New Member - Walter Stahr

[Linda Anderson]

Dear Lincoln Discussion folks: glad to join you all, glad to hear that some of you have read and enjoyed Seward. I stumbled upon your page about Stanton, and wanted to let you know that I am working upon him. I agree with the comments there, that Thomas & Hyman is the best book to date, but believe I can improve upon that.

Stanton certainly is a fascinating character. It will be interesting to see your research as to whether Stanton was involved in Lincoln's murder, as some have said. Fanny Seward writes of his kindness and compassion towards her after the Sewards' carriage accident and Powell's assault. Stanton would have had to been quite an actor if he knew anything beforehand about the plot to kill Lincoln and Seward.

I reread the Edwin Stanton thread you are referring to. People certainly are divided on him. This is from Bill Richter: "My G*d, Tomas Thorne, get over your love affair with Stanton. He was a pluperfect jerk, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The only thing wrong with Secretary Welles analysis of Stanton was that Welles was too nice."

Tom's response: "I am by no means an uncritical admirer of Stanton. While an excellent administrator, I don't think he had sufficient calmness to deal with the stresses of battle. He was too trustful of Holt and he lacked the fine sense of discrimination required in handling internal security. Despite the accusations made against him, he did not as far as I can see use improper command influence to have the conspirators who were not sentenced to death in the L.A. put to death. I have seen no evidence that Stanton or Holt withheld the commutation recommendation re Mary Surratt from Pres Johnson."