John Surratt's real parents?

[STS Lincolnite]

(03-07-2015 10:59 AM)Gene C Wrote:  Ouch. I think Stanton provided the strong leadership and direction the country needed immediately following Lincoln's assassination. I can't think of a better person to be in control at that time. It certainly wasn't Johnson.

I agree Gene. 150 years later it is easy to criticize Stanton and focus on missteps he may have made. But he was operating in uncharted territory. How well could anyone really have been expected to do in the chaotic time following the assassination?

As has been discussed in another thread, in 1865 there were rules for presidential succession if a President died but not for what occured in a case of presidential incapacitation. With Lincoln clinging to life (not yet dead, but unresponsive) Johnson could not be sworn in as President. It would have made sense to people of the time that a member of the cabinet would be in charge so as to follow through with the President's policies until such time as he recovered or until he died and the vice president was sworn in as President. Vice-presidents were not really involved in governing at that time and were almost an afterthought. Seward would have been the obvious choice to assume control but he too was incapacitated. Someone had to step up to the plate and lead, and Stanton did. Even after Johnson was sworn in, he, by choice, seems to have deferred to Stanton regarding military and security matters. It doesn't seem like an overt power grab on Stanton's part (not that he minded wielding power I'm sure.)