Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-27
Correspondence Between Gen. Grant
and the President.

and the President.
New YORK, August 26.-The following
is correspondence between Gen. Grant
and the President
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMIES OF THE
UNITED STATES, Washington, August II,
1867.-To His Excellency Andrew John
son, President of the United States.-Sir:
I am in receipt of your order of this date,
directing me to appoint Gen. G. II.
Thomas TO the command of the fifth mill
tary district, Gen. Sheridan to the depart
ment of the tenth and Gen. Hancock to the
Department of the Cumberland and also
your note of this date, enclosing these in
structions to carry into effect the enclosed
order. / would be pleased to hear
any suggestions you may deem neces-
sary, respecting the assignments to
which the order refers. / am pleased
to avail myself of this invita-
ton to urge earnestly-urge in the
name of a patriotic people, who have
thousands of millions of treasure to pre-
serve, and the integrity and Union of this
country, that this order be not insisted. 1t
is Enthusiastically the expressed wish of the
country that Gen. 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. l beg that their
voices may be heard. Gen. Sheridan has
performed his civil duties faithfully and
intelligently, and his removal will only be
regarded as an effort to defeat the laws of
Congress. 1t will be interpreted 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 and triumph. It will en-
holden renewed opposition to the will of
the loyal masses believing that they have
the Executive with them. The services
of Gen. Thomas in battling for the Union
entitle him to some consideration. He
has repeatedly entered his protest against
being assigned to either of the FIVE mill
tary districts, and especially to being as
signed to relieve Gen. Sheridan. General
Hancock ought not to be removed from
where he is. His department is acomplicat-
ed one which will take a new commander
sometime to become acquainted with.
There are military reasons, recuniary rea-
sons, and above all, patriotic reasons why
this order should not be insisted on. beg
to refer to letter marked private, which
l wrote te the President when first con
suited on the subject of change in the
War Department, and it bears upon the
subject of this removal, and had hoped
would have prevented it.
l have the honor to be, with great re-
spect, Your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, Gen.
United States Army and Secretary of War,
Gd interim.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, d. |
c., Aug. 10, 1867.-GENERAL: l have re.
ceived your communication of the 18th
inst, and thank you for the promptness
with which You have submitted your views
respecting the assignments directed in nv
order of that date. When stated in nv
official note of the 18th that l would be
pleased to hear any ruggestions you might
deem necessary upon the subject, il was not
my intention to ask from you formal re-
port, but rather to invite a verbal state.
ment Of any reason affecting the public in
terests, which, in your'opinion, would rem
der the order inexpedient. Inasmuch.
however, as you have responded in writ
ten communication, it is proper that /
should make some reply. You earnestly |
urge that the order be not insisted on, re-
marking that it is Enthusiastically the |
expressed wish of the country that General
Sheridan should not be removed from his |
present command. While / am cognizant |
of the efforts that have been made to re-
ieve Gen. Sheridan of the command of |
the fifth military district l am not aware |
that the question has been submitted to the !
people themselves for determination. 1t |
would certainly be unjust to the army to !
assume that in the opinion of the nation,
he alone is capable of commanding the |
States of Louisiana and Texas, and that |
were he for any cause removed, no other |
General in the military service of the |
United States would be competent to fill |
his Iplaee. General Thomas. whom |
have designated a. his successor |
Is we'll known 10 the country. Having won /
high and honorable distinction in the field. |
he has since, in the execution Of the re-
sponsible duties Of adepartment commander |
exhibited great ability, sound discretion /
and sterling patriotism. He has not failed /
under the most trying circumstances to |
enforce the laws, preserve peace and order,
to encourage the restoration of civil au-
thority and to promote, as far as possible, |
a spirit of reconciliation. His admins.
tration of the Department of the Cumber-
land will certainly compare with that of |
Gen. Sheridan in the fifth military district.
These affairs appear to be in a dis
turbed condition, and a bitter spirit
of antagonism seems TO have result
ed from Gen. Sheridan's management. He
has rendered himself exceedingly obnoxious
by the manner in which he has exercised
even the powers conferred by Congress, and
still more 30 by resort to authority not
granted by law, nor necessary TO his faithful
and efficient execution. His rule has in
fact been one of absolute tyranny, without
to the principles Of our govern
ment or nature of our free institutions. The
state Of affairs which has resulted from the
course he has pursued has seriously inter
ferred with a harmonious, satisfacto-
~ and speedy execution of the acts
Of Congress, and is alone sufficient to
Justify change His removal, therefore,
cannot be regarded as an effort to defeat
the laws of Congress, for the object is to
facilitate their execution through an officer
who has never failed to obey the law, and
70 exact within his jurisdiction like obe>
dience from others. 1t cannot beinierpre-
ted By the unreconstructed element Of the
South--those who did all they could to
break up this government, and now