The Centennial of Jefferson County. 329
330 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
ADDRESS BY GEN. DANIEL SICKLES OF NEW
YORK.
Ladies and Gentlemen of
Jefferson County :
-
I first met Edwin M. Stanton at
Pittsburg, in the early fifties.
I was then a young practitioner at the
bar, and Stanton had already
gained considerable distinction as a
lawyer. I was to be asso-
ciated with him in the trial of an
important patent case, but could
not be very useful to my senior
associate, having been unfortu-
nately delayed by an accident on my way
to Pittsburg, and found
on my arrival, that Stanton had already
won the case. Thanks
to this lucky turn of affairs, I found
myself with a few days of
leisure at my disposal and gladly
accepted Stanton's invitation to
be his guest. With him as a guide I saw
for the first time the
Ohio river, and I remember well the
enthusiasm with which he
foreshadowed the wonders its noble banks
would exhibit in future
years.
Stanton was disposed to criticise my
fondness for reading
novels. He said it was a waste of time,
and a sort of dissipation
which he advised me to drop. In my
defense I urged that novel
reading was a harmless and useful
recreation, and urged him to
amuse himself with one or two works of
fiction I had brought
along with me, and which I left with him
on my departure. I
was gratified not long afterwards, to
receive a letter from him
asking me to send him a few more good
novels, as he had found
them a pleasing diversion when
overtasked by too much work.
Years afterwards he told me I had made
him a confirmed novel
reader.
I did not meet Stanton again until I had
taken my seat in
Congress, when he had become a leading
practitioner in the Su-
preme Court of the United States. His
abilities were held in
such high estimation by that great
lawyer, Jeremiah Black, that
when he was transferred to the office of
Secretary of State in the
cabinet of President Buchanan, Stanton
was appointed on his
recommendation to succeed him as
Attorney General.
Early in 1861 when Major Anderson
transferred his com-
mand from Moultrie to Fort Sumter, in
Charleston harbor, the
South Carolinians insisted that
President Buchanan should order
The Centennial of
Jefferson County. 331
Anderson and his garrison back to
Moultrie, affecting to treat the
movement to Sumter as a menace of
hostilities. Public opinion
in the north strongly opposed any
concession to this arrogant
demand. Mr. Buchanan hesitated in his
decision. At this junc-
ture Stanton appealed to me, as one of
Mr. Buchanan's friends,
to see the President and try and
persuade him to hold Anderson
in Sumter. Stanton told me he had made
up his mind to resign
from the cabinet if Anderson were
ordered back to Moultrie. I
told him that it would be useless for me
to make any direct appeal
to the President, if the remonstrances
of his cabinet had proved
unavailing. Stanton was in despair,
walking up and down my
apartment, showing the deepest emotion.
Turning to me, very
earnestly he exclaimed, "Something
must be done, and you are
the man to do it, because you know Mr.
Buchanan better than
any of us." I answered, "So be
it, leave it to me." In an hour I
was on my way to Philadelphia, Trenton
and New York, having
meanwhile telegraphed to friends in
those cities to meet me at
the railway stations en route.
Arrangements were made to have salutes
of a hundred guns
fired in each city the next morning, in
honor of President Bu-
chanan's heroic determination to sustain
Major Anderson and
keep him in Fort Sumter. Hundreds of
telegrams from promi-
nent men of all parties were sent to the
President congratulating
him on his patriotic decision, and
urging him to stand firm.
Double-leaded editorials of the same
tenor appeared in the news-
papers. When the cabinet assembled they
were surprised to find
the President overwhelmed with these
tokens of popular approval
of a decision they had not yet heard of,
and about which they had
grave apprehensions. Stanton alone held
the clew to the mystery.
You who knew him so well, will
appreciate the delight with which
he heard the President declare,
"That in view of the excited con-
dition of public opinion in the north he
supposed it would be well
to allow Major Anderson to remain at
Sumter."
