New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-21

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crime equal to the crime Of Arnold. and that all
who participated in the act should be hung like
Andre" From that time until the inauguration
of Lincoln he did what he could-as did also Mr..
Buchanan-to repair the evils wrought by the
earlier weaknesses of the Administration.
S,anton's dislike and distrust OF Lincoln and
his Cabinet in 1861 are well known. THE Ad-
ministration has not acquired the respect and
confidence of the people here" he wrote to MI
Buchanan on April IL. Not one OF the Cabinet
or principal officers rave taken house or
brought his family here. They all act az
if they meant to be ready to cut and run at a
minutes notice And besides a strong
feeling Of distrust in the c.,ndor and sincerity
Of President Lincoln and OF his Cabinet has
sprung up" II seemed to hin that the Ad-
ministration had forgotten the Peril Of the Ma
ton in an igloble scramble for the spoils OK
office He could find scarce "shac ow OF hope
to preserve this Government from liter ana
absolute extinction" Corruption and yenality
Seemed to poison with venomous breath the
very atmosphere" After the battle of Bull RUIZ
he again wrote to Mr.. Buchanan: THE inn
EecIity of this Administration eliminated in
that catastrophe; irretrievable misfortune
ard National disgrace never 10 be forgotten are
to be added to the ruin of all peaceful pursuits
and National bankruptcy, the result Of Lin
coins running the machine for five months
In view of this bitter and sincere. IL unjust hos
tility on Stanton's part his nomination by the
President as Secretary of War in January, 1SG2,
and his acceptance of the office were peculiarly
honorable to both. For Lincoln 1t was enough
that Stanton seemed to be the man the country
needed; for the latter it was enough that the
country needed him. And the two great patriots
and single minded and resoute men. having
once been brought together in pursuit of their
common aim could not fail to understand, re-
spect and trust one another, they did I'M
waveringy to the end.
In curious contrast with the relations between
these two were those which existed between
Stanton and Mcclellan. 1t was largely because
the Secretary was i personal friend and warm
supporter of the general that he was ofered
his position in the Cabinet: this friendship and
support was for long time maintained by him
with unfailing loyalty. But as it gradually be-
came clear that the stern patriotism and un-
resting energy of the one found but faint and
questionable response in the other. they drew
apart and friendship. on McClellan's side ut
least, gave place to the bitterest enmity. TO
follow Mr.. Gorham's narrative OF the events
which led to the removal of Mcclellan after the
battle of Antietam is impossible. 1t need only
be said that as was intimated above. his
count does not give with sufficient detail nor
adequately criticise, the part played in them by
Stanton. The Generals weakness and his fail-
ures are portrayed at length with an unsparins
hand and, we believe, with substantial justice;
hut that the authorities at Washington were in
no particular to blame for the catastrophe Of
the Peninsular campaign is affirmed rather than
proved by an exhaustive statement of the facts
On this historically important point more than
one opinion is held by competent military
judges. and it is not a matter that can properly
be determined by mere assertions According
to some military critics. the success OF the gen.
erals Northern and Southern, was in inverse
proportion to the interference OF the civil au-
thorties with their strategy. and Mcclellan 9l'-
fered, in this matter. with the rest Ii Is TO oe
said, however, for Lincoln, and doubtless FOR
Stanton, too that this interference whether It
was intelligent or not from military point OK
view, most unwilling one, and that when
a man found, in Grant, in whom compete
confidence could be placed. he was left absolutely
untrammelled That Mcclellan was not such
MAINLAND his own Story amply proves that
ne was not-was of course no ones fault but his
own Certainly as regards the spirit which
actuated the War Department in its dealings
with its generals this statement Of Mr.. Gorham'
is lust and true: Secretary Stanton has been
accused of interfering with military operations
in the field and OF exhibiting dictatOrial spirit
toward the generals in the Army The record
does not sustain the charge. No general who
wanted to fight the enemy ever found himself
embarrassed with advice from Stanton as 20 the
best way to fight He interfered with military
slothfuness, indifference and characterization