Cyclopædia of Political Science, Political Economy, and the Political History of the United States

STANTON

STANTON, Edwin M., was born in Steubenville, O., Dec. 19, 1814, and died at Washington, D. C., Dec. 24, 1869. He was graduated at Kenyon College in 1833, was admitted to the bar in 1836, and practiced at Cadiz, O., until 1839, then at Steubenville until 1847, at Pittsburgh, Penn., until 1857, and thereafter at Washington city. He had always been a democrat, and in December, 1860, he became attorney general under Buchanan. In January, 1862, he became secretary of war under Lincoln, and retained the place until 1868. In this position he showed a devouring energy and capacity for work, which considerably shortened his own life, as well as the war. As the conflict between the president and congress on reconstruction was developed, he took sides with the latter, and President Johnson's attempt to remove him led to the impeachment of the president. (See RECONSTRUCTION; TERM AND TENURE OF OFFICE; IMPEACHMENTS, VI) When the impeachment failed, in May, 1868, Stanton resigned. In December, 1869, he was nominated and confirmed as justice of the supreme court, but died before entering office.

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