On February 22, 1861, a
considerable body of regular troops
having been ordered to Washington for
the protection of the
Capital, Gen. Scott, commanding the
army, ordered a parade of
the infantry, artillery and calvary, in
commemoration of Wash-
ington's birthday. Multitudes of people
filled the streets through
332
Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
which it was announced the column would
march. Desiring my-
self to see this unusual number of our
regular forces, I went to the
Treasury building and joined a group of
spectators on the portico.
Near me were Mr. Stanton and one or two
ladies of the family of
Gen. Dix, Secretary of the Treasury. The
office of the Attorney
General was at that time in the Treasury
building, I believe. At
all events, Mr. Stanton was occupied
there during the day. While
we were waiting for the procession a
rumor came to us, through
Mr. Kennedy, the Superintendent of the
Census, whose relations
with the President were intimate, that
the parade had been coun-
termanded. I went to Mr. Stanton and
asked if there were any
truth in the rumor, pointing out the
unfortunate impression that
would be made. Stanton quickly seized
the significance of the
news, disclaiming any knowledge of what
had happened, and
asked me to go with him to Gen. Dix's
office, and learn whatever
he might know of it.
Gen. Dix had heard nothing of the
countermand, and was as
unwilling as Stanton to believe it. Both
went over to the State
Department to confer with Judge Black on
the subject. He had
heard nothing, and likewise doubted the
truth of the rumor, but
in view of the well-known relation of
Mr. Kennedy to the Presi-
dent, and the fear felt by these members
of the cabinet lest the
President might have yielded to some
influence inducing him to
stop a military display at that critical
moment, they determined
to visit the President at once, and
learn what, if anything, had
happened.
They considered it expedient that I
should precede them,
and learn from the President whether or
not he had counter-
manded the procession. I was informed at
the White House
that Mr. Buchanan was at the War
Department, and when I re-
ported this circumstance to Stanton, Dix
and Black, they decided
that it would be improper for them to go
there about a matter
which had been perhaps determined by the
Secretary of War,
Judge Holt, with the approval of the
President. They, however,
deputed me to go the War Department and
endeavor to have the
countermand revoked.
On arriving at the office of the
Secretary, I was informed
that the President was with him and
visitors could not be admitted.
The Centennial of Jefferson County. 333
In a voice loud enough to be heard
through the thin partitions
of the old structure, then occupied by
the War Department, I
announced that, as a representative of
the people I had an im-
portant communication to make to the
President and Secretary
of War, and insisted that my card should
be taken in by the mes-
senger.
He said the door was locked, but it was very soon
opened by Mr. Buchanan himself, who in a
good-natured way bid
me not to make so much noise, and come
in and unburden what-
ever I had to communicate. I had not met
Judge Holt before,
and I found him apparently in a temper
not at all favorable to
the object of my mission. When I learned
from the President
that the procession had been
countermanded at the request
of ex-President Tyler, in behalf of the
delegates of Virginia and
the other border states, in the peace
congress, I divined at once
that the Secretary of War, who was a
Kentuckian, had inspired
the revocation. My earnest
representations to the President, so
influentially backed by the statement
that three members of his
cabinet had expressed their profound
regret, when informed of his
action, caused Mr. Buchanan to turn to
Judge Holt and say to
him that he might send word to Gen.
Scott to let the procession
move, and avoid further criticism.
Assuming, as I did, that this decision
would be very unsat-
isfactory to Judge Holt, I expected to
hear from him an emphatic
remonstrance, as he had not shown the
least sympathy with any-
thing I had said in the name of his
colleagues. Imagine my sur-
prise when Judge Holt replied, "Mr.
President, I will go at once,
myself, to Gen. Scott, and deliver your
message, and I know, that
he will be as glad to hear it as I am to
be the bearer of it."
Judge Holt had no sooner left the room
than Mr. Buchanan
enjoyed a hearty laugh at my expense for
the violent manner in
which I had criticised what I had
foolishly supposed to be Judge
Holt's action in stopping the parade.
