The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-11-04
Soldiers Buooet.
Edwin NJ. Stanton.

ment of all tn surprises the war gave
the country. AS a diving, energetic,
pushing, honest lawyer he had made
his mark years before. Although bora
in Ohio he was a citizen of Pennsyl-
vania, and had served in Buchanan's
cabinet for few months. Still resi-
dent of Washington, he had determined
TO come to this city for legal practice,
and in fact had gone so far as to make
preliminary arrangements about
home when ii was minated to him
that the government would doubtless
have occasion for his services ere long,
and that the president would regard it
as favor if he would not then remove
from the city. This is not the time to
discuss the reasons that led to change
in the war department, of which Simon
Cameron of Pennsylvania was the chief.
Suffice it to say that long before any
serious step had been taken it was de-
termined by the president to relieve
Mr.. Cameron, aud, indeed, in conse-
quence of some friction, Mr.. Cameron
often spoke of leaving. The story went
in those days that the president wrote
to Mr.. Cameron: 81 have made up my
mind to accept your resignation and
tender you the mission TO St. Peters
burg" the reception of which so in
jured Mr.. Cameron's feelings that Mr..
Chase was induced to take it back to
the presid mt, whom he persuaded to
substitute for it letter containing ex.
pressions of regret and compliment.
la penciled diary written by Secretary
Chase, under date of January II, 1862,
10 - q \
thought the president and c. were
both willing that Cameron should 90
to Russia. He wanted to know who
would succeed Cameron. 1 said Holt
and Stanton had been named, y
that Holt was good lawyer and full of
energy. Just at this point
Cameron came in with note from the
president proposing his nomin alton to
Russia in the morning. He was quite
offended, supposing the letter was in
tended as a dismissal and therefore dis
courteous. Oh, that my heart
and life were so pure before God that
might not hurt our great causel"
Months passed between Septemb or,
'61, when Mr.. Lincoln had asked that
Stanton should not remove to New
York, before the occurrences alluded
to in Mr.. Chase's diary, and the presi-
dents long delay in making sign in full
fillment of his expectations angered
Stanton so that within very few DAYS
before his appointment he said bitter
things not only of republicans gener-
ally but of Mr.. Lincoln personally.
However, the appointment was made,
and on the 15.h of January, 1862, ac-
cording to the testimony of an eminent
senator of the United States, she came
to the public service with patriotic and
not with sordid motives, surrepdering
a most brilliant position at the bar, and
with it the emoluments of which, in
the absence of accumulated wealth, his
family was in daily need" From that
time matters changed. Stanton be-
came the army. He was born tyrant
He had violent temper, fortunately
under control when he cared to sibdue
it. He had but one end and aim. He
determined to crush the rebellion. He
was absolutely loyal to the Union and
to the president. If he had personal
and political ambition he never dis
closed it. Absolutely honest himself,
he had no patience with men who were
dishonest. He wasted no time in tying
or untying red tape; contracts which
he regarded as unfair, made by his pre-
decessor, he kicked aside as rubbish.
Impatient at what seemed to him the
inexcusable delay of Mcclellan, he so
conducted himself that Little NJ ac threw
up his position at the head of the army
OF the Potomac. He hadn't been a
member of the cabinet thirty days be.
fore he was seated in the chair of Mac
Gregor The president never made a
movement without consulting him.
Stanton mastered not only the wide
horiz )ned affairs of his department, but
f,miliarized himself with the detail of
army movements. The records of the
time show that he personally consulted
with the chief generals of the army as
to plans, campaigns, movements APP
pointments, promotions, and was
very cyclopedia of current Information
He frequently came into contact with
his associates, but so firmly convinced
were they of his spotless purity and the
integrity of his intentions, and so i'm
pressed also were they by the marvel
GUS achievements of the tireless ener-
geticism, that invariably they conceded
his points for the time being, patien .ly
waiting the outcome of his programme,
hoping often against hope -HoCard,
IN Nel0 York Recorder.