Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-06-10
The Truth About stanton.

1t is noticeable that Mr.. Kelley-Judge
VIM. d. Kelley, +" father of the House -
does not receive the encouragement he
might have expected from the press of his
party in his effort in Congress to defend
the character of Edwin NJ. Stanton and to
revise the popular verdict upon that
notorious individual. In vulgar parlance
Mr.. Kelley has bit off more than he can
chaw.n
Judge Black is dead and with him
perished a stout defender of the faith, a
controversialist before whom none could
stand, a disputant who, armed with
truth, could beat a legion. But it is not
forgotten nor passed into oblivion that
while he lived and wrote he flayed Mr..
Stanton he exposed his true character from
his own letters, and he cited these as in
controvertible witnesses that if Mr.. Stan
ton was what Henry Wilson and others of
his eulogists claimed him to be, he was
double-dealing hypocrite and two faced
dissembler.
With this incident fresh in minds that
are not utterly in their dotage, it is not re-
warned that fools do not always do well TO
rush in where angels fear to tread. For
example, the New York EreniRg Post,
which will not be accused of disloyalty nor
of treachery to the Republicans of Stan.
tons period, says:
"Mr. Wheeler in his twenty-four column
speech says that Mr.. Stanton was a man of
great abilities, trained intellect, and untirng
energy, one Of those remarkable men who
leave their impress upon the opinions and ac.
ton OF the time In which they live. MY
accidental and unpremeditated assertion he
continues, that these talents had been some.
times used to disparage and even to destroy
those who did not coniorm to his views is
the extent OF my offending If this is the
remark which Mr. Wheeler apologized for
and oifefed to eNpunge from tho official re-
cord of the debate, we have to say that a
great many men on the Union side and in
the Union army, whose patriotism was equal
to MIR. Stanton's agree with him."
In very striking confirmation of this
may be cited Grants opinion of Stanton,
as he has recorded it very deliberately in
his Memoirs, long years after the war
closed and when he was credited with
writing without malice or eXtenuation. In
this legacy TO his countrymen the general
of the Union armies, twice Republican
president, says (:
Mr.. Stanton never questioned his own
authority TO command, unless resisted He
cared nothing for the feelings OF others. In
fact, u seemed TO be pIedSdRter 10 hiIa 10 dis.
appoint than TO 9rati[y lie ielt no hesita-
tion in assuming the functions of the execu.
tive, or in acting without advising him. If
his act was not sustained, he would change
It'll he saw the matter would be followed
up until he did so.
9 II was generally supposed that these two
officials form the complement of each other.
The secretary was required to prevent the
presidents being imposed upon. The presi.
dent Was required in the more responsible
place OF seeing that injustice was not done to
others. i do not know that this view of
,heso Two men Is still entertained by the ma
Iority oil the people. IL is not a correct pie.c,
howecer, "a. nay estimation. MIR. Lincoln did
iU ~. neoo guardian to aid him in the full
nilment OF public trust
Mi' Lihcoln was not tlmid, a. he WAS
Whiing 10 trust his generals In making and
executing their plans The secretaTy was
very tlnid, and 1t was impossible for him to
avoid interfering with the armies coverin0
the capital when 1t was sought to defend II
by an offensive movement against the enemv
guarding the Confederate capital. He could
see our weakness, but he could not see m =,
the enemy WAS In danger. The enemy ,oot,iG
not hare been ia Danger il Mr.. Stanton h1d
been IA the feid."
When Judge Kelley meets and answers
the contemporary criticism of Stanton b,
men of his own side and party, he will
find that he gnaws a file.