Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-12
Johnson Diary DECIDED
Presidents Private Secretary Kept Record Of Chiefs
Remarks in Shorthand-Mrs. Smrratt, Stanton
and Nice Figure in Events.

attending the signing Of the order to
carry out the sentence of the court with
execution. He recalled that he had felt
quite reluctant to sign the death war
rant for a woman of Mrs. SurrattS age,
who was sick at the time. He mad asked
the judge who brought him the papers
many questions, but had heard nothing
of the recommendation OF the COM
mission"
Wanted Stanton Replaced.
Much of the diary deals with john
sons efforts to replace Stanton as Sec
rotary of War in the face of the oppo-
sion of Congress, with Gems. Grant,
Sherman, Thomas and others. One OF
his plans was to reduce Stanton to the
status of a glorified clerk by creating
1.-The military district of Washington
under command of some distinguished
Civil War general, who would hold the
real military authority under the Presi-
dent himself. But he had bad luck
with his generals. Sherman, then in
command at st. Louis, protested vigor-
ously in as characteristic letter as has
been preserved. Probably he senSed
the Presidents political motive. He
feared in Washington, he said, that
craving and itching for fame that has
killed more good men than bullets.
i
"in the midst of death and slaughter
when the howls of people reached him
after Shiloh; when messengers were
speeding to and from his army to WASH
ington bearing ISLANDERS to induce his
removal before he took Vicksburg; in
Chattanooga when the soldiers were
Sitting the outlets of the starving mules
to satisfy their own hunger; at Nash
Vile when he was the leader of the
'forlorn hope to command the Army OF
the Potomac, so often defeated; yet I
have never seen him more troubled than
since he has been i'll washington and
compelled to rob himself.
Therefore, with my consent, Wash
ington never"
Then Johnson tried to make another
distinguished Civil War general Acting
Secretary of War but-since the de-
scription is so contrary to the historical
estimate of this man and Moore's short
hand notes were intended to be con-
fidential, it is better not to name him
the famous soldier got drunk at ball
the night before he was supposed to
present his commission to Stanton, was
arrested on an affidavit signed by the
War Secretary, and when he finally was
released arrived at the War Department
shortly before noon in no condition to
match his wits against his chief.
Swaps Post for Drink.
He presented Stanton his commission
from johnson. The former refused to
bulge from his desk and ordered the
general back to his Office. The new
Secretary of War" insisted on staying.
Stanton told him he either could go to
his own Office or remain standing in the
middle of the floor while he attended to
his business.
Then the general broke" He told
Stanton that he had been arrested be-
fore breakfast, still felt the effect of his
overnight libations, and had had moth
ing to eat or drink since MS arrest.
Whereupon Stanton put his arm
around IS neck, Smcothed his hair
and sent to his house for full bottle,
which, arriving, they drank together"
Once more Stanton, whom johnson
described to Moore as the bully of the
cabinet" had got the best of the Presi-
dent.
President Jonnson's private opinions
of several of his cabinet members, as
confided to Moore, were far from COM
One Of them he described
as admirably adapted to keep gro
Gerry store at some crossroads where he
could talk about the excellent quality
of his wares and chat with rapid tongue
with the garrulouS old men OF the
neighborhood."
Another never can look you in the
face"
Altogether, the diary is a searchlight
turned upon one of the darkest periods
in American history.