Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-17
LINCOLN AND STANTON.
Light Thrown on the IIaInlin Controversy by
Stanton's Private Secretary.

| REASONS FOR BELIEVING THAT LINCOLN DID NOT
FAVOR JoHSsoS's Observation-Disclosures
| FACTS ABOUT STATIONS SECRET TELEGRAPH
| sERyIcE-THE RELATIONS OF LINCOLN AND HIS
| SECRETARY OF WAR.
Maj. Albert E. II. Johnson of this city, who
held during the war the post of confidential
| clerk to Secretary Stanton, has been inter-
viewed by the New York Erening Post on the
| subject OF the Observation-Disclosures con-
| troyersy and has given some strong evidence
! to show that Lincoln did not want Johnson. ar
| also some interesting details that throw light
| on the characters of Lincoln and Stanton Mai
johnson since the appearance of the interview
| has received a note from Gen. Jas. B. Fry, now
at Newport, saying:
Il cannot refrain from telling You how much
have enjoyed your statement in the New York
Post of the 18th. Your analysis of Lincoln. as
Wen ak OF stanton. Is confirmed by my knowl-
edge and judgment. No subordinate was ever
! more trusted than Won were by Stanton. nor
could any chiefs confidence be more fully re-
warded by usefulness and fidelity than stan
| ton was 1t IL about quarter of n century
since you and fought, blcd and died in the
War Department, but recall our association
with pleasure"
Maj. Johnson. when asked by the inter-
viewer respecting the controversy over Lin
coin attitude toward Hamlin, referred to the
recently published statement by Mr.. Charles A.
Tinker of New York as the most significant
contribution to the discussion.
Mr. Tinker said: 1T happened that when the
message announcing the nomination of Andrew
Johnson for Vice President was received Mr.
lhncoin was in the office. He read il carefully
L rod loud Iall \
bly, he might be the man. Perhaps ne Is the
best man, but, and rising from his chair
passed out
Mr. Lincoln" said Maj. johnson, .'belie we'd
tnat Johnson was patriot, lover of the
Union, brave man, possessed of great force of
character. a man who would under more favor
able conditions of early training and later cir
cunistance have made a brilliant mark in his
tory. but. l tell you that summing UP of
Johnson virtues i'll the hesitatine phrase.
fefhdps he Is the best man. followed by that
preclpltous closing. but has ALWAYS made
me feel that Mr. Lincoln. by some special dis
pensatlon. had spread before his mental vision
as III a dash the checkered panorama OF the
next four years: that he felt already II forebod-
ING Of his own departure and OF what was des-
tined to follow
Mr.. Tinker Maj. johnson said was a tec-
graph operator Ill the room adjoining the office
occupied by Secretary Stanton, and upon tue
occasion referred to, soon as the President
tciu Maj. johnson the entire story lust us he
mas now told 1t In print
LINCoLN's FRANKyEss
"And you are quite sure" Mai. johnson was
asked by the interviewer. Mr.. Lincon's re-
mark was not made for effect upon those who
heard him?''
There Is no reason in the world 70 suspect
such thing. knowing him as l did. seeing
nm every day for years and often several times
IN day. coming into 80 close contact with him
that he was accustomed to call me Familiarity
by my first name | could hardly be very far
out Ill my estimate of that one trait in his char
acter-the trait OF candor-whatever else
might have been deceived about A more
pen-hearted. undiplomatic. frank, outspoken
SuHeless man never saw and never expect to
see again Yet to accept the version of the
HaIflln affair which Col. Mcclure has given
TO the world would be to stamp him
as double-face, schemer, a poll
tlclan Ill the smallest sense of the term.
Nothing was further from his nature to begin
with: and. without intending any disparage-
ment of his brilliant gifts. | may add that he
could not have engineered a secret campaign
such as he Is credited with, because he posi-
lively hadn't the capacity for it. Whv Inti-
mate as he and Mr.. Stanton were, the full con-
hdcnce was only on one side. Mr. Lincoln
used to tell Mr.. Stanton everything because he
knew the Secretary shrewd. hard-headed
close-moutEed. Mr.. Stanton. on the other
| hand, didn't dare to tell Mr.. Lincoln even the
Geographic secrets which he wasn't willing all
the world should know. because Mr. Lincoln
was too ready to speak of these matters to
friends whom he might meetat the moment"
srASroS's TELEGRAPHIc SECRETS.
You refer TO Geographic secrets! Had Mr..
Stanton access to any which did not Immediately
concern his own departmcnt?'
My dear sir, Mr.. Stantons theory was that
everything concerned his own department. 1t
was he who was carrying ON the war. 1t was
he who would be held responsible for the secret
Vaccinations of the enemy Ill the rear as well
as the unwIrr"nted successes OF the enemy i'll
front. Hence he established a system of mill
tary censorship which has never for yastness
of scope or completeness of detail been eaualed
III any war before or since. or in any other
country under the sun. The whole telegraph C
system of the United States with its infinite
ramitcatious, conferred i'll his office There adj
joining his own personal room. sat Gen. Eckert
Homer ID. Bates, Albert Il. Chandler and Chas
a 1lnker-G!l OF them young men of brilliant
promise. and now shining lights in the electro
cal world. Every hour OF the day and night
undo: all circumstances, i'll all seasons. there
sat at their instruments sundr- members of
this little group. The passage letwecn their
room and the Secretary was unobstructed. 1t
WAS an interior communication--they did not
have even TO so through the corridor to reach
him; anu every dis patch relating to the war or
party politics that passed over the Western
Union wires. north or south, they read
Did they report them AL to the Secretary"
Every one which appeared to have the
slightest significance. In case they were at all
i'll doubt AZ To the character OF one they gave
him the benefit of the doubt and showed il to
him. Cipher kilograms were considered cspe-
ciaiiy suspicious. So every one of those was re-
ported. The young men / have mentioned
were masters of cipher translation. Every
message to or from the President or any mem.
Der of his household passed under tine eve of
the Secretary. III one cabinet minister COM
munlcated with another over the yir, by n
secret code Mr.. Stanton had the message de-
ciphered and read to him. Ii Gen NIcf ,Iellan
telegraphed to his vile from the front Mr.
Stanton knew the contents of every dispatcb
Hence. far the conduct of the war was
concerned, Mr.. stanton knew thousand secrets
where MIR. Lincoln knew one: for the Secre-
tary instructions were that kilograms indis-
crlminately should not be shown to the Presi-
dent"
Dir. Stanton, Maj. Johnson said, was in DOS
session OF everything that passed over the
wires az the time OF the Baltimore convention
of 1854, not olly the telegrdpLers here but
| those in Baltimore being required to report
| every word to him
MIR. STANTON PREFERENCE.
MY recollection" said Maj. johnson. when
| asked what was Mr.. Stanton's preference for a
ticket in 1864. lis that he favored the renomi-
! nation of the old ticket. At all events. he
! wanted Lincoln TO run again. and with a man
i