The National tribune., 1886-06-24
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY a.

Is at once alleged thAt We are waving the bloody
shirt, [" and trying 10 arouse the passions growing
out oi the war tht ougnt 70 20 alIoWe 20 suhDe..
condition of feeling obtains.
have this morning received letter from Hon.
Charles A. Dana, who was the Assistant Secretary
OF War during the period bf Mr.. Stanton's service.
No man can speak OF Mr., Stanton with more au-
thority than this distinguished gentleman. Hewas
in position TO know, His high character givescer-
tainty TO his statements. The letter reads:
NEw YORK, June II, 1885.
DEAR SIR: am sorry TO say that my period of
intimacy with Mr.. stanton and OF service under
him in the War Department did not really begin
until after Gen. Mcclellan had been removed. For
this reason am not able % speak upon that point
from personal knowledge of my own. But upon
the general question OF Dir. Stanlon's purposes,
can say most emphaticsilly that in all my acquaint-
ance with him he never had but one purpose in his
mind, and this was to carry the war efficiently for
ward TO victorious conclusion. lie had no friends
but those who were OF that mind. and he knew no
enemies but those whom he regarded as the enc
mics of his country. Whoever not for prose-
cutting the war most vigorously, whoever hestated,
whoever interposed obstacles whoever In his
opinion failed 10 come up TO the high mark of zeal
aud thoroughness might be certain to have MIR.
Stanton for a critic and antagonist. OF himself,
OF his personal interest and advancement, no
man could be less careful than he All mer-
cenary considerations he despised. and the end of
the great struggle len him n much poorer man
than he was at the beginning. All mere friend
ships he was ready TO disregard and fling away
soon as he 10 believe that their object did not
the Union He such a in his day and
work as Oliver Cromwell was in his and they who
now propose TO Judge him by any narrow standard
| of their own arc sure TO judge wrongly.
OF course, great heroic figure like Stanton Il
not infallible. because he is raan- IL was always
possible for him 90 judge wrongly and 10 be de-
! ceived by erroneous evidence. But thing was
never possible for him, aud that To be unfaith-
fu TO the Union or to show aRy mercy IN feeling or
! in act toward IFS enemies
II is very easy for I'm this year Of 1855 to find
blemishes in the conduct or the character OF this
| great man; but we who knew him thoroughly and
whose fortune IL 10 labor at his side and under
his orders cannot be mistaken in opinion that
without him the Union could not have been saved.
Believe me, dear sir, very faithfully. yours.
Hon. w. p HEPBURN.
Mr. Chairman. the gentleman tells US that he
wants peace lac wants the era of good feeling, he
wants the abandonment of all consideration of the
| old issues How does his conduct compOrt with
this declaration 10 Member oil TINS House mas so
persistently assaiied the great characters OF our
history as the gentleman from Alabama. When
tle FilzJ Ohm Porter case under consideration,
on two occasions AT least he went out OF his way to
arraign all Of those who had anything to do with
| the issues involved in that case. Every man who
| differed with him and who had aught 10 do with
the trial Of that has come in for full share at
least of the gentlemans inaledictons and vitupera-
I tons.
say to the gentleman that If he wants peace, IL
/ he really desires of good feeling. let him
keep his sacriegious hands of noble dead.
/ That will be an earnest Of what he wants-an ear
nest of his sincerity in this behalf do not wish.
I
feeling that may be excited by discussion OF this
| kind: but want him TO understand that will not
! submit TO have those men, whose memories are
embalmed IN hearts. whose memories we re-
verc the recollection Of whose heroism, whose
matehless services whose sacrifices we remember.
will not tainely submit 10 have them derided, as
| sailed. misrepresenied by him.
| insist that the gentleman has been beneficiary
Of the kindness Of heart Of Mr.. Stanton. IL Dir.
Stanton had set his iron will against the terms OF
| surrender which were beneficial TO the gentle
man. who believes that those stipua,ons would
have been the terms of the surrender? At that
time we in condition to dictate what the
conditions should he; armies were the masters
of the situation. and the terms agreed upon were
prompted by kindness and magnanimity on the
| Dart Of the Government. and no one was more
! prominent In those manifestations than Mr.. Stan
ton. He says that all Of these constitutional ques
tons bearing upon his status citizen were set
tied by his surrender. Irenember he was paroled
and am reminded he Is paroled to-day.
by the terms Of his parol he was TO go quietly t.
1 lIis home, and so long as he demeaned himself
peaceaby toward the Government so long he was
10 be undisturbed. The spirit Of that parol required
something more from the gentleman than merely
the sheaihirg OF his sword understand the spiri
of the parol required there should be no more o
utilization and SANDER. that II meant ceasing Il
wag vituperative tongues against that Government
that granted the paroI. / think, therefore, th,
spirit OF that patrol required the gentleman shouls
not be prominent among those who are denouneinl
Mr. Stanton.
The gentleman certainly does moi seem 10 appre
ciate how Stanton was esteemed by the loyal peopl
of this country. As the writer OF the letter hay
referred TO says in his judgment the war could no
have terminated successfully without the aid of Mr.
Stanton" so IL i believed that no man could hav
taken his place. That Is a common sentiment
| Wherever patriotic sentiments are cherished tn
name Of Ar stanton Is remembered with love an
yeneration; and the gentleman could have don
nothing 10 arouse the indignation and wrath OF tn
people represent more quickly than by his wanto
and unjustifable and unworthy attack upon tina
, distinguished character. Applause.
FOR PAYMEsT OF PENSIONS.
The pension appropriation bill was passed b
! the Senate. Ii provides as follows:
For AruY and Navy pensons-........... s75 900 o.