The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-29
The President and Gen. Grant.

We publish below from the New York
Herald, the noble and manly letter of Gen.
Grant to the President in relation to the re-
moval of General Sheridan. If any thing
were wanting to vindicate the Great Hero of
the war for the Union, this letter would
abundantly supply the want. 1t will ring
through the land like the blast of
trumpet. Every word of it will tell for the
present and future good of the country. It
will rouse and stimulate depressed patri-
otism, occasion increased confusion and dis
may among the rebellious, and make the
way to reconstruction still wider and clear
or. The nation will thank Gen. Grant for
this letter no less than it did for those glo-
rious victories won by his courage, his skill,
and his perseverance, which saved it from
disintegration and destruction.
General Grant to President johnson.
HEADQUARTERS, ARMIES OF THE .. S.,
WASHINGTON, D. c., August II, 1867.
His Excellency ANDREW JOHNSON, Presi-
dent of the United States -
ri am in receipt of your order of
this date, directing the assignment of Gener
al G.. H. Thomas to the command of the
Fifth Military District, General Sheridan to
the Department of the Missouri and General
Hancock to the Department of the Cumber-
land also your note of this date enclosing
these instructions0 saying: Before you is
sue instructions to carry into effect the en-
closed order 1 would be pleased to hear any
suggestions you may deem necessary re-
specting the assignments to which the order
refers"
I am pleased to avail myself of this invi-
tation to urge, earnestly urge-urge in the
name of a patriotic people who have sacri-
feed hundreds OF thousands of loyal lives
and thousands of millions of treasure to
preserve the integrity and union of this coun-
try-that this order be not insisted on 1t
is Enthusiastically the expressed wish of the
country that General Sheridan should not be
removed from his present command. This
is a republic where the will of the people IS
the law of the land. beg that their voice
may be heard.
General Sheridan has performed his civil
duties faithfully and lteil. lat ;. Ills re-
moval will only be regarded as an effort to
defeat the laws of Congress. 1t will be in
terpreted by the unreconstructed element in
the south-those who did all they could to
break up this government by arms, and now
wish to be the only element consulted as to
the method of restoring order-as a tri-
umph. 1t will embolden them to renewed
opposition to the will of the loyal masses,
believing that they have the Executive with
them.
Theservices of General Thomas in battling
for the Union entitle him to some considera-
ton. He has recently entered his protest
against being assigned to either of the five
Military districts, and especially to being as
signed to relieve General Sheridan.
General Hancock ought not to be remov-
ed from where he is. His department is
complicated one, which will take q new
commander some time to become acquainted
with.
There are military reasons, pecuniary
reasons, and, above all, patriotic reasons,
why this order should not be insisted on.
I beg to refer to a letter, marked private,
which wrote to the President when first
consulted on the subject of the change in
the War Department. 1t bears upon the
subject of this removal, and I had hoped
would have prevented it.
have the honor 10 be, with great respect,
your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, General United States
Army, and Secretary of War all interim.