New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-08
GRANT IN PEACE.
ny GENERAL ADAM BADEAU.
No. X.
GRANT AND STANTON.
CoDuriuht, 1856.

wide difference of opinion had early ut
come apparent in Jolnson's CaOlhe', .lle nv a.
beers oil which were originally appoihtu 49,
Lincoln but had been retained by his suc'e>so
A. soon us the new President Dot'tycu HIS e i
tagoni IN to those who hid elected nm a"o
ont of his seve NJ li>ters refused I" S@ ",
What they considered his arc cy. Ill o'nS'
1866, the Postmaster General and ,ne oc'h
taly of the interior Ic>lgnrd, anu III oVi "n,nI
they we've followed by the Attorney -".a'' n',
who was a Southern nm, but mnahie !" , "p
prove the Presidents b"nIc ,nnn "' and became
who remained supported Johnson an" Snwor,I
obetto,s of I'll his devices and dcslgI no"'u"'
the original Republican leader, zen AVA! , vt
Dletely from his old associates; "eneH, D'' i
,1lie, and McCuloch, who iId never u', =.
~, omi:,cnt in politics or public me, o"io'9, "
rrrtain the place to which he had been elevated
ON the resignation of slipcl1oI: a.:
Rut Stanton, The Secretary OF war; the MINI
+.r who had been most important OF all, boiil
to Lincoln and the country who Ivy ms position
and ability and energy and fidelity MAJ doic
more than any other civilian except Linr"'i,
to serve the state; without whose e'io. i''' w.;
the State could hardly have been slvc'l-thiS
man rem incd in the Cabinet to oppose WHIT ne
deemed the dangerous and tWasonablc process
of the President. The relations OF Grant anu
Stanton had been pccnliar. Ihcy had neven
met until after the battle of Chcamaug@, whch
at Stanton, earnest desire Grant was placed II
connnand of the Western armies. Then an II,
tcrvicw of day occurred when thcw UaNiE"
together from INDIANAPOLIS to l.onI,vilc anu d,e-
cnsscd the military situation. After Grant DE
came Gcnc,l-in Chief their intercourse WIZ
necessarily constant and confidential. th"ngh
even then hardly intimate. In washington
Grant saw more of Lincoln than ct the Hc'r.
ta,y, and his ofcial correspondence with me
Government was always addressed to II lrck'
as Chief of Staff Of the Amy. They hih no
personal COW cSpOndcnce, and ! doubt IL thcy eN-
changed a dozen letters in their lives,
Lincoln gave Grant full Liberty III all matters
When Grant started on the Wilderness campaign
both of these official superiois assured nm m
they had no wish to become acquainted WIN M
plans But Stanton. rs well a. thr f'c, na It,,
kent his word. He left nothing nndnne 10 M
hold the hands of the General in-Chict. il"
never indeed expressed great admiration i"
Giant nor pretended to any e,nccnl ''icc'l"h
for him. but he was Stanch ally. Inc most
and so far Us can recollcrt the last ne ever Nl'
in praise of Giant was in his comments, pup
liskcd at the time, on the victory mt )onrl'nh
I'm his Report of the Finol opc'At'onS 81 w
War there is not one won't commencing ~ am
But he sent him all the men and arms and sup
plies he required; ne made oil the 80.
sicnments of troops and ron'nandNrs ,no'
Grant requested he never thwa,t"d one OF N
plans or interrupted one OF M 'mnvcn'h,>
There we've times when he probably dill not con
cur with Grant but n deliberately s"h"'linath
lis own opinions to those of the solt'er on nl'
il ilita,y points. Sometimes when H'ant wa
too far away To he easily reach d. stanton, prob
ably Nv IIaeck'S advice. made dlSpo'ltonN {"
appointments that Grant did not approve bh
if subsequently Grant wished these stems r.
vc,sed. Starton never objected during Ea'lv'-
invasion o. MARYLAND ttlcgranhic communication
between Washin oton and City Point was inter,
Iupted for = while. and great confusion an"
alarm prevailed at the capital. Several move
mnts we've ordered without Grants knowledge
all of which proved aboriiyc., In ms emrI-
cepcy S.anton finally appealed to G ant. II"
directed Dana. then Assistant Secretary ot war.
