File:Life and public services of Edwin M. Stanton (1899) (14784387892).jpg

Identifier: lifepublicservi01gorh (find matches)
Title: Life and public services of Edwin M. Stanton
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: Gorham, George Congdon, 1832-1909
Subjects: Stanton, Edwin McMasters, 1814-1869
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton, Mifflin and company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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ement of Anderson into Fort Sumter,no act or omission of his deserved unfriendly criticism.Had his course from the beginning been as clear ofoffense as it was from and after the 10th of January,his anxiety to avoid a collision would have been ap-proved. The country would then have believed that itwas founded on solicitude for the Union, and not forthe Southern cause. When this same policy was con-tinued by Mr. Lincoln, — as it was, — none thought ofattributing it to a want of patriotism. Mr. Buchananwas distrusted rather for the advance of false doctrinesat first, and for the far-reaching consequences of suchaction, with which he was fairly chargeable, than forany subsequent enforcement of those political heresies,—for of this he was innocent. The unionists were notoffended because of his failure to provoke collision orwar with the South, at a time when the country was allunprepared, but because he had encouraged the revolu-tionary faction, by declaring that the government could
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MR. STANTONS WASHINGTON HOME, 1861-1869The house where he died HIS GREAT INFLUENCE UPON BUCHANAN 189 not constitutionally defend itself against a rebellion,except at the back of a United States Marshal with awrit in his hand. Mr. Stantons influence in the councils of Mr. Buchananhad been instant and controlling. The President had,before his entrance into the Cabinet, been guided to adangerous extent by Southern political friends, who hadsuddenly been transformed from the arrogant leadershipof a dominant party to the management of the treason-able conspiracies which necessarily precede rebellion.It was difficult for him to immediately realize that someof his most trusted counselors and supposed personalfriends were, in very fact, traitors, plotting for theoverthrow of the nation he was sworn to defend. Hehad allowed General Cass to resign rather than breakwith these men. Black and Holt had been unable toreverse the tendency which was thus drifting him tofinal ruin, and threatening the

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