New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-17


20 me that he would avail himself OF the provisions OF
that biz in case 1t became law should not have hest
tated moment as 10 his removal No pledge was then
expressly given or required But there circumstances
when 10 give express pledge is not necessary and
when 10 require It an imputatOn OF possible bad faith
felt that II these gentlemen came Nth4h te pulNlew Of
the bi 10 them dead letter aud that Of
now pass 20 another subject When. on the 18th OF
April 1855 the duties OF the Presidential Office devoved
upon me- found full Cabinet of seven members all OF
them selected by Mr.. Lincoln. / made no change on
the contrary, shortly aferward ratified change deter
mined upon by Mr.. Lincoln, hut not perfected at his
death, and admitted his app0intee Mr. Harlan I'm the
place Of Mr. | sher. who was In Office AT the time.
Ihe great uGly OF te tlne was to reCstabsh govern
men law ana order IN the insuTectOuary States Con.
eress was then in recess, and the sudden overthrow Of
jet had engaged the attention OF Mr. Lincoln IN the last
DAYS OF MS me- and the plan according which IL
adoption. leading feature OF that plan that it
should be carried out by the Executive authority for
member OF his CObne doubted his authority TO act
proposed 10 cell an extra session OF Congress to do the
WORK The first business transacted IN Cabinet after
became President was this unfinished business Of my
predecessor. plan scheme Of reconstruction was
produced which had been prepared for Mr.. Lincoln by
i o.a.ton, ms secretary Oh hdI. II vas approved
and at the earliest moment practicable, was applied in
the form Of proclamation TO the State of North Caro-
for the other States.
Upon the examination OF Mr.. Stanton before the I'm
peachment Committee he was asked the following cues
uOn; DID any OF the Cabinet express doubt OF the
power OF the Executive branch Of the Government TO
organize state governments which mad been in rebellion
without the aid Of Congress-" lie answered-"NOne,
authority of the President to take for the
ganzaOn OF the Rebel states ON the plan proposed, dur
ing the vacation Of Congress, and agreed IN the plan
Ina"
There u.s. perhaps, no act OF my administration for
Whch nave been denounced than TINS. IL was not
originated by me- but shrink from responsibility
that account for the plan approved itself TO my ugd
melt ana ana not hesitate 70 carry INTO execution
Thus far, and upon tins vital policy there perfect
accord between the Cabinet and myself, and saw no
As time posed there was developed unfortunate
President upon this subject and upon the ultimate
basis upon which the reconstruction of these States shoud
Upon this point three members OF the Cabinet found
themselves 10 be in sympathy with Congress They re
policy could not be reconciled They felt that they
should remain no longer and high sense Of duty and
prOprety constrained them 90 resign their positions We
parted with mutual respect for the sincerity OF each
9aer IN opposite opinions ana mutual regret that me
Of official relations This IN the Summer OF 1866.
The subsequent sessions OF Congress developed
pcaons when the Suffrage bill for the District Of Co
Iumbla and the Reconstruction acts OF March and
March 23 1861 all passed over the veto. Il Cabi
net consultations upon these bills that difference Of opin
ION upon the most vital points was developed. Upon
these questions was perfect accord between the
members Of the Cabinet and myself except Mr. stanton
he stood alone ana The difference OF opinion could not
questions Of public policy OF administration Is 80 essen
tial TO the Executive was gone.
/ DO not claim that the head OF department should
have other opinions than those OF the President He
has the same right IN the CONSCIENTIOUS discharge OF duty
entertain and express his own own opinions has the
President What do claim is, that the President IL the
responsible head of the Administration and when the
opinions OF the head OF ccpaItmeni are lrIeco1cnaD
policy and administration there is but result which
can solve the difficulty aud that is severance Of the
official relation THIS the past history of the Govern
ment has always been the rule aud It is wise one for
such differences Of opinion among its members must
pair the efficiency Of any Administration
have referred 10 the general grounds upon which
the withdrawal OF Nh Stanton from my administration
seemed to be proper and necessary hut omit 10
state special ground, which, IL stood alone, would
The sansnary rot which occurred in the city OF New
Orleans the 2Jth Of August 1866 justly aroused public
engaged It, but to those who or less re-
mOtey might he held 70 responsibility for It's occurrence
need not remind the senate OF the eh4I maze 10 TX
that responsibility on the President The charge was
openly made aud again and again reiterated all through
the land that the President was warned III ne Dut re-
fused 10 interfere.