10 say to Grant that unless he gave positive I'll
,ections and enforced them the r.ult won'd b,
"deI,lonhc and fatal' When Grant placed
Sheridan in commend in the VALLEY he did II
knowing that his own confidence in that ofi'ei'
copaHtv was not shared bv the Government.
hnt neither Lincoln nor Stanton intc'tcird. AMI
Ill This, though Stanton WIS an lmpci1nn' man,
fond of power used to authority. never donb'inI
his own Judgment in civil affairs. 6ut he had
made IN his mind 10 int'1ist plcna'v authority
to Grant and he carried ont his intention heartily
and absolutely. Grant fully appreciated this
COnrSr.
They had one little difference at Chattanooga
when STANTON in>i I'D on Govt oiing the clph'r
operltor ut Grants headquarters. but this W..
sonn forgotten and Stanton a'w'vS III c't"d
Grants tclceraphic orders to srbo' dinate com
n,ondc,s to bc t.ken of the wires a they pissed
through Wlshineton 90 that he might inspect
them Cent sometimes would have 'i"tc""e'
~ withhold the infornstinn these d>naiche'
e. ntain,d, lest It Should lac made public too
soon but Stanton wl,S within his rights, and the
subject WAS never preached in Their CORE
spondcncc or conversation. AT every scriou+
point their harmony was undisturbcd.
Ths il the settlement Gcnc'al Gl1nt aIWav~
made 20 mo- Until the last wear ut his life h.
express cd and intended my history OF his cam
paigns to be thc final authorized eNnreSslm Of
his views and whatever ! wrote to- thot history
was Submitted 10 his inspection. IN the winfe'
of 1879 sent him rnv account Of his rel tons
with Stanton hr fonnd nothing to correct. bn
replied from Naples. December Is: fou'
chaptcr on Stanton j. the best pen picture OF
historical characte. ! ever read; venture +"
predict that il will he so coneid"red by Other
when it comes heforc the publ :"
In November 1864. 7 ACCOMPANIED G'1nt I"
Washington f'om CITY Point. j. was at tim"
when Stanton'- cncmics and rivals Were m king
q long interview with Lincoln in which they dis-
crssed the subject. and the come dav b" told mo
what had occurred. Lincoln he said. intro
duccd the subject. and promised that il chang
took place he wonl1 corSnlt Cant MfO ap-
rontinc now War Mini ter. Rnt Grant -
once advised the President TO make no removal.
He declared that no cOnl' be Fonnd hcft"l
fitted for the position that the ability energy
and patriotism If Stanton were und0uhf"d. ann
as for himself he ccrt,inlv desired other 81
pe,iOr. There can be- no doubt that tlic URGENCY
Of Grant on this occasion strengthened Stanton
hold the P'esidcnt.
In March. 1868. Grant felt little sorc at n
sham message he received thr"ngh Stanton
fo,bddng him to hold any conference with
lee except on pnrclv military mntters. and there
were those about him who attributed what they
thought an implied rchukc to Stant"n'' ninenccc.
Rut they were wrong for Lincoln wrote with
his own hand and without suggestion the dis
match that Stanton forwarded. BIT even thi-
produced no ill-feeling. between the great
patriots who felt that each in his sphere WAS dc
Inc INDISPENSABLE service to the cause in which
tEcv we've alike so interested.
Aftcr the war, however. Stanton assumed all
the authority of his office. When every one else
was paying court to Grant he showed that nc
thought the Secretary of War the superior OF
the General Of the Army. He gave Grant Or
dcrs. as he had right TO do, and always sent
for him when he wi he'd 10 see him officially.
This may have ncttlcd GIANT little, rs II ccl.
tanly did some of his personal friends : mn "
meyer annnx ed him "a Innch rs il did uthers There