Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-19
RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER II, 1867.
me keresid~ntss Reasons Tor Rem ov-
lsg Secretary stanton.

On Thursday last President johnson
sent 10 the Senate message giving his
reasons for the suspension OF Hon. I'D.
win NJ. Stanton as Secretary OF War, in
A ugust last, We are unable TO make
comment thereon this morning, but give
the main points OF the document
The President, II will oe remembered,
tor what he deemed considerations of a
high character, requested Secretary Stan
ton to resign the Office, and that he, in
reply giving the language OF the Presi-
dent said, "thst considerations of q
high character alone had induced him to
remain at the head OF the War Depart
ment, and constrained him not to vscate
the office before the next meeting OF Con-
gress." The President construed this not
merely as 8 declination of compliance
with the request for his resignation, but
IS 8 defiance, and that whatever pro-
priety there might be in the expression
OF his opinion to Others, one thing is
certain, at was official misconduct, to
ssy the least Of II, to parade them before
his superior officer, and showed a want
Of proper respect and dignity for the
President"
In addition to this, the Secretary de-
MED the Presidents right to remove
him. pat the President says that un-
der Mr.. Stanton's sense of duty he
could not refer TO the law creating the
War Department, for that conferred on
the President the right to remove the
head of the department. The only other
law under which Mr.. Stanton could
plead extenuation Of his conduct, was
that in relation TO the tenure of Office.
Nothing in that law compelled him to
remain in office He was free at apy
time to resign 1t. The President did
not allow the opportunity to pass with. 1
ont another expression Of bis views on
re tenure OF Office bill. Every mem.
Der of the Cabinet was consulted upon
the subject, and particularly the
Attorney General and Mr.. Stanton, the
latter hsrriinng formerly held the office of
Attorney. General, and the latter's con-
demnation Of the law, the President says
was most elaborate and emphatic
Some reference is made to the circum-
stances under which Mr.. johnson re-
tanned Mr.. Lincoln's Cabinet, Including
the Secretary of War, and he remarks
that as to the proposed method of recon-
structing the Southern States, all the
members were in agreement with him.
The President, after setting forth at
length his views Of the case, assigns
special ground for the suspension Of
MIR. Stanton, which we give In brief.
It will be recollected that during the
summer OF 1866, Gen. Baird telegraphed
from New Orleans to the Secretary of
War, that q convention was about to as
semble and the government city authori-
ties shrinking it was an unlawful assem-
bly,, would break it up. The General
asked Mr.. Stanton for instructions to be
telegraphed to him at once. He did not
however, give Gen. Baird the desired
orders, nor did he communicate the fact
OF the reception of the dispatch to the
President, who knew nothing of its ex-
istence until ten days after it came into
Mr.. Stantons hands, and not until the
not occurred. The President, therefore
takes the ground that Mr.. Stanton was
responsible for the delinquency, and that
II the President had known Gen. Baird
had sought advice, the riot might have
been prevented. The President holds
that so far as the public interests are
concerned, there is no cause to regret the
removal of Mr.. Stanton, for the present
Secretary adj mtersn has, by his measures
Of economy, saved millions Of dollars to
iAe government.
We have given the substance of Presi-
dent Johnson's communication to the
Senate on this subject, that our readers
may know the reasons assigned for the
suspension OF the Secretary of War, which
took the country at the time so much by
surprise. We presume that a defense
will be submitted by Mr.. Stanton, or
me discussion of the subject will bring
the other side Of the question before the
people therefore we refrain from COM
ment at this time upon the positions
taken by the Executive.