The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-28 00:00:00

THE STANTON EMBROG LIO.

The PRESIDENT, it is said, made up his mind last
November to remove Mr. STANTON. THURLOW
WEED and Ilamy J. RAYMOND persuaded him to
forego his intention, although General SHERMAN
had been called to Washington temporarily to fill
the place. When Congress met the Tenure of Office
Bill was passed expressly to prevent Mr. JOHNSON
from exercising the power of discharging Govern-
ment officers who opposed "'my policy." When
this bill was debated in the Senate the PRESIDENT'S
power to remove officials appointed by his prede-
cessor was discussed, and admitted by the lawyers,
Mr. STANTON being expressly named, coupled with
the conjecture of his probable removal. On this
occasion Senator SHERMAN said that " if either the
Secretary of War, of the Navy, or of State, was so
wanting in manhood, in honour, as to hold his
place after the politest intimation by the President
of the United States that his services were no longer
needed, I certainly as a Senator would consent to
his removal at any time, and so would we all." The
honourable gentleman did not then contemplate the
circumstances that appear now to have arisen—the
PRESIDENT, irritated beyond endurance with the
opposition of the Secretary, bent on getting rid of
him at all hazards, and the Secretary iden-
tifying himself with the strongest party of the
nation, the overwhelming majority of Congress,
persuading himself it was his duty to stick fast to
the State coach as a drag, and displaying equal
determination not to go. In vain Mr. JOHNSON
had informed Mr. STANTON that he would accept his
resignation. No attention whatever was paid to
the hints, the Ohio Senator considered would be
sufficient for any gentleman. At last Mr. JOHNSON
despatched the following curt communication, which
he evidently considered would settle the question :
,4 Executive Mansion, Washington, Aug. 5.
" Sir,— Public considerations of a high character con-
strain me to say that your resignation as Secretary of War
will be accepted.—Very respectfully yours,

" ANDREW JOHNSON.
4, To Ron. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War."
To this Mr. STANTON, after consulting with his
.riends, returned the following reply

4t War Department, Washington, Aug• 5

" Sir,—Your note of this date has been received, stating
that public considerations of a high elm] acter constrain you
to say that my resignation as Secretary of War will bo
accepted. In reply, 1 have the honour to say that public
considerations of a high character, which alone have induced
me to continue at the head of this department, constrain me
not to resign the office of Secretary of War before the next
meeting of Congress.—Very respectfully,
"EDWIN M. STANTON.

"To Andrew Johnson, President of the United States."
The PRESIDENT appears to have taken the opinion
of the Attorney-General on the recent act of Con-
gress, depriving him of the power-of dismissing such
officials. It was considered that the law applied
only to those appointed by himself, and on the 9th
instant the question was 'discussed in the Cabinet.
Pending his definite action, the PRESIDENT ordered
that no other Department should hold communica-
tion with Mr. STANTON as Secretary of War. As
Mr. STANTON remained stedfast in his refusal to
resign, the PRESIDENT eventually removed him and
appointed General GRANT to act in his place. This
episode gave rise to great scandals. In the first
place, the correspondent of the London Standard
accuses Mr. STANTON of having played a villainous
part in detaching' from the papers of the Court's
proceedings which tried Mrs. SURRATT, prior to
their submission to the PRESIDENT, a recommen-
dation to commute the sentence from death to one
of imprisonment for life. That correspondent openly
declares that his information was derived from
official sources. The New York Herald ac-
counts for the silence of the Tribune—the paper
all expected to defend the Secretary—by
GREELET'S hostility to Mr. STANTON, who once
made out an order for Lis arrest for nego-
tiating with rebels in Canada, which President
LINCOLN would not permit to be enforced. The
general feeling appears to be against the course
taken by Mr. STANTON, although little interest is
excited by the
sonal affair. Neither of the principals stand well
quarrel, which is regarded as a per-
with the nation ; but, viewing the question in its
abstract bearings, the opinion is widely held that no
such dead lock should be
possible, and that it is
highly improper to deprive a President of the ability
of dispensing
with Cabinet officers. It is manifestly
unjust to Fob a ruler responsible to the nation of the
power of instantly removing an obstruction to the
policy of the Cabinet. When a statesman differs
from his colleagues in opinion, it is his duty to
resign without being asked, when he becomes free