The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-29
REMOVAL OF GEN. SHERIDAN
Correspondence Between the Presl'
dent and Gen. Grant.

The following correspondence between the
President and Gen. GRANT In relation to the re-
movsl OF Gen. SHERIDAN is published in the New
York papers Of Monday:
HEApo,Rs ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
WASHINGTON, D. c., August II, 1857:
n, Erealencv Andrea Johnson, President Of he
Un,ted States:
directing the assignment Of Gen. &. d. Thomas
to the command OF the Fifth Military Dls11ct'
Gen. Sheridan to the Department of the Mis-,
souri, ana General Hancock to the Department OF
tine Cumberland; also, your note OF this date Zen
closing these instruchons), saying: Before yog
order, I would be pleased TO hear any suggestions
Won may deem necessary respecting the asslgn-
ments to which the order refers"
am pleased to avail myself OF this invitation to
urpe. earnestly urge-urge in the name OF Patrl-
otic people who have sacrificed hundreds OF thous.
ands Of loyal lives and thousaQds OF millions OF
treasure TO preserve the integrity and union OF thus
country-that this order be not insisted on. 1t ls
that Gen. Sheridan should not be removed from
his present command. This is republic where
the will Of the people is the law OF the land lbeg
that their voice may be heard.
General Sheridan has performed DIS clvn 9uues
faithfully and inteihgently. His removal will only
be regarded as effort to defeat the laws OF Con-
press II will be inter- preted by the unreconsr1ct-
ed element in the South-those who did all they
now wish to be the only element consulted as to
the method or restoring order-as triumph 1t
viii embolden them to renewed opposition to the
viii Of the loyal masses, believing that they have
The seryices of General Thomas in battling for
the Union entitle him to some consideration; He
has repeatedly entered his protest against beng
assigned to either Of the fve Military Districts,
and especially TO being assigned to relieve General
General Hancock ought not to be removed from
where he is. bis department is complicated one,
which will take . new commander some time to be-
come acquainted with.
There are military reasons, pecuniary reasons
and. above all, patriotic reasons, why this order
should not be insisted on.
bep TO refer To q letter. marked private, which
wrote to the President when frst consulted on
the subject Of the change in the War Department:
Il bears upon the subject Of this removal, and
had hoped would have prevented 1t.
Ihsve the honor to be- with Fret fsgpsSt sHsSy your
General United States Army and Secretary of War
ad saeTa'' E,-n,r,vr M,rs,os
WASHINGTON, D. c., August 1S, 1857.
GEaRRAL-I have received your communication
of the 18th inst, and thank you for the prompt
ness with which you have submitted your views
respecting the assignments directed in my order
Of hat date. When stated, in my unofficial note
Of the 18th, that Ishould be pleased to hear any
suggestions you might deem necessary upon the
subject, it was not my intention TO ask from you
formal report, but rather to invite verbal state
mens OF any reasons affecting the public interests
which, in your opinion, would render the order in
expedient mssmuch, however, as you have en-
bodied your suggestions in written communlca-
ton, it is proper that should make some reply.
You earnestly urge that the order be not IN
sisted on, remarkils that 1T is Enthusiastically the
expressed wish Of the country that General Sheri-
dan should not be removed from his present COM
mand." While am oognizant OF the efforts that
have been made to retain General sheridan IN
command Of the Fifth Military District, am not
aware that the question has ever been submitted
to the people themselves for determination. 1t
certainly would be unjust to the army to assume
that, in the opinion Of the nation, he alone is
capable Of commanding the States OF Louisiana
moved, no other General in the military service
of the United States would be competent to
fI his place. General Thomas, whom l
have designated as his successor, is well
and honorable distraction in the field, he
has since in the execution Of the responsible duties
of department commander, exhibited great abili-
ty, sound discretion and sterling patriotism. He
has not failed, under the most trying circumstan-
ces to enforce the laws, to preserve peace and Or
dar to encourage the restoration Of civil authori
ty and to promote, as far as possible, a spirit OF
reconciliation. His administration OF the Depart
ment of the Cumberland will certainly compare
with that os sea m r. the he
IN 4 disturbed condition, and bitter spirit of
antsronism seems to have resulted from
Gene,al Sheridan's management. he has
rendered himself exceedingly obnoxious by
tne manner in which he has exercised even the
poxers conferred by Congress, and still more 80
by a resort to authority not granted oy law nor
necessary to it's faithful and efficient execution.
His rule has, in fact, been one OF absolute
tyranny, without reference to the principles
Of our Government or the nature OF our free
Institutions. The state Of affairs which has re-
suited from the course he has pursued has serI-
ously interfered with harmonious, satisfactory
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 de-
teat the aNslof Congress for the Objects TO facl-
tate their execution, through an officer who mas
land, and TO exact, within his jurisdic-
tion, like obedience from others. 1t can
not "be interpreted, by the unrecorstructed
element in the Soutn-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 atriumph:' for,
as intelligent men, they must know that the mere
law. and that Gen. Thomas will be as much bound
by its requirements as Gen. Sheridan. It cannot
embolden them to renewed opposition to the will
of tbe loyal masses, believing that they have the
EYecutiye with them;" tor they are perfectly "a
miliar with the antecedents of the President and
know that he has not obstructed the faithful exc
cution Of any Act OF Congress-.
No one. as Won are aware, has higher appre-
citation than myself OF the services Of General
Thomss. and no one would be less inclined to as
sien him to a command not entirely to his wishes.
Knowing him as do, cannot think that he will
hesitate for moment to obey any order having in
view complete and speedy restoration of the