The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-25
HIDDEN CHATTER IN HISTORY.

Secretary Stanton Charged Horace
Greeley With lnciting to Murder.
St Louis Globe-Democrat.
Part third, volume xlyi. serial No. o.
Of the Rebellion Records recently is
sued by the war department, contains
| three official kilograms between Edwin
| NJ Stanton, secretary of war and ed
| wards firicpont of New York, which II
liz not likely very many people ever be
fore heard Of. They make strange read
| ing ut this Int day, aud to those familiar
with the character of Horace Greeley
| the accusations of Mr.. stanton must
cause smile.
II seems that during the few weeks
succeeding the assassination OF l'rcsi-
dent LinGoln the New York Tribune pub
! lislcd certain matter CONCERNING the Hc'
ton of the war department in tracing
down the criminals, which II pleased MIR,
| Stanton to plnt, u strange construction
upon Under date of May II, 1860, the
secretary photographed Mr. Edwards
| Hicrrepunt the great New York law
yer, ny follows;
War Department, Washington, y. c.,
| May L., 1868. Hon. Edwards Pierre
pont, New York | have written tonight
to retain you and Cutting ~ Brady, or
! any ono else yon may desire 10 have
associated with YOU, 10 prosecute Horace
Greeley and the owners of the Tribune
for Grrcloy'a persistent effort the last
! four weeks TO inciie aesassins to iAlsll
their work by numbering mo. Please
give the matter your immediate attention
on receiving this letter, and secure copies
Of the Tribuues published since the night
of the presidents murder, aud get the
names Of the owners. ] propose TO prose-
cute criminally, and ALSO by civil suit,
for ! shall not allow them to have me
murdered and escape responsibility with
out struggle for life an. my part
Edwin NJ. Stanton"
The other lawyers referred TO above
1',rr Tr.ncls b. Cutting and James T.,
brady the Inter at that time New
lork'n - aipst criminal lawyer
MIR. Stanton miist have been very badly
frightened when he pcnncd TINT telc.
gram; fact which, no doubt impressed
itself upon the mind of Mr. Picrrcpont,
for HIS reply, was very. discreet, ~,
"Ncw York. May 10, 1868, Hon. Ed
win NJ. stanton, Secretary of War, WISH
ington. u. c.; All will receive prompt
and judicious action.
Edwards Picrrepont"
The use Of the word .'judiclous" in the
above Stow that Mr.. Piercponi did not
share Mr.. SinDtone fears or belief In
Mr.. Grccley's bloodthirstiness OF pur-
pose,
Mr.. stanton evidently detected this
shirt IN MIR pierrcpont's reply for he
Immediately sent another dispatch, NJ
follows:
"Wur Department, Washington. ID. O.,
May Is, 1865. $50 y. m.--l1on. Edwards
picrrepont, New York. ! have proof Of
express personal malice against me by
Greeley, and believe that ] can establish
combination between him and others
which may end In accomplishing my
death, ms Il did against Mr. Lincoln and
Mr.. Seward, This Is my reason for dis
tlngii'shing his case from others OF gem
ernl vitupcrntion,
Edwin NJ. Stanton"
"fSnme 10 II. II. Cutting"
Mr. picrrrpont doca not seem 10 have
even replied 10 this, nor did Mr.. Cutting,
for tho Geographic correspondence was
brought TO IN abrupt close.
The dispatches quoted furnish GU
rious commentary upon the excitement
nmoag public officials of those days: hut
they nre particularly interesting ~ giving
n further insight into the nndiecrimi-
nn,nE and ,indictvc phases Of Mr. Stan
toms character. Accusing Horace Gree.
lev Of conspiring with the nsassins Of
Mr.. Lincoln to commit further murder.
No wolsicr Mr.. picrrcpOnt could enly
promise TO act "Iudlciously" IN the mat
Ter. No doubt Stanions kilograms were
shown 10 Mr.. Greeley. and how the hat
,er'e gnifelcss md benign countcnancc
must have expanded into broad smile.