The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-16
SECRETARY STANTON.

SECRETARY STANTON.
John Russell Young Talks About Mrs. Sur
ratt' Murderer.
"A newspaper correspondent has been
interviewing John Russell Young about
the great men he has known and been
intimate with. Like all of Young's
"reminiscences. what ne said was very
interesting. The following extract
gives some facts about ex-Secretary
Stanton:
81 suppose, y said the interviewer,
''that you knew Mr.. Stanton?''
Eyes, I knew Secretary Stanton init
mately. The impression Stanton made
upon people was of being a very harsh
and irritable nature. / have heard him
say harsh things, but personally l never
had friend SO gentle, kind and con
siderate as Mr.. Stanton. l always felt
! III his company that he had the tender,
gentle nature almost of a woman. Go
ing up the War Department one eve
ming, as he was finishing his work for
the day, / said:
Mr.. Stanton, you must have some
relief from this arduOus care. What
compensation lave you from the tedi-
Gus, driving work of this Officer
"'Well, he replied, j have two re
sources-the novel of Dickens and the
works of Sir Arthur Helps. I find re-
taxation and comfort in both He
spoke especially of the works of Helps
1.-The last time / saw Stanton was
two weeks before he died. Mr.. Stanton
was very ill, but gentle and kind. Ire
manned with him the best part of the
afternoon. Mr.. Stanton said many
things of interest about men dead and
living; but what impressed me partlcu-
larly was the kindness and charitable
ness with which he spoke. He was a
very great man, towering, tireless, i'm
pressiye and believing in thewar. He
hated humbug, fraud and wrong, and
thought of but one-the country. He
died for his country as truly as any
man who was shot in the field"
What were the real relations be-
tween Grant and Stanton? We're they
friends?"
General Grant talked to mea great
deal about Stanton. He respected STAN
ton and wanted his friendship, but it
was an acquaintance of very slow
growth. Stanton told me he regarded
! General Thomas as the most eminent
soldier of the war. don't think Stan
| ton gave either Grant, Sherman or
Sheridan quite the place they deserved
Grant said to me that Stanton was al
ways his loyal friend, but that there
was evidently something between them.
General Grant III referring to this said
that nothing could be more loyal than
Stanton's treatment as War Secretary.
But somehow, although Grant craved
| it, their friendship did not grow. /
fancy temperament had much to do
| with it. Grant was not an easy man 10
know intimately. His extreme shyness
was in the way. Then, / fancy that
Stanton was afraid Of Grants attitude
in the political strife then waging and
which eliminated in the attempt to i'm
peach johnson. For a long time Grants
apathy and silence, especially upon i'm
parchment, were viewed with concern
by the vehement Republicans of whom
Stanton was the type. 1t was then the
Tribune, in All effort to force Grants
hand and compel him to declare for the
Republicans, called him the sashed and
girded Sphynx. Nevertheless, when
Grant became President, he felt that
the first duty he owed to the country
was to show his appreciation of what
the Secretary Of War had done. 1t oc-
CURED in curious way.
"Mr. Stanton's friends came TO the
President: Mr.. Stanton il very i'll. He
has no money. He has given his life
to the country. He held strenuous
and arduous place for years, and ii you
can give him the mission to the Meth
erlands, or to Belgium, the income from
the place and the rest would be a very
great comfort to him.
General Grant replied immediately
and with emphasis: Mr. Stanton is a
man who deserves from the country
much higher honors. There is va
cancy on the United States Supreme
Court bench, and shall send Mr.. Stan
TONS name in at once. | wish | could
do him still higher honor.
.sWhen the doctor told this to Mr..
Stanton he received it with tears. 1T
was only a short time after when the
great war secretary died. General Gran:
afterwards made his son, Edward STAN
ton-noW dead-his personal attorney
out of respect for his fathers memory. |
Ny impression is that the friendship
betW cen Stanton and Grant, consider
ing the curious nature of the two men,
was what might be called growing
friendship. The honesty and loyalty
and courage OF the two characters
would have brought them in time to be
absolute and perfect friends. Certainly
Grant hoped for that relation toward
Stanton =
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