(1814-1869) After graduating from Kenyon College he practiced law and held various minor public offices before being named President Buchanan's Attorney General in 1860. He deplored slavery but upheld the slaveholders' constitutional rights. In 1862 he succeeded Simon Cameron as Lincoln's Sec. of War and proved to be an able and honorable cabinet member. He remained at the post under Andrew Johnson but shortly became a bitter opponent of the president's reconstruction politics. Asked to resign, he refused and was suspended by Johnson. Stanton was however restored to the post by the Senate who informed the president that he did not have the power to remove Stanton. After Johnson's impeachment, Stanton resigned and practiced law until being appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1869. He died 4 days later!

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Half view pose. Backmark: E. & H.T. Anthony, New York, made from a photographic negative in Brady's National Portrait Gallery.