New Ulm weekly review., 1886-06-09


"about the only thing approaching a
disagreeable difference" that occurred
between him and the secretary until
the war was over, "when we had an
other little spat.''
"Owing to his natural disposition
to assume all power and control in all
matters that he had anything what
ever to do with, he boldly took COM
mand of the armies, and while issuing
no orders on the subject, prohibited
any order from me going out of the
Adjutant Generals Office until hehad
approved it. He never disturbed him
self, either, in examining my orders
until it was entirely convenient for
him; SO the orders which | had pre-
pared would often lie there three or
four days before he would sanction
them. demonstrated against this in
writing, and the Secretary apologeti-
cally restored me to my rightful posi-
tion of General-in-C Chief of the Army.
But he soon lapsed again and took
control much as BEFORE"
OF Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Stanton,
who were exact Composites, except
that each possessed great ability"
General Grant draws sketches that
shows plainly which way his liking
went:
''There is no great difference of opin-
ion now, in the public mind, as to the
characteristics OF the President. With
Mr. Stanton the case is different.
They were the very opposite Of each
other in almost every particular, ex-
cept that each possessed great ability.
Mr.. Lincoln gained influence over men
by making them feel that it was
pleasure to serve them He preferred
yielding his wish to crafty others,
than to insist upon having his own
way. It distressed him to disappoint
others. In matters Of public duty,
however, he had what he wished, but
in the least offensive way. Mr.. STAN
ton never questined his own authority
to command, unless resisted He
cared nothing for the feelings of others.
In fact it seemed pleasanter to him to
disappoint than to crafty. He felt
no hesitation in assuming the func-
tions of the executive, or in acting
without advising him. If his act was
not sustained, he would change it-lt
he saw the matter would be followed
up until he did so.
"1t was generally supposed that
these two officials formed the COM
plement oteach other. The Secretary
was required to prevent the Presi-
dents being imposed upon. The
president was required in the more
responsible place of seeing that in
justice was not done to Others [ do
not know that this view of these two
is still Entertained by the majority of
the people. 1t is not correct view,
however, in M? estimation. Mr..
Lincoln did not require a guardian to
aid him in the fulflment of a public
trust.
"Mr. Lincoln was not timid, and he
was willing to trust his generals in
making and executing their plans.
The Secretary WAS very timid, and it
was impossible for him to avoid in
terfering with the armies covering
the capital when it was sought to de-
fend it by an offensive movement
against the armies guarding the Confed-
crate Capital. He could see our weak
ness, but he could not see that the
enemy was in danger. The enemy
would not have been in danger if Mr..
Stanton had been in the field. These
characteristics of the two officials
were clearly shown shortly after EARLY
came SO near getting into the CAPT
.tal."
Timidity is not failing which has
generally been attributed to Mr..
Stanton; but it can hardly be ques~
toned that Grants Judgment is right.
That a certain sort of timidity, how
ever, is compatible with the extreme
of audacity IS instanced by Mr.. STAN
tons conduct when the President,
after the fall of Richmond, authorized
"the body calling itself the Legislature
OF Virginia to meet for the purpose Of
recalling the Virginia troops from the
Confederate army"-a permission
which was misrepresented and almost
Immediately revoked In the mean
time, however, a call for the meeting
had been issued.
"Mr. Stanton saw the call as pub
'lished in the Northern papers the very
next issue, and took the liberty Of
,countermanding the order authorizing
any meeting Of the Legislature, or any
other body, and thisnotwithstan1in
the fact that the President was nearer
the spot than he was. This was char
;acteristic of Mr. Stanton. He was
man who never questioned his own au-
thority, who always did in war time
what he,wanted to do.'
ON WARNER AND HOOKER.
1ihad known Hooker very we'll before
the war, ;nowever. When I did see
h1m at Chattanooga his achievements
in bringing his command around the
point Of Lookout Mountain and into
Chattanooga Valley was brilliant.
nevertheless regarded him as dan
gerous man. He was not subordinate
to his superiors. He was ambitious
to the extent of. tearing nothing for the
rights of others. His disposition was
when engaged in!battle to getaetached
from the main body Of the army and
exercise a separate command, gather
ing to his standard all he could,of his
juniors.
Warren's difficulty was bwofold;
when he received an order to do ,anv-