Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-09-27
EDWIN IL. STANTON, THE BOY,
THE MAN AND 1lHB SECRETARY.

| tablet for the house in which Edwin
NJ. Stanton was born. When the ven
cradle residents are asked for their
recollections Of him who is part Of
American history as its greatest OF
War Ministers, they say, with marked
unanimity:
ssHe was always a good son.
There was a sympathetic side 80
Stanton, although many who had
dealings with him never found it out.
One of the interesting "reminiscences
which the old residents OF Steuben
vile recall is OF the organization
which Stanton, while student and a
boy in years, formed among the young
people for charitable work. A girl,
Miss Angie Goodenow, was his associ-
ate. Together they recruited the
brothers and sisters Of charity, whose
purpose it was to watch with the sick
and relieve the poor. Later, when
Stanton was living at Columbus, there
came an epidemic Of cholera. The
community was panic stricken. Stan
ton volunteered as a nurse, and while
the disease ragged he spent his time in
the sick chambers. It was a period
when unreasoning terror was wide
spread, and when such services as
young Stanton rendered were heroic.
In such ways was formed the char
acter which, in after years, was to be
denounced through the length and
breadth of this great land as harsh,
selfish, cruel, tyrannical. So general
was the storm of detraction the grim,
relentless spirit, with never iinching
purpose to crush rebellion, standing
behind and sustaining Lincoln at every
step, came to be misunderstood by
the nation and to be accepted as
hard man without the better feelings
of humanity.
The circumstances under which Mr..
Stanton became a member of the
Buchanan Cabinet and the work he
did there for the union are not told
fully in the biographies. 4 brother
in-law of Mr. Stanton, Mr.. Wolcott, is
the authority given for the story
about to be told, every word Of which
is believed in Steubenville. At the
time, Mr.. Stanton, then life long
Democrat, was asked to become
member OF it, the Buchanan Cabinet
was composed Of Cass in the State
Department., Cobb in the Treasury,
Black as Attorney General, Thompson
in the Interior Department, Floyd as
Secretary Of War, Toucey as Secretary
Of the Navy and Holt as Pc stmaster
General.
s'In this Cabinet" to use the words
of one who was the friend of Stanton
from ooyhood, "there were traitors
both active and passive. Buchanan
was not traitor himself, but a weak,
irreso.ute old man, bound hand and
foot by those in his Cabinet who we're.
Floyd had dispersed the army TO diff
ferent and distant points, SO as to
make it unavailable at the capital.
Toucey had scattered the navy to diff
ferent and distant parts OF the world,
SO that it could not be collected for
months. Thompson had stolen more
than 81 LOCO, 900 in Indian bonds. Cobb
had the treasury empty and the rebels
were in arms. The signs Of the times
were appalling. Cass saw nothing
before him but political ruin. He re-
signed his Office and Black was APP
pointed in his place, leaving the law
of the government va
cant. In addition to other causes of
alarm Floyd had attempted to ship all
Of the heavy ordnance at Pittsburg to
the South. And was only checked 10y
the uprising of the people, who sent a
deputation to Washington to inform
the president and TO enter their pro-
test against the movement.
In this extremity President Buchan-
an sent for Mr.. Stanton and asked
him what he thought Of the signs of
the times The answer was charac-
'You are sleeping on volcano.
The ground is mined all around and
under you and ready to explode, and,
prompt and energetic action,
you will be the last President of the
United States.''
''Mr. Stanton" said the feeble old
man, "for Gods sake come in and help
me. The Attorney Generals office is
vacant. Will you accept it?''
eff you desire my help will was
the reply.
This is the story of Mr.. Stanton's
invitation to enter the Cabinet as it
from an immediate relative.
There is no reason to doubt that it is
told nra ctica ilv as Ii WAS given in am