Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-12

LINCOLN AND STANTON.
Hsw Mr.. sta.se. was Mode Secretary
of war.
PRESIDENT IN THE INTEREST OF GOOD Gov
ERNNESr-rHE WAY THE WAR DEPARTMENT
WAS RUN-rHK TELEGRAPH TAPPED, ETC.
How Mr.. Stanton came to be selected by Mr..
Lincoln as his Secretary Of War was ut the time
and still is to many q matter OF wonder. Mr.
stanton's having been q member Of Buchanan's
cabinet seemed reason enough for his not being
In Lincoln's, but. besides that, It was known
that the first meeting of the two great men was
marked by personal anrout nom Mr. Stanton
to Mr.. Lincoln, who was then merely a western
lawyer, not % we'll known. A STAR reporter
was talking with Msjor Johnsoo, Mr. stanton's
confidential clerk, the other evening, and the
conversation turned upon this subject He
said. 10 give 10 in his own words:
In the summer or 1859. Peter H. Wat
son, and the late Edwin u. stanton
went TO Cincinnati, Ohio, TO argue the
celebrated Nanny Mccormick reaping ma
chine Gaze, involving many hundred thou
sands-almost millions Of dollars- Mr.. Emer-
son. OF Rockford, m, had, think, retained MT.
Lincoln - local counsel. MT. Stanton then, for
the nrst time, found Mr.. Lincoln. whom he had
never met before. to be his colleague. He at
once declared that II Mr.. Lincoln was 70 take
part In the pleading of the case he would leave
went home he said, speaking OF Mr.. stanton's
treatment OF him, that he had never been 20
brutally treated ms by that man stanton.
In explanation OF Mr.. Stanton's conduct on this
Occuslon, ''lt will be understood by gentlemen
lawyer however learned is meeesssr;y 'e eamp mo
tent 70 grapple with difficult questions and sur
roundings OF q patent case such a. this one was;
prompted Mr.. Stanton's action toward Mr.. Lin
coin, who was not then known az a patent law
yer. The interests involved were too momen-
tous, he thought TO have any one argue the
case who did not know II a. he did"
STANTON IN BrCHAHAN's CABINET.
"In Mr.. Buchanan's cabinet" continued Maj.
johnson, "Mr. Stanton was, as Is well known, q
distinguished mark, particularly ct the coun-
ellis. Mr.. Watson, whom I have previously
mentioned 90 associated with Mr.. stanton and
Mr.. Lincoln a. their principal i'm the Nanny.
Mccormick case. was great friend OF Mr.. Stan.
ton, ana 1t was through him that Stanton and
Seward were first brought together, and Sew.
ard, who became impressed with the power OF
Mr.. Stanton's mind, was the FIRST to suggest his
selection as Secretary Of War. Mr.. Stanton had
left Mr.. Buchanan'a cabinet at variance with
oil his associates and wanted 10 bring articles OF
th Mn nson naeed h az the head s ing
War department. notwithstanding that he was
. democrat, and regardless OF the personal feel.
the battle OF bull Run and everything was in
confusion in Washington. Things were going
wrong; the administration must be strength.
ened some one equal to the occasion must be
put in Secretary Cameron's place ut the head
OF the War department, but the President could
ind no one strong enough TO undertake the re-
probabilities OF the position. II was at this
tuncture that Mr.. Seward suggested Mr.. STAN
tons name. Mr.. Lincoln recognized At once
tn the was ana the
nanimity of his noble soul, forgot all
personal feeling and made the appointment,
Well Il tsas S called
little before ~ one DAY, and told him that the
War department. but that he would not accept
unless Mr.. Watson would consent TO be his as
sistant. Mr. Watson replied that he would
consider the matter and let him know towards
the close Of the day, or the next morning. Al
that time Mr. Watson occupied the front Office
tween e them was there he and saw and heard
what passed between them, and Immediately
after Mr.. stanton Ieft Mr.. Watson came into
my room aud told me what had transpired
1t was no small sacrifice for Mr.. Watson to
accept the Office, as to do SO he had TO give up
practice netting him about $4,000 per year
much as five thousand dollars. He decided
however. to accept, and In this Office the fate o
the nation IL was vas. settled Mr.. stanton tool
Of his presence was felt from the first"
TAPPING THE TELEGRAPH.
"About one ofthe first acts of great importance
which he did," said Major johnson, "was Il
establish the headquarters Of the telegraph Of
the United States in the War department. Thi,
meant that all the telegraphic communications
with relation to the war should pass directly
into the hands Of this amazing secretary. He
- A.. -
ans cabinet, and had seen 30 much in the army
that he dared to trust no one. At his orders
made a record of every telegram from and d
the President, from and to all the secretaries
from all the generals in the field, To any and
everybody. A record was kept OF all the dis
patches sent by General-in-chief Halleck by
General Grant, and all the commanders of the
Army Of the Potomac, and by General Sherman
sas o Of the
and all the movements of his gunboats, were put
on record, and all CIPHER dispatches were re
General Eckert, and placed on record by me
Every wire In the country was tapped and Its
contents run into the War department, and
related to the war or was in CIPHER
The telegraph operators OF the department
under this censorship became the most expert
positions in their profession. They were Bates
Tinker and Chandler. Some OF the dispatches
the relating 70 SSsr
tons in New York.
| short pause, "that Mr.. stanton and Mr.
Lincoln met in the War department In tn,
| most friendly manner. Mr.. Lincoln woult
come in and say: We'll, Mr.. Secretary, how ar,
you now?' have heard him read Shakespear
TO Mr.. stanton and tell his stories, both JOINING
| in the laugh. At all hours in the night ha
| Mr.. Lincoln been ct the War department. witt
| Mr.. Stanton, and almost at all hours has tn,
Secretary sent me home with him through tn,
dark woods between the White House and tn,
War department. There were massive GAL
trees along the walk there then, and there wer
no lights"
The Civil Status OF Retired Omcers.
| To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAR:
COTTAGE CITY, MASS, Sept. 8, 1855.
The New York papers, and IL il presumed tn
press generally, Of the LIST instant, published q
dispatch as follows: