partment.
1t is a Spanish proverb which says that a
wronged man is never forgiven; and Stanton
hated Lincoln to the last; although he ac-
cepted place under the man he despised.
The feeling with which he accepted the
plaza was shown in what he said to us in our
room at Wizards few days before he went
into office. Referring TO the rumors we asked
lift was true that he had been rendered the
secretaryship. He replied in the affirma-
tive.
"How strange we said; "and YOU decline
Of course2"
"On the contrary, have accepted
'Why, what will you dO?' we asked
much amazed, and referring solely to his
personal relation to Lincoln.
"Do?" he responded, his eyes cleaning
through his spectacles. Il intend first of al
to take Lorenzo Thomas up with pair OF
tongs and drop him from the nearest window
| Then L will make Abe Lincoln president
Then intend making this fraud Mcclellan,
fight or give place to man who will"
OF these three mighty resolves the
first alone proved impossible. Old Ad In
term lived to threaten Stanton with expul.
sion after Lincoln ceased to live and McClel-
| Ian TO be of any significance.