The President declared
that so far was this from being true he
had come over to the War
Department to dissuade Judge Holt from
resigning his place in
the cabinet, because he was so angry at
an order forbidding a
parade of regular troops in the Capital
of the Nation on the birth-
day of Washington.
334 Ohio
Arch. and His. Society Publications.
Stanton was in no sense a politician. In
ordinary times he
never would have held office. He was
passionately devoted to
the welfare of his country, and hated
its enemies with all the in-
tensity of his nature. He called to see
me at my lodgings in
Washington, one night in January, 1861,
while he was Attorney
General, to congratulate me on an
expression I had used that
day in a speech in the House of
Representatives. As my remarks
had been wholly directed to a discussion
of some of the legal
phases of the insurrectionary movements
in the south, I was at
a loss to conjecture what I had said to
elicit praise from the astute
lawyer. I ventured to express the hope
that my law was sound.
"Oh!" he exclaimed, with
impatience, "your law was well enough,
but I came to thank you for saying, as
you did, 'that if South
Carolina forcibly resisted the laws,
Charleston would be in ashes
and the state desolated.' That is the
sort of law for rebels, and
I am glad it was announced by a northern
Democrat, and a friend
of Mr. Buchanan's."
At the close of Mr. Buchanan's
administration on March 4,
1861, when Mr. Stanton's brief tenure of
office as Attorney Gen-
eral expired he had no expectation of
returning to official life.
He resumed his practice at the bar
without however losing his
deep interest in the stirring events of
the times. It so happened
that when Gen. Cameron resigned from the
War Department,
I was one of the first persons to learn
that Mr. Lincoln had de-
termined to appoint Stanton as Cameron's
successor. I hastened
to the office of my friend to offer him
my congratulations, and
was informed that I would find him at
the Supreme Court. Has-
tening to the court room I found Stanton
in the midst of an argu-
ment. Waiting until he had concluded his
address to the court,
I took his hand and warmly expressed my
felicitations. He looked
at me with surprise, expressing his
belief that there was no foun-
dation for the rumor. Before he left the
capitol his nomination
as Secretary of War was sent to the
Senate. He had never filled
an executive office, he had never been
connected with military
affairs, of which indeed he was as
ignorant, to use a witty com-
parison of John Van Buren's, as any of
Mr. Lincoln's brigadiers.
I have often had occasion to observe
that a thorough training at
the bar is a good school for any
employment. It would be diffi-
The Centennial of Jefferson
County. 335
cult to point to any one of Mr.
Lincoln's inspirations that was
more fortunate than the selection of
Stanton as a War Minister.
The influence of the new secretary was
at once felt throughout
the service. His enthusiasm, earnestness
and zeal pervaded all
ranks. There was about Stanton a
severity and sternness that
supplied a want in the tender nature of
Lincoln. Stanton could
say "No." From the hour he
entered office until he left it, after
the close of the war, there was never a
moment when any other
thought than the success of our cause
influenced an order or an
act of the War Department. He entered
office a poor man. He
disbursed two thousand million dollars
for military purposes. He
left the office poorer than when he
accepted it. He directed the
greatest war of modern times to a
successful conclusion. I do
not need to be reminded how much our
success depended on the
skill of our leaders, and the devotion
of our troops, but those
leaders had to be found. Stanton found
them. It was necessary
to inspire the troops with confidence.
Stanton's administration
of the War Department made every man in
the army feel that suc-
cess would be the reward of his
sacrifices.
It was necessary, during the war, for
Mr. Stanton to issue
a good many orders that were unpopular.
