Edwin Stanton
Born in Ohio in 1814, Edwin Stanton became a lawyer after graduating from Kenyon College in Ohio. Stanton's law practice was extremely successful, and he won numerous cases as a prosecuting attorney. He maintained very strong political opinions, and while he was anti slavery, he firmly stood by the slave owner's rights to property. This stance made him an enemy of Abraham Lincoln. Stanton became attorney general to James Buchanan's administration during the last months that he was in office. Through his time being attorney general, Lincoln was able to see him in action and, when he was elected president, appointed Stanton to be his secretary of war just in time for the Civil War to break out. He was loud and opinionated as secretary of war, but did an outstanding job and was reappointed to the cabinet when Johnson became president.
"I know General Grant better than any other person in the country can know him. It was my duty to study him, and I did so day and night, when I saw him and I did not see him, and now I tell you what I know, he cannot govern this country." -Edwin Stanton
"I know General Grant better than any other person in the country can know him. It was my duty to study him, and I did so day and night, when I saw him and I did not see him, and now I tell you what I know, he cannot govern this country." -Edwin Stanton