He advised the passage of a law authorizing the President to take possession of all the rail road and telegraph lines of the United States, and this was at once enacted. He that all contracts for supplies and munitions be in writing, appointed a commission to investigate and determine what valid contracts were out standing, and waged vigorous war upon fraud ulent contractors. By an order of 14 February he directed the release of all persons who had been arrested on suspicion of disloyal practices, with certain exceptions, upon their giving their parole not to aid the rebellion. From that time such arrests were made only under military authority, which was exercised on the theory that all doubts were to be resolved in favor of the country. No part Stanton's career shows more loyalty to his country than his patience with McClellan during the first six months of 1862, but the latter's delay in moving his army to the support of Pope, his disregard of orders, and his whole conduct during the critical weeks which preceded Lee's invasion of Maryland at length satisfied Stanton that he should be removed, and in the last days of August he tried to unite the Cabinet in recom mending this step, but Mr. Lincoln felt that McClellan's popularity and the political situa-, tion made it necessary to give him the com mand of the army. disapproved this action as did Mr. Chase, but the President took the responsibility. McClellan's conduct of the Antietam campaign, his inexcusable delays and almost direct insubordination increased. Stanton's feeling and at length convinced the President, and McClellan was dismissed from active service.
Taking office as a Democrat, Stanton early felt the importance of emancipation as a war measure, and when on 22 July 1862, Mr. Lincoln laid before the Cabinet a proclamation declar ing that all slaves in the seceded States should be free on a fixed day, Stanton and Bates, the Attorney-General, were in favor of issuing it at once, while Seward and Chase opposed it. Stanton approved the issue of the proclamation after Antietam, and in his annual report made a powerful argument in support of the measure. When in the next year after the defeats of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, Lee a sec ond time crossed the Potomac, Hooker was re lieved and Meade appointed to the command by Stanton's advice, and during the critical sum mer and autumn of 1863 he met every emer gency successfully.
When it was apparent that General Rose crans was not in a condition to retain the corn mand, Stanton summoned Grant from New Or leans to Louisville, himself met him there and after a full conference placed him in command of the Western armies, giving Thomas com mand at Chattanooga. The immediate success of General Grant in his new command with the crushing defeat of Bragg's army made the whole military situation much clearer, and General Grant's appointment to the command of the army and his removal to Virginia fol lowed as a matter of course. After Appomat tox, General Sherman agreed upon terms with General. Johnston, which provided not only for the surrender of the latter's army but for the settlement of vital political questions, and the agreement was disapproved by the Administra tion. Stanton stated the reason in a dispatch to General Dix that the public might understand why General Sherman was overruled. His statement was clear and poignant and while it reflected on General Sherman's discretion in consenting to such an arrangement, the general himself was not criticized. Sherman held Stan ton especially responsible for the action of the government and became very hostile to him.
Nothing in the history of the Civil War is more remarkable than the speed with which the vast armies of the United States were dissolved. On 1 May 1865, a million men were on the rolls of the army. In hardly more than 60 days nearly 700,000 of them were returned to their homes. The grand review of the two great armies held in Washington 22 and 23 May 1865 showed the military force of the United States at its greatest. In little more than a month
most of that force was engaged in the labors of peace. Stanton had made this possible.
Stanton remained in the Cabinet of Presi dent Johnson, and in the struggle between the President and Congress over the policy of reconstruction, sympathized with Congress. He felt that the President's policy meant the return of the disloyal element to power in the Southern States and he could not contemplate such a re sult without indignation. The partisans of the President demanded his resignation, while the leading Republicans besought him to remain, feeling that his presence in the War Depart ment was an insurance against violence. His position was extremely disagreeable, but he held tt with persistent courage, taking no part in the discussion and making no public expression of his views. He simply remained at his post and discharged his duty. The Tenure of Office Act had been passed in part to prevent the removal of Stanton. He opposed its passage, advised the President to veto it and desired its defeat after the veto.
This act and the provision that the President should issue orders to the army only through the general of the army, effectually took the control of the army away from the President and he wished to regain it. When Congress adjourned in the summer of 1867 the President sounded General Grant as to removing Stan ton from office. Grant counseled him against it. Thereupon the President asked for Stan ton's resignation, which was refused and the refusal was applauded by the Republican lead ers. A week later the President suspended him from office without stating any cause and di rected him to turn over all public records and property to General Grant, whom he appointed Secretary ad interim. Stanton in reply denied his right to suspend him without legal cause, but under protest obeyed the order. When Congress reassembled in December 1867 the Senate refused to concur in the suspension and Stanton was thus reinstated. The Presi dent was very much irritated and after an interval spent in endeavoring to persuade Gen eral Sherman to accept the position, removed Stanton on 21 Feb. 1868 and appointed Lorenzo Thomas Secretary of War ad interim. Stanton declined to obey this order, the Senate by reso lution denied the President's power to remove *him and the House voted to impeach the Presi dent. The trial of the President followed and ended on the 26th of May, and during its progress General Schofield had been nominated to the Cabinet as Secretary of War. When the Senate failed to convict the President, Stanton at once retired and the nomination of Schofield was confirmed.
He left the office which he had held for more than six years, a comparatively young man, but broken in health by the unremitting toil and anxiety which he had undergone. His income which had been considerable when he took office had been so reduced that he had nothing but his house in Washington, and he was obliged to resume the practice of his pro fession. He argued several important cases, but his powers were exhausted, and he gradually failed. His last argument was made at a hear ing in his own library in December 1869, and he never left the house again. The approaching resignation of Judge Grier made a prospective vacancy on the Supreme Bench and on the recommendation of the leading men in both Houses of Congress, President Grant nominated Stanton to the place on 20 Dec. 1869. His nom ination was at once confirmed and he lived to feel the pleasure of receiving the only office which he ever desired, but his work was done and he died four days later. A sincere, un selfish, patriotic man, the result of the Civil War was due in no small part to his labors. Consult Gorham, G. C., 'Life and Public Seri,' ices of Edwin Y. Stanton' (2 vols., Boston 1899) ; De Witt, D. M., 'The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson) (New York 1903) Flower, F. A., 'Edwin McMasters Stanton' (Akron, Ohio 1905).