The country was in-
deed fortunate to have at the head of
the War Department a man
without political associations;
indifferent to popularity; who had
always in view the interests of the
service and the success of our
cause. No party was responsible for
Stanton, for no party could
control him. Mr. Lincoln was not
expected to interfere with the
administration of the War Department,
although his sympathetic
and gentle nature was often touched by
the appeals made to him
to overrule the stern measures of his
War Secretary. Perhaps
no measure contributed more to our
success than Stanton's reso-
lute refusal to exchange prisoners of
war. During the latter pe-
riod of the conflict it had been found
that while our exchanged
prisoners were faithful to their parole,
not to take up arms again
during the war, our adversaries on the
other hand were not scru-
pulous in keeping their engagements not
to serve. The result
was that the rebel prisoners when
exchanged were put back into
the ranks, furnishing important
reinforcements to the opposing
army, thereby assisting to prolong the
struggle. Mr. Stanton
336 Ohio Arch.
and His. Society Publications.
saw this and resisted every appeal made
to him from the President
to the humblest citizen, to consent to
any further exchange of
prisoners. "Not while I am
Secretary of War," was the answer.
Mothers and wives, sisters and brothers
and fathers, besought
him in vain to modify his purpose. The
untold and usspeakable
sufferings of our soldiers at
Andersonville did not shake his de-
termination. It would be impossible to
measure the unpopu-
larity of this action.
The speaker gave a graphic review of
Secretary Stanton's
career the latter part of the war.
After Gen. Sickles' address, Hon. R. W.
Taylor, member
of Congress from the Columbiana
district, was introduced by
Capt. Oliver, and delivered an address
on the life and character
of Stanton, dwelling on the importance
of the lesson to the
school children.
After the singing of the national hymn,
"America," by the
school pupils and the benediction
beautifully delivered by Dr. A.
M. Reid, the daylight ceremonies of the
first day's celebration of
the centennial came to an end.
A TRIBUTE TO STANTON BY HON. J. H. S.
TRAINER.
The Bar Association of Jefferson county
met in the court
house at 7:30 Tuesday evening and
escorted Hon. J. H. S. Trainer,
the senior member and the only living
member of the Jefferson
county bar contemporary with Stanton,
and who practiced with
him both at Cadiz and Steubenville, a
life-long friend and most
ardent admirer, to the opera house,
where the bar held appropri-
ate services. Mr. Trainer was introduced
by Dio Rogers, the
president of the Bar Association, and
spoke as follows:
Mr. President, Members of the Bar
Association, Ladies and Gen-
tlemen :
This is the hundredth anniversary of our
city and county.
The early settlers have all passed away.
Of these the name of
Bezaleel Wells, the founder of this
city, still lives and is cherished
in fond recollection for his upright
character and deeds of benevo-
lence. But I have been selected to speak
of one with whom I
was intimately acquainted in life, who
here eighty-three years ago
The Centennial of Jefferson
County. 337
was born, received his early education
and training here, and for
some fifty years was a citizen. He, too,
has passed away, to be
hoped to that other and better world,
leaving on record a name
for character and sterling worth that
will be handed down through
generations as a bright and brilliant
luminary of the legal profes-
sion, and a monument of a true and loyal
citizen and statesman
of our Republic. I mean the Honorable
Edwin M. Stanton.
Edwin M. Stanton was no ordinary man. He
was not one of
those born with a golden spoon. And the
learning and eminence
that he achieved in life were due alone
to his untiring habits of
industry and close application in the
pursuit of knowledge. He
was truly a self-educated man. The
common schools in his early
life afforded youth a very limited
education. His father died in
limited circumstances when Edwin was but
thirteen years of age,
leaving his mother a widow with four
minor children. The widow,
lamenting over the loss of a kind
husband, her noble son, Edwin,
young in years, put his arms around her
neck and kissing her,
said, "Mother, don't weep. I will
take good care of you." What
a son for a fond mother to be proud of.
"My mother, at that holy name
Within my bosom there's a gush
Of feeling, which no time can tame;
I would not, could not crush."
That dear mother was never neglected by
her loving and
faithful son through all the
vicissitudes of life. He carefully per-
formed that promise and supplied her
every need and want dur-
ing his life. She lived to see that son
win honor and renown in
the legal profession, and statesmanship.
The circumstances of
his mother's family were such that Edwin
had by his labor to aid
in their support, and at the age of
thirteen found employment as
a clerk in the book-store of that good
old citizen, James Turnbull.
