Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-05-24
Stanton and the Pretty virsinian.

Stanton and the Pretty virginian.
Back in the early sixties our national
war office was one place under Secretary
Cameron, and quite another under his
successor, Secretary Stanton But then
the character OF any place is the man in
il. Nor was the metamorphosis greater
in the field than IN the Washington
apartment where sat the civil engineer
Of the military.
Mr., Cameron had learned the office
keepers trade for times OF peace. lie
measured all sorts OF business by the
conventional "red tape" By no other
system OF measurement could his official
latitude and longitude be definitely as
certained With his portfolio OF public
affairs be effec ual'y 'took the veiP'
and withdrew from public gaze. W.T.
nesses are still on the stand who testify
that three days was about the average
time consumed in whipping ones card
into his cloister, and that seven other
good DAYS were not an exceptional waste
for reaching HMM person. Men whose
time was wealth and vitality to the
country rode thousand miles tor q
hasty interview with the Secretary oil
War; then, often, rode back with missions
unfulfl.ed, and, like Saul, rather than
Paul, in spirit-"breathing out threat
enings."
When Mr.. Stanton had stepped into
Mr.. Cameron's "old shoes" he found
that they did not fit him, and straight
way he put on a pair that did. He
nearly ruined the card-writer's calling
at the capital; he abolished the card
system OF business; he pulled down the
wall Of partition between the people and
his official presence; he converted the
old war cloister into very useful cloak
room; he set his high desk in the centre
Of large room, himself on a high stool
behind it, and as the clock called of a
certain hour OF the day he was ready Tor
callers, without previous herald asto who
they were. The outer door opened, and
the throng passed in single file before
the desk
The great war secretary vas an iron
man in his mental makeup. To some
he seemed a hard, aus,ere, pitiless man.
Ii was simply that in his chariot justice
role at the fore OF mercy. To an eminent
ILL. OILS friend OF Mr.. Lincoln and him.
self he once said:
"The president has placed me here in
command OF the fighting II sources oil the
country, and while | remain here l
shall command. owe respons bllity
to the country to maintain discipline
within the army; | am trying TO keep
faith with my country, my honor ana
nv Indictment. have no fOrgivene 80,
no new lease OF authority over soldiers
for any man once found in the wrong or
lacking in the elements of leadership.
Your client and Mr.. Lincoln's friend,
Col. --, may be very servieeable to
your party in time OF peace, but he has
shown himself Incompetent at the head
of his regiment; he must so: this is no
party affair"
And his conduct ran close to this line
always. On one other occasion this
friend stood in the daily row OF applicants
for favors, palpitatng as they approach
ed the judgement stool, and marked the
marvellous rapidity with which Mr.
Stanton disposed of hundred cases.
He seemed to sort strange men as deity
as the farmer reads the faces OF his own
few and similar kline. To him whose
cause kept company with justice his
rapid words were yet toned 10 the
OF affection. At "a glance he
detected the mere politician, the SELF
seeker, the army shyster; such he order
ed to make speedy exodus from his
presence, and he uttered the command
in eruff and contemptuous tones.
a. -. Il f.t.. IL Nl1n
specially favored observer OF ra'her
romantic episode for so stern anu prscti-
cal a stage as the war otfice-proof again
that Venus has her campas well as Mars.
He witnessed variation of the cold war
needle from the pole OF strict business.
He saw the iron secretary melted, and
his actions moulded counter t. his
judgement. A woman did it; she dis
closed his kinship to our common iraii
Just in advance OF my informant,
waiting within the line whose high and
low get their grists ground as 1t the
country mill--in the order OF the com
ing-stoOd and marked time gay and
jaunty little women a bright black
eyed young lady--a bewitching, brunette
sample of Southern g,rls at II, from one
OF the valleys o; Virginia.
RE felt a wonder as to what might be
her mission, ling before she needed the
god OF war; in fact he rather hoped, no
matter what the burden of her errand,
that she would win. And when she
stood at last before the high desk. and,
through a single tear, so fitting ii seem
Ell made 10 order, smiled upward into
the face OF the Secretary, my friend
stood close beside her, an involuntary
but net an unwilling listener to her story
and Mr.. Stanton's reception OF her
petition.
Good Mr.. Secretary" the girl began,
in a tone sweet even to It's touch OF
tremor. "my only brother is cor fined in
Capitol prison. | haven't seen him for
more than three years; love him dear
lv; want TO 20 into the prison and see
him and carry him some little things
from home and our old mother; III
touch nothing there, aud speak to ~.
body but brother. Saw, please, NJ.
Secretary, can't go i'm"
"Nu, miss" respGn led tie Secretary,
with patriotic s!eTaness. 'IOn can
enter the prison unless Y Il go to stay.
"wiy nrt, ~, please? What harm
can | 10 there
Not 80 much rs YOU may ont. l., I
you're rebel, and your brother is
rebel; ard y'u re0,ls are starving our
loyal soldiers To death down at Anderson
vile an the rest of yourp,ns a'e not nj
for pigs t. wallow in; you neither feet
then nor let us do il. AMI now You
come up here and want chance 10 give
vour rebel brother nice things! Isn't
this sO?'
w friend thought it was alresdv ap-
parent that Mr., stanton was sicriii3lng
hrs usual CELEBRITY to someuOusual charm
Tire rebrljous maiden had carried the
outpr works OF tie grim castle. the iron
maj she had induced in him an inclina-
ton to linger over her petition. A man
behind the request In visit rebel
brother would probably have been
forced to leave without further answer
than the NJ gative monosyllable.
The young girl knew the advantage
which grace OF face and manner gave her,
and renewed the charge. She hastily
brushed from her blooming cheek
another tear, as a dew-drop from
morning tilweT, and bPseechingly