Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-10
ESTABLISHED 1865.
Copyright by the Author and Publis
Book THE Assassination.
CHAPTER III.
THE MAN OF WAR.

oOON
CHAPTER III.
THE MAN OF WAR.
Elsie led Mrs. Cameron direct from
the White House to the war depart
ment.
well, Mrs. Cameron. what did you
think of the PRESIDENT" she asked.
81 hardly know" was the thoughtful
answer. HE Is the greatest man
ever met. One feels this instinctively.
When Mrs. Cameron was ushered In
to the secretary's office, Mr.. stanton
was seated at his desk writing.
She handed the order Of the presi-
dent 10 a clerk, who gave 1t to the
secretary.
He was a man in the full prime of
life, intellectual and physical, low and
heavy set, about five feet eight inches
in height and inclined to fat. HIS
movements, however, were quick, and
as he swung in his chair the keenest
vigour marked every movement OF
body and every change Of his counte-
nance.
His face was swarthy and covered
with a long, dark beard .touched with
gray He turned pair Of little black
piercing eyes on her and without rising
said:
so you are the woman who has a
wounded son under sentence Of death
as a guerilla?"
81 am so unfortunate" she answered:
We'll, / have nothing to say to you
he went on in louder and sterner
tone, "and no time to waste on you.
If you have raised up men to rebel
against the best government under the
sun, you can take the consequences"
But, my dear sir" broke In the
mother, "he is a mere boy of nineteen
who ran away three years ago and en-
tered the service"
81 don't want to hear another word
from you!" he yelled in rage. have
no time to waste-go at once. I'll do
nothing for YOU"
But I bring you an order from the
president" protested the mother.
Yes, 1 know it," he answered, with
a sneer. "and I'll do with 1t what I've
done with many others-see that 1t Is
not exscuted-now 60"
wbuld give me a pass to the hospital,
and that a full pardon would be is
sued to my boy!"
"Yes, 1 see But let me give you
some information. The president Is a
fool-a d-fool; Now, will you go?'
With a sinking sense of horror. Mrs.
Cameron withdrew and reported to Ell
sic the unexpected encounter.
"The brute!" cried the girl. We'll
go back Immediately and report this
insult to the president"
why are such men intrusted with
power?" the mother sighed.
IT'S a mystery to me, I'm sure.
They say he is the greatest secretary
Of war in our history. l don't believe
il. Phil hates the sight of him, and
so does every army officer know, from
General Grant down. hope Mr.. Lin
coin will expel him from the cabinet
for this insult"
When they were again ushered into
the presidents Office, Elsie fastened to
inform him of the outrageous reply the
secretary Of war had made to his or
der. ~
did Stanton say that was fool?'
he asked, with a quizzical look out OF
his kindly eyes,
Yes, he did, " snapped Elsie. And
he repeated 1t with blankety prefix"
The president looked good humor-
edly out Of the window toward the
war office and musingly said:
well, II Stanton says that l am
blankety fool, 1t must be so, for have
found out that he is nearly always
right, and generally means what he
says. I'll just step over and see Stan
ton"
AS he spoke the last sentence. the
humor slowly faded from his face, and
the anxious mother saw back OF those
patient gray eyes the sudden gleam or
the courage and conscious power OF
lion.
He dismissed them with instructions
to return the next day for his final or
ders and walked over to the war de-
partment alone.
The secretary Of war was in one or
his ugliest moods, and made no effort
to conceal II when asked his reasons
for the refusal to execute the order.
The grounds for my action are very
simple" he said with bitter emphasis.
THE execution of this traitor is part
of a carefully considered policy OF
Justice on which the future security
of the Nation depends. II / am to ad-
minister this office, l will not be ham
strung by constant executive interfer-
ence. Besides, in this particular case,
/ was urged that justice be promptly
executed by the most powerful man In
congress. I advise you to avoid a
quarrel with old Stoneman at this cri-
sis in our history"
The president sat on a sofa with his
legs crossed, relapsed into an attitude
of resignation, and listened in silence
until the last sentence, when suddenly
he sat bolt upright, fixed his deep gray
eyes inteHtly on Stanton and said: -,
"Mr. Secretary, I reckon you VIII
have to execute that order"
II cannot do it," came the firm an
swer. 1T Is an interference with JUS
tice, and l will not execute IT,"
Mr.. Lincoln held his eyes steadily or
Stanton and slowly said:
Mr.. Secretary, it will have to be
done"
Stanton wheeled in his chair. seized
a pen and wrote very rapidly a few
lines to which he fixed his signature
He rose with the paper In his hand
walked to his chief and, with deer
emotion, said:
Mr.. President. l wish to thank you
for your constant friendship during
the trying years l have held this Of
flee. The war is ended, and my work
is ended. and my work is done. hand
you my resignation"
Mr. Lincoln's lips came suddenly to.
gether, he slowly rose, and looked
down with surprise into the flushed
angry face.
He took the paper tore it into pieces
slipped one of his long arms around tht
secretary and said In low accents:
stanton. you have been falthtu
servant, and it is not for you to say
when you will be no longer reeded
Go on with your work. / will have
nv way in this matter: but l VIII at
tend to 1t personally.
Stanton resumed his seat, ana I'M
president returned to the Wht'
House.
CHAPTER w.