. Life and public services of Edwin M. Stanton. them to powder. Let no man imaginethat we exalt this great statesman above his deserts, or thatwe would detract an iota from that share of glory which inthis momentous crisis belongs to every faithful participatorin the events of the war. But we cannot overlook the factthat, whereas the other day all was doubt, distrust, and un-certainty ; the nation despairing almost of its own restorationto life ; Congress the scene of bitter imputations and unsatis-factory apologies; the army sluggish, discontented, and decay-ing, and the abyss of ruin and dis
. Life and public services of Edwin M. Stanton. them to powder. Let no man imaginethat we exalt this great statesman above his deserts, or thatwe would detract an iota from that share of glory which inthis momentous crisis belongs to every faithful participatorin the events of the war. But we cannot overlook the factthat, whereas the other day all was doubt, distrust, and un-certainty ; the nation despairing almost of its own restorationto life ; Congress the scene of bitter imputations and unsatis-factory apologies; the army sluggish, discontented, and decay-ing, and the abyss of ruin and disgrace yawning to swallowus ; now all is inspiration, movement, victory, and seem to have passed into another state of existence, tolive with distinct purposes, and to feel the certainty of theirrealization. In one word, the nation is saved; and whilewith ungrudging hands we heap garlands upon all defenders, \_Ja?nes Buchanan to Mr. Stanton, February 25, 1862] t t \ x i * i 1 & ^ j 4 \ ^ c * S \ in >3 * 0 43 U i vi .si i i. DISCLAIMS CREDIT NOT HIS DUE 285 let a special tribute of affectionate admiration be paid to theminister who organized the victory which they have won. These were dangerous claims to assert in behalf ofany man, even if they could be maintained, and werelikely to impair the usefulness of Mr. Stanton, by excit-ing displeasure in the minds of military men with whomthe interests of the country required him to be on thebest of terms. Whatever he had contributed towardsenergizing the administration of affairs, civil and mili-tary, he had not given direction to any military opera-tions, and he was not the man to assent, by his silence,to any unfounded claim in his behalf. He thereforeaddressed the following letter, February 19, to theeditor of the Tribune, which wras, of course, publishedin that paper and copied in nearly all the newspapers ofthe country. To the Editor of the New York Tribune : Sir, — I cannot suffer undue merit to be ascribed to
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