So pleased was Mr. Turnbull with
Stanton's industry, that in
opening a book-store at Columbus, he
sent Edwin there as a sales-
man. After some time in that position,
and with a mind desirous
of education, he determined to qualify
himself for another calling
and entered Kenyon college where, by
close application, he ac-
quired learning that stood him in hand
in after life. Here he
Vol. VI-22
338 Ohio
Arch. and His. Society Publications.
gained the reputation for diligence that
a student ought to be proud
of. But for want of the necessary means
he had to leave the col-
lege in his junior year, in 1832, and
return to his home.
He entered on a course of legal studies
under the instruc-
tions of Col. James Collier and Maj.
Collier in this city. He, on
completing his studies, commenced the
practice of his profession
in Cadiz. The bar at that place was
composed of able members,
such as the Hon. Chauncy Dewey, Gen.
Samuel W. Bostwick,
Gen. Beebe and others. But he soon
distinguished himself and
was elected prosecuting attorney, an
office he filled with ability
and fidelity.
The Hon. Benjamin Tappan, one of the
leading members of
the bar in this city, having been
elected to represent this state in
the Senate of the United States, and
retiring from practice,
Edwin Stanton, desiring to be near the
home of his mother, re-
turned to this city and commenced the
practice of his profession.
The bar of this county at the time was
one of legal ability, a repu-
tation it sustained from the early
history of the state, and at the
time composed of such attorneys as Col.
James Collier, Maj. D. L.
Collier, Gen. Samuel Stokely, Hon. John
K. Sutherland, Hon.
Roswell Marsh and others. Shortly after
coming to this bar two
other brilliant lights in the legal
profession came to this bar in
the persons of the learned and gifted
Roderick S. Moody and the
bright and eloquent Joseph Mason. Here
he remained as a resi-
dent attorney for twenty years, during
which period his practice
in the courts of this and the
surrounding counties of the state,
in the courts of other states and of the
United States, was exten-
sive and laborious.
His character and upright deportment,
his brilliant and
eminent career as a jurist is known to
the citizens present who
were living at that period, and they can
bear testimony with me
in regard to the same. The eminence that
he reached was almost
like enchantment. But those who knew his
close habits of in-
dustry, perseverance and stern and
unyielding will, witnessed
in an early period that a grand success
would be attained.
Close application to the duties of his
calling gained him a
reputation of being a careful and
learned legal gentleman, with
few, if any, superiors at the bar. While
not flowery and airy,
The Centennial of Jefferson
County. 339
he was eloquent as an advocate,
argumentative and of persuasive
address to the jury or court. Being well
versed in all the rules of
pleading and evidence enabled him to
prepare a case which he
spared no pains in preparation; in court
he wasted no time. Such
attention won confidence in his ability
and was the crowning glory
of his success. In this he has left an
untarnished name and exam-
ple worthy of consideration of every
young member of the legal
profession. Edwin M. Stanton was more
than an ordinary light
in the legal circle. By study and close
application he became a
master in jurisprudence; and the study
and care he devoted to the
same enabled him to grasp every
intricate question. This with
him was a cherished love. For he was
truly a profound lover of
his profession. Such was his great love
of justice that the consid-
eration of his compensation for services
was no thought to him,
for he looked on money in the language
of Scripture as "the root
of all evil," and the poor and
fatherless in his practice received
the same consideration as the wealthy.
The reputation of Edwin M. Stanton at an
early period in his
career soon extended throughout his
native state. He made his
first appearance in the Supreme Court of
the state at the Decem-
ber term, 1836, in the case of Woods
against McGee, in which
he had to combat such able counsellors
as the celebrated Metcalf
and the Hon. John K. Sutherland. After
this he appeared in
many cases in the Supreme Court and
demonstrated his ability as
a jurist. Among these cases is the
celebrated case of Moore
against Gano and others, tried at the
December term, 1843, of
the Supreme Court, contending against
such learned counsellors
as James and Daniel L. Collier, Wright,
Coffin and Minor. The
name of Edwin M. Stanton as a jurist
gained such an ascendency
that he was selected by the Supreme
Court as its reporter, and
made the reports of the court of the
December terms of the years
1841, 1842 and 1843, found in the 11th,
12th and 13th volumes.
