In 1864, a soldier at work on the Baltimore defenses, an outbreak of
Southern sympathizers being apprehended, attended a Democratic meeting
and made a speech there in favor of its principles and General
McClellan as the standard-bearer. Secretary of War Stanton, fierce like
all apostates, turned on this Democrat, and his disgrace as to the army
was threatened. Captain Andrews went to the fountain-head with his
remonstrance. He was right, for Lincoln said:
"Andrews has as good a right to hold onto his Democracy, if he chooses,
as Stanton had to throw his overboard. No; when the military duties of
a soldier are fully and faithfully performed, he can manage his
politics his own way!"
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