BY kilograms FROM the Lieutenant Goyenoy aud Attor
neyGenera OF Louisiana dated the 2th and 18th Of An-
gust advised that body of delegates, claiming 10
De constitutional Convention were ab9ut 10 aSselhDe
ia NeW-Oreah' tu't we matter We peloIe INC ei"uI
Jury, but that II would be impossible 10 execute cyl
toceS5 MlIl4 3 os , au 'nls gcs'iO "S ~ I'm,
This question asked al time when the civil courts
in the fun exercise Of their authority, and he an
sWtr sent by telegraph on the same 2h OF August vas
tins: "Ihe military viii be expected 10 sustain aud not
interfere with the proceedings of the courts"
On the same &h oil August the lo.iomlng teiesram Hs
sent to Mr. stanton, by MsJorGen Baird thcn lowing W
ne Ho- Bow, b. SrA,ros, saa'y Of Bor: Convection
day The Lieutenant and city authorities nm uayia
orders On the subject the Parties s' could not
,Se President Flsa,e as me, pe a. once D., tesgppb"
The 2sth Of August was On saturday The next morn
ing the Goth this dispatch received by Mr. Stanton
residence IN this city. He took no ACTON upon H.
and neither sent instructions TO Gen Bard tlmseI nor
presented 1t TO te such instructions On the next day
Monday the riot occurred. never saw TINS dlspatch
not when upon my call for al the dispatches. with
view To their publication, Nh stanton sent ~ 10 me
ese facts ali pper n the testimony OF Mr. be-
fore t4e Judiciary Committee III the in'p'''h"cn 'e7
On the 9oit e day Of the riot and after it sup
r. =
from which make the following extracts.
Today had ppbedf The cgn.ntoH for p,','o1
AID wa 80 % congiled thnt strongly TIE li,u Of the
atT subor lies 70 preserve ,he pee. lu CRU. ~ ~
TIE LuienutC oycruo bad ,nr4 gt mat etsn ser 81
nay permission and for TO-DAY they deeu'd 10 suspend IT, neose
which the Lieutenant Governor claims 70 have received from ne r
regret that reply 70 dispatch 20 you " S4 BIAS !r
The dispatch OF Gen. Baird Of The 18Th asks Tor nme
date Instructions and his letter OF he 5h 9ltcI detail
the expression regret that the Instructions which ne
.S5 f yere no nt In il not he fault or the error or
he omission OF the President that this military
mader was left without Instructions hut Tor all oms
IONS for All errors tor all failures 10 instruct when
insfrnctIon might nave averted this calamity, the Pfcs
dent was openly and persistenty hold Responsible
ha PTesdnt was beraldeo in every form Of utclonce
Mir stanton then that the President was not re
spousibe for mis- deiHq@ency The eAculpatOn was l1
his power but IL wss not given by hin 10 the public and
only the President IN obedience to requstl0n Tor an
10 one regrets more than myself that Gen Bairds re-
quest was not brought 10 my notice ltls ceh IRON n
dsateh and letter II the secretary OF War had gwen
MIN proper instructions the not which rose on me as
sembng OF the Convention would have been aVerteI'
There may be those rcady 10 say tlat N9uu I'M
Given no instructions 4 the dispatch had reached
me in time but al must admit that ought 10 nave hau
the opportunity. -, e..,,.. Ia
The following is the testimony given by Mt stanton be-
fore the Impeachment investigating Committee as 10
this dispatch . 49,. 5000, ,.,t y
yo whether that dispatch receipt commuutattdf A. re-
dispatch suuds foseuoQp eISHlee cst an"
the question pssaied cd not see hst could g7e any ~
,yptors different FROM shcb Gen Baird proposed
and made 10 ~ We lsrs,ch
ses sisted thai received Il 1890 v4t nat The
cefcdb BY you A. That - in aas e" ~