These evidence masterly manner in
careful preparation. Edwin
M. Stanton prided in doing his work and
knew that to do so re-
quired care and study.
The display of his legal acquirements
was not confined to his
native state. He gained a high
reputation in other states and in
the courts of the United States, where
he tried cases of great im-
340
Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
portance. Among these cases was the
celebrated Wheeling
bridge case.
A personal quality of Edwin M. Stanton
was to do that which
he believed to be right and just, and
all his actions were pure, fair,
open and honorable. His judgment was
excellent, and in the
exercise of his mind, he seriously
considered what was right to-
wards his fellow men, with a laudable
desire to achieve honest
fame, for he scorned at doing wrong.
He possessed in the different walks of
life a knowledge not
often found among eminent jurists. He
had nothing of the so-
called holiday idleness in his
character, and when not engaged
in his legal business devoted himself to
other studies and socia-
bility with his friends.
He was well versed on general subjects
and was an interest-
ing conversationalist and companion. I
first heard of Edwin M.
Stanton, when but a youth, in the ever
memorable political cam-
paign of 1840, and saw him for the first
time in the old court room
in the summer of 1842. Court being in
session, I visited the court
room. Mr. Stanton was addressing the
jury. I was charmed
with his manner and on leaving the court
room remarked to the
friend who was with me, I wish I could
speak like Stanton. From
that time my mind was made up to try and
be an attorney. Com-
mencing the study of law in the summer
of 1846 with the Hon.
Thomas L. Jewett at Cadiz, the office of
Stanton & Peppard ad-
joining Mr. Jewett's office, and meeting
Mr. Stanton there while
he was attending court, I became then
personally acquainted with
him. We became intimate friends, which
continued until his
death.
At the McNutt house our rooms were only
separated by a
hallway. Frequently, on waking up at
night, I would hear him
up in his room, and would now and then,
on meeting him, say,
"Mr. Stanton, you keep late hours
at night." His reply would
be, "Mr. Trainer, I have to do so,
in order to consider the matters
I have to look after in court, and be
prepared on questions that
may come up on the trial."
Locating as a practicing attorney in
Columbiana county in
the spring of 1850, I met with him
frequently at the bar of that
county. He was a member of the law firm
of Stanton, Umstetter
The Centennial of Jefferson
County. 341
& Wallace. I became a resident of
this city in April, 1853, and
commenced the practice of law. At that
time Edwin M. Stanton
was a resident here; and the law firm of
Stanton & McCook, of
which Stanton and Col. George W. McCook
were the members,
had an extensive practice. I often met
Mr. Stanton in the trial
of civil and criminal cases, I being the
prosecuting attorney during
the years of 1854 and 1855. Mr. Stanton
appeared as the attorney
for the defense in several criminal
cases, and I can truthfully bear
testimony that in all the trials he came
to the trial thoroughly
prepared. His treatment of witnesses and
counsel opposed to
him was kind, courteous and gentlemanly.
There was nothing
of the bully or trickery about him. His
deportment was such
as becomes the true lover of the legal
profession.
During the administration of President
Buchanan he was
selected to represent the government in
important legal matters
at San Francisco; the duties he
discharged with ability and fidel-
ity, and won the praise of the
government. Afterwards he became
attorney-general of the United States
for a short period. To
this period in his life Edwin M. Stanton
never sought or held
office not united with the legal
profession.
In 1854 I spoke to him in regard to
using his name in con-
nection with being the Democratic
nominee for Congress in this
district. His reply was, "Mr.
Trainer, you are not the first one
that has suggested my name for that
honor, and you have my
thanks for your kind regards; but I have
not sought office out-
side of the legal profession, and would
not accept any office in
the gift of the people, except it would
be a judgeship, for that
is the only office I believe I could
fill with credit to myself and
honor to my country."
