Stanton was born in Steubenville, Ohio, to devout Methodist parents. Beginning in
childhood, he suffered from asthma throughout his life. After graduating from Kenyon
College in 1833, he studied law under a judge. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1835,
but had to wait several months until his 21st birthday before he could begin to
practice. He developed a very successful legal career in Ohio, then Pittsburgh, and
finally Washington, D. C.
While in Ohio, Stanton became active in the local antislavery
society and was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Harrison county as a Democrat. In 1857, he
was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Jeremiah Black to represent the federal government
in California land cases. Two years later, he was one of the lead attorneys on the defense
team of Congressman Daniel Sickles, who stood accused of murdering his wifes lover.
Stanton and his colleagues convinced the jury to acquit Sickles on the grounds of
temporary insanity, marking one of the earliest uses of that plea.
After the 1860 presidential election, Stanton gave up a lucrative law practice to
become Attorney General in the lame-duck presidential administration of James Buchanan. He
advised Buchanan to act forcefully against the South, but when the president did not,
Stanton clandestinely keep the Republicans, particularly William Henry Seward, informed
about White House policy decisions.
In 1862, President Lincoln decided to remove the corrupt and ineffective Secretary of
War, Simon Cameron, by appointing him Minister to Russia. Seward and Salmon Chase
successfully lobbied the President to name Stanton as his new Secretary of War. He once
again gave up a prosperous law practice to enter public service. He proved to be a strong
and effective cabinet officer, instituting practices to rid the War Department of waste
When Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney died in October 1864, Stanton wanted to be
named as his replacement. Lincoln believed, though, that he was more important to the
Union cause as Secretary of War, so the President appointed Chase, instead. Upon the
assassination of Lincoln, Stanton uttered the memorable line, "Now he belongs to the
It was Stanton who was at the center of the battle to impeach and remove President
Andrew Johnson from office. After Lincolns assassination, Stanton had continued to
serve as Johnsons Secretary of War. However, he became vehemently opposed to
Johnsons lenient Reconstruction policies, and consequently worked with Republicans to implement
Congressional Reconstruction in the South. After first suspending
Stanton in August 1867, Johnson fired the Secretary in February 1868. Stanton refused to
leave office, claiming job protection under the Tenure of Office Act. He locked himself in
the War Department until the Senate voted against the Presidents removal.
Stanton resigned in May 1868 and returned to his private practice. His wish to sit on
the Supreme Court appeared to be fulfilled when President Grant appointed him and the
Senate confirmed him on the same day, 20 December 1868. He died, however, four days later
in Washington, D.C.