Lincoln & Stanton

[RJNorton]

Craig, this does not answer your question. But, for some reason, what sticks in my mind are Stanton's strong emotions concerning death. I have a book entitled "Lincoln's War Cabinet" by Burton J. Hendrick, and the author devotes an entire page to the topic. Hendrick states, "When his (Stanton's) emotions were deeply stirred he could act almost as a madman. At certain crises, indeed, doubts of his sanity were widespread."

Here are three examples from Hendrick's book:

(1) In his early days Stanton developed a semi-romantic relationship with the daughter of his landlady. The girl's name was Anna Howard. She died suddenly from cholera and was buried quickly. Stanton was horrified and refused to believe it. He refused to believe she was dead and thought she was buried alive. He rushed to the graveyard and exhumed the body. He convinced himself by personal inspection that the girl was indeed dead.

(2) The death of his first child, a baby girl, so affected him that after she had been buried for a time, he had her disinterred, enclosed in a metal casket, and placed on the mantelpiece in his bedroom where it was kept for several years.

(3) After his first wife's death, the Supreme Court had to suspend its sessions for a month. Stanton was arguing several cases before the court. But the court was suspended because Stanton would not leave his dead wife's grave. Every night he would put her nightcap and gown on her bed and sit beside them weeping for hours.