Surratt Society Meeting and "Conference" 2021

[Dennis Urban]

The presentation of "Ages versus Angels" was admirable and I was happy to see all the evidence presented in such a block. I always favored "ages" because to me it fit better with Stanton's personality and his relationship with Lincoln; the rivals became friends and the opponents learned to work together for the good of the country. In contemplating Stanton's frame of mind at that moment, in which I truly cannot place myself, I do not think he preconceived something eloquent to utter at the moment immediately after the prayer of the Rev. Dr. Gurley; rather it was a heartfelt thought, probably spoken in a low voice, and mostly for his own recognition of the greatness of the man who had just passed into eternity. I doubt he meant for the words to be remembered for posterity. However, they were. Sufficient weight must be given, even 20 - 30 years after the fact, to the first hand accounts; James Tanner's being the most significant. Tanner was trained to listen diligently before recording his characters of phonographic writing. The testimony he transcribed was never questioned. I have no doubt his memory was vivid so many years after the fact. Those in the "angels" camp are not to be dismissed; the word also fits. The best evidence, however, is on the side of "ages".