Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-05-29
LINCOLN AND STANTON.

"OId Abe as a Lawyer.
L happened to be at Washington when
Stanton was called to the cabinet of
President Lincoln, writes Don Piatt in
the North american. 1t was a strange
event. Stanton was not only a demo
crat of SO fierce a sort that his demOcra-
cy seemed his religion, but he felt and
had openly expressed his contempt for
Abraham Lincoln. I remember OF an
instance of this last that is a painful
memory, looking back as 1 do with low
ing admiration Of these great men.
Stanton had won his way to the front as
an able advocate. and found himself
leading counsel. In an important case in
vOlving millions He learned in a few
moments before going to trial, that Lin
coin had been retained, and expected to
make an argument. He told me of this,
and described in wrath the long, lank
creature from Illinois, wearing a dirty
linen buster for a coat, on the back Of
which the perspiratiOn had spIOtched two
vide stains that, emanating from each
arm pit, met at the center, and resem-
bled dirty map of a continent.
al said" snorted Stanton, 'that if
that giraffe appeared In the case I would
throw up my brief and leave"
Lincoln was ruled out, and the worst
part of the transaction was that he knew
Of the insult, Nothing has so impressed
the belief I hold In the greatest Of all
presidents, as this utter ignoring of a
brutal affrOnt. 1t was no assumption of
Christian forgiveness, Lincoln could
hate with an intensity known only to
strong natures, and when Just retribu-
ton demanded 1t he could punish with
an iron viii which no appeals Of pity
could remove But he possessed that
strange sense Of power that lifted him
above personal Insult. In a word, he
could not be insulted. In his quiet dig
nifty he put shame on the aggressOr. He
illustrated this In his own humorous
way, when told by friend that Horace
Greedy was abusing him in a most out
rageOus manner.
''That reminds me-" he said, ''of the
big fellow whose little wife was wont to
beat him over the head without resistance.
When remOnstranced with, the little man
said, Let her alone. 1t don't hurt me,
and it does her power Of good
1 do not wonder at President Lincoln
selecting Stanton to control, at the time,
the most important arm of the govern
ment, but I was amazed at StantOn's ac-
ceptance.
He was wont to pass some time, al
most daily, at our room in the hotel
where, In the society Of my dear wife, he
seemed to relax from the sOmber reserve
Of busy life. 1t was a relaxation quite
removed from the kindly impulsive ma
ture Of ealy youth. There was the
same sense Of humOr, but it was cynical,
and stung as well as amused Some
days before he entered upon his new
duties asked him In the privacy of our
room If the strange report was true.
Yes" he responded 81 am going to
be secretary of war to old Abe"
what viii you dO?'' I asked, mean
ing as to how he could reconcile his con
tempt Of the president, and their widely
dissimilar belief, with his service under
him. His reply ignored my meaning.
Dor he said: 81 intend to accom-
pEsh three things. 1 viii make Abe Lin
coin president Of the United States; I
VIII force this man Mcclellan to fight
or throw up; and last, but not least, I
viii pick Lorenzo Thomas up with pair
Of tOngs and drop him out OF the nearest
window"
Strange as it is, this last and appar-
emily easiest task was the one he did not
accomplish. Lorenzo deied him, and,
IS Sumner wrote Stanton, ''struck to the
last"