Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-09-24


a TITS sggressiveness and kinde resentment
by its heedlessness"
To gain more clear knowledge of Stanton's
character he publishes and disseCts letter
written by the secretary in May OF 1862 to the
Rev. Hammond Dyer This letter is a
lengthy statement of his relations with
General Mcclellan, aud defense OF his con-
duct in the matter OF withhl lding portion
of McClellans forces tor the defense of the
capital.
Mr.. Benjamin admits that this letter shows
'the narrow intenseness' of the writer's
mind Sin fears for Washington that take no
account OF the countervaillng risk to the
rebel capital-snd mental weakness in the
implication that common leadership in
vast military undertakings is not essen-
tial.n
This last mental weakness was a malady
that appears to have been almost universal at
that time, and 1t was probably the wind that
drove Mcclellan on the rocks while Grant,
| coming later to the front, protited by the
| better judgment that bitter experience had
produced. But this is a side issue that Mr..
l Stanton's defender does not follow. The
assertion that under him "vgor and activity,
| firmness and severity, with intensity aud
l elevation of tone, were infused through every
/ nerve and fibre of the administration, and
i parallel with these, nsrrowuess, bigotry,
tyranny, rashness, impatienCe, and lavish
| ness so far as any man could dominate a
| multitude" will no doubt be finally &C
| cepted rs Just estimate of the man, but
| this is followed by discussion of his action
| in the Mcclellan matter where IL must be
| admitted Mr.. Benjamin makes a strong
| case for Stanton, aud by a most sum
mary disposal OF other charges against him
and then the above sketch Of his character
is entirely forgotten and we are brought face
| to face with the astounding conclusion that
che might have disputed with Cromwell the
command of the lrOnsideS, or with Moses
the custody of the sacred tablets on the
l dreadful Mount"' This conclusion is
the purest patriotism, Stanton retired from
| public life broken in health and fortune 1t
! is long step down from Moses to Cromwell,
as the characters OF those men are under
stood; it is fully as long step from Crom-
| well to Stanton as Mr.. BENJAMIN himself has
| drawn the latter worthy.
| Tyranny, bigotry, raShness, impatenCe,
| were faults that might have been endured if
| balanced by the military ability OF a Crom-
| well, but il is admitted by his defender that
| his letter shows unreasonable fear for Wash
| ington and failure TO realize the necessity OF
| common leadership, while as Mr.. Benja-
| min says there is dreamiuess in tactical
| plan OF incessant hard blows at an enemy,
| without notice OF strategical conditions.
| The most important part Of his article is
| that written in answer to General Mcclellan
| Century paper in which stanton was SO
severely handled. McCeIlan's plans in.
| volved elaborate preparations before the ad.
vance was made and the first and final
| blow struck at Richmond, The capital was &c
| have been rendered impregnable, stations es
| ablished on the Southern aboard TO cut o.
| external aid, the army of the West was to GU
| oil supplies from that section, and then the
| great blow was to have been struck at Rich
| mond. 1.-THE military aspect OF the problem
| made time more necessary to us than to the
enemy who could use his raw troops to sd
| vantage" on the defensive. But the civil
| aspect of affairs made haste most necessary fol
| US, at least so Mr.. Stanton says in the lettei
| to the Reverend Dyer Many, very many
| earnest con versations had with General Nc
| Cleilan TO impress him with the absolute ne
| cessity of active operations or the government
| would fail because of foreign Intervention
| and enormous debt" II affairs were really
| in such desperate straits that the credit of this
| government could not hold out until il
armies could tight on field OF their Owl
| choosing, and if the peril of foreign interyen
ton balanced the peril of unripe action, the1
undoubtedly Stanton was right in shouting
| hurry to the cautious general, but we remem
| Der that Benjamin had said that the secretary
was rash and inpatient Let US take graiI
| of salt
When in obedience 70 tho demand for hast,
| Z peninsular campaign was undertak en-
Stans.n realized the danger OF the unfOrtifieC
| capital. high military authority sustaineC
| the prudence and wisdom OF the retaining
| of McDowelPs corps for its defense, and OF
| this point at least Stanton appears to have tn,
| best OF the argument But on all tines,
| questions the judgment of a generation be
| yond the reach of partisan rancor is essentia
| TO justice and ALI that we can do is To winnoV
| TACT from falsehood by eternal discussion 5,
| that truth may prevail aud the great men o
| our civil war stand out in their Just pOrpor
| tons in the history to be written by some We
| unborn Carlisle. G.. 5. +,