Tarbell on Otto Eisenschiml

[JMadonna]

(11-04-2012 08:45 PM)John Stanton Wrote:  Good debate! In the second example, Stanton did not comply with "Lincoln's plan", as a result - Lincoln was dead.
Lincoln wanted Eckert to accompany him to the theater, but Stanton needed Eckert as a telegraph operator, so , Stanton said that he needed him for a very important project (- to arrest Thompson). But he couldn't tell Lincoln that - he was being devious. In the mean time, Thompson escaped back into Canada. Stanton's plan fell apart -Thompson was gone, so he and Eckert went home to their families.
My whole point is that he acted contrary to his chief, in order to accomplish a personal plan, which he was DIRECTED to abandon.
Lincoln and Stanton spent the afternoon together in the War Dept. Wouldn't it have been "faultless logic" to discuss the issue with your boss? No,he purpously developed a scheme, and withheld the details from Lincoln, knowing that Lincoln would disapprove it.
Lincoln's "faulty logic" was shared with a "trusted" Judge. How faulty could it have been? Stanton did not merely delay the Order, he issued his own order not to comply". Lincoln's, thoughts were to get the Troops under control and not allow pockets of the war to continue. JOHN

John,
While it is true that Stanton ordered Thompson's arrest AFTER Lincoln's death, you have to admit that circumstances changed dramatically in those few hours which justified the order. There is NO evidence that Eckert was involved in a scheme to go behind Lincoln's back.

As for a 'trusted' judge may I remind you he was a Confederate judge and he was advocating a plan that would have run counter to the political plan of the North for reconstruction. Stanton was doing his job. Lincoln was straying into Stanton's authority without consulting him. Lincoln saw the error of the order and after proper consultation - rescinded it.