But the time came when Edwin M. Stanton,
as a true and
loyal citizen, saw that it was proper to
change his mind, and for
a time to lay aside his legal robes and
devote his time and atten-
tion to aiding his beloved country in
putting down one of the
greatest rebellions against government
in the history of the world.
For this purpose he accepted from
President Lincoln the office
of secretary of war. Possessing a strong
and determined will
and energy to do and to dare, and
undaunted courage, he proved
himself to be the Ajax in the cabinet
and rendered greater service
342 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
to his country than he could have done
had he been a command-
ing general in the field, and his memory
as the greatest of his
country's war secretaries will live in
famous history. He was
the true and tried friend of our
soldiers in the field. Punctually
he kept in sight their needs and wants
and had them relieved
as far as possible.
The thought of enemies was no trouble to
him, and the
love of money could not influence him to
do wrong. For Edwin
M. Stanton was no friend or associate of
the class of men that
the Hon. John J. Crittenden spoke of
when he said, "There are
men sent to Congress who will, with the
right hand raised, say,
'Mr. Speaker,' while at the same time
their left hand is held behind
their back for the bribe they are to
receive." Independent of
enemies, he fearlessly discharged all
the duties of his office, and
had the satisfaction of receiving the
plaudits of loyal citizens of his
country. During the war his perseverance
was of true Roman
virtue.
Edwin M. Stanton lived as a plain,
American citizen, without
any show of aristocratic airs. He was
very generous, kind and
sympathetic. No one in want or distress
ever approached E. M.
Stanton without finding him ready to
extend help. To such an
extent did his kindness lead, that he
died poor, although all
through life he had the means within his
grasp, had he hoarded
money and loved it, to have accumulated
a fortune and have
died wealthy.
The incessant toil that he endured in
his profession, and as
secretary of war, wore out his precious
life, and death reached
him when only a few years past middle
age. Realizing that the
stream of his life was fast approaching
its end, still clinging to
the high sense of honor that had been
the polar star throughout
life, he could not bring himself to
think of receiving the gift of
a hundred thousand dollars that kind and
generous friends offered
him.
The only office the gifted Edwin M.
Stanton ever had a
desire to fill came to him in the
closing days of his earthly course.
That gallant and brave soldier, after
reaching the presidency,
apreciating the eminent character of the
ex-war secretary, ap-
pointed him one of the judges of the
Supreme Court of the United
The Centennial of Jefferson County. 343
States, which appointment was confirmed
by an unanimous vote
of the Senate. Dying within a few days
thereafter, he never took
his seat on the Supreme bench. He would
have filled the position
with distinction and would have been the
equal in learning, bril-
liancy and legal knowledge with Chief
Justices Marshall, Story
and Chase.
But I must hasten to a close of my
remarks. What a great
loss such a great jurist and high-minded
statesman is to our
beloved country! But death makes no
distinction; and the gifted,
the learned, the able and upright jurist
and statesman passes from
life into that other and undiscoverable
country. But the name
of Edwin M. Stanton lives in the memory
of a grateful and gen-
erous people.
Dead! The great and learned jurist and
statesman is silent,
and no more will his voice be heard in
the courts or in the nation's
councils. His name will forever stand on
the Records of the
Courts of his country as one of the
brightest and ablest of jurists;
and the records of our loved country, as
the greatest of war secre-
taries, who, in the cabinet of the
lamented President Lincoln,
aided and assisted in crushing out the
rebellion and restoring the
Union of the states to peace and
harmony, united under one flag.
The name of Edwin M. Stanton as a jurist
and statesman is:
"One of the few immortal names
That was not born to die."
RECEPTION BY THE LADIES CENTENNIAL
COMMITTEE.
A reception was given by the ladies'
centennial committee in
the Court House in honor of
distinguished visitors, and the first
day of the celebration was most
auspiciously closed.
The Centennial of Jefferson County. 329