Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-06-13
The SheridaniWslIs Controversy
"A spicy,Lesser Fronl 'coVsrasrJvEsiI.


"a SpicysLetter FROM Governor wells.
GOV. WELLS TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
STATE OF LOUISIANA. ExEcUr1vE DEPARTMENT
hi"h HsbSgoe 1'es iNEw DELE .Esss, Junsl 1861.
u 'a1s'et 'Al.t tlTelegram:1 IN '-,, HO'-- a-
bTo biS E,,re,len1,,f !, ,5y,e,,o Jobas1a
-fsSo Of hi T~;teG Sfates 'st@so''' 'es'Se'''
,a5d,1,o,,ca of conn, , :,
~ 1LS "a "a aa.ao.i mali,
hSSa ect nf Crenarai SSes;5 aP'9eesG againsG
ma from offica ss .Ssn III Ieuloving
his mart and so ret;Sy ~ " ~ powel oi
mslira ror,s "a 81 9 y PERSONA
bbeaJ from his 1ns,,tb o,.;soj ,,S ~ Sp
sexercise ~ ,iovSa, in ennoint;nt q ois aty
Roard, - ar9ilYslIi M. M.nyson W., e 1SfeS
- Iao sispfsl + Sa-,,,.s, = =, s ir.s,
o7 81. e "o' - - I" N11ella
sf,isz4 1jlsi THE SANE NE TO 10 THE SAME. b. nsi5ela
-. - t,,--,s - a By NALL 9-'s-,, saei55s.rii
90 STATE OF LOUISIANA, Executive DEp,r.l
- n. :, NEW ORLEANS, June 4, 1867. 90
To his EIceuency,, Andrep j Johnson, President
Of ne Eaited States sod isss bas~ss Lsllol
- gsSIR-The enclosed order ffomo General
Sheridan removing me from Office is re-
specially s1bmitted for your consideration
has TO the question of his power to do so.-
Asto the reasons assigned by him for tax
ing this stepE5yizs that 1shage impeded him
in.eae execution, of the law of Congress, I
enter q respectful but emphatic denial to
the accusation. 1 am prepared to establish
the truth of thisassertiou. s'It is, evidently
70 give the color of cause for an act which
criglnaged IN personal, malice toward dmP,
because dared to defend myself from his
personal attacks, Had, the General stated
that was an Sinpediment'55 In the way to
the gratification of his inordinate ambition
to make himself great man, he would have
G1me mucn nearer tne me- truth t6au he did,
scenGi tn 5oticess His en,;n.,nt Sill, III IN tfie
line is we'll knoxv ~ m this co, ,,,,,;t
holds as to make his official orders the 'yebi-
Gle efhis malice may surprise you, but not
me who know his reckless habits hsisloi |
bait is not my purpose, however, in this
communications to make your Exeeilency a
party the PERSONAL quarrel of General
Sheridan and myself 1t is foreign to the
question at issue, which is simplyaif mill
gress, have the right to remove civil officers
under the provisional governments of the
states established thereby Or inu other
words, il they possess any power beyond
those delegated in said act, and definitely
expressed.
Knowing that, this 7qnestion, touching
the general powers of the military COM
manders thereunder,- particularly growing
out of the frequent exercise of the remov-
Ing power by General Sheridan, is now
under consideration by the Attorney Gen
eral. / respectfully submit the case of nv
er instance of the illegal exercise of DOW
'er by General Sheridan. Believing the i'm
pertanee OF the question involved will call
forth an early decision, have the honor to
beyour obedient servant, ' N8 t''''l
81 ssf.-js T9asc Fr1J MADISON WELLS ~
bHa Governor Of the State of Louisiana
GOVERNOR WELLS TO 1aeNER.1 sERpInaN nv
Sr.rrpf ~. o,,,s,.,s,. u !,
NJ 0ni 80 IT, oez soq
L15t,. - = - = i'o'. f,1',-
sng FaA Military distriet;o'lo. O. % I'd a7-sss
GENERAL-I had the honor to receive at
the hands OF one of your orderlies this
morning, at half-past three o'clock, at my
residence in Jefferson, a written document
Purporting to. be special Orders No. 3d.
IN wnicn you premulgate that you1have
removed me from Ghe of1ce OF Governor OF
louisiana. LOUIS ,,segias.asils.i ar5di IL.
Eor Tue oei!cate conslderatlon yon DIS
played tn delivering your order at that
carry hour owe you many thanks, as
suppose you meant THAI should enjoy one
good nights sleep before my decapita-
Gaon. 1e1s may appear iungracloqs Ia me 20
olsappolnt your expectations. but strange
" say Ine e1ecG 7oI your. OIler olu not
drlve sleep from my eyelids-ssI returned
70 NY concn, VIII VIII teenag OF rellet tnat
nay iate was no worse. Hhen the morning
paper Game m conGaining copy OF your tel
egram 70 Gns oecretaty OF War, again
cohgratulateu IuyseiI On my merciIui SEN
your,loeas OF the unlimlt-
SnpowsI yvu p0ssessS, = gnt nave oeen con-
1ennea 70 Ine Dry Ioreugas: or psen shot
oy 1urum neao courC-martlal. From the
als, lone an9 temper or tnae docomene II Is Is
VeryseVlaent, ,dGeneral,yy yonfWere IN one OF
your wratny MOODS when you pepned it,
d9o tnae was hoI g, ndhgeu, shoS OF oanlsh1I
co, appears 20 me, under the clrcum-
stances, as HI MeIe inueoceu Ior my SAFE
" 60 tne lnterposl1lon OF DIVINE Provl-
eehcesIhso 80 .lo - ~
an yout oruer removing me, Uenerel, yol
4iege as reason thereior shaIl am lmped-
tng,you In the execution OF the laws OF
congress ,Dub now anu IN what way you
do not condescend to state sna79,=av ~
oyNoWs General, 1t may appear rdisceurteous
in SO humble an individual as myself to
contradict SO exalted functionary as you
conceive, yourself to be, yet as there is not
a!word of truth in the charge you make,
you must exenses me If lrdeeiine to give
you Inc dement, OF SO serious an accusa-
tion, Elv&b-rrnt
To 60 back to the date OF the July riots
Of 1ast year, your memory; cannot fail to
serve you that you Rvailed yourself of the
occasion, In your kilograms to Gen. Grant
relative to that affair, to make a direct per-
sonal attack on me, impeaching my eff
cheney as q public officer1and recommend
ing my removal from office. Not conscious
of having deserved your severe structures,
Iconfess was surprised and panied when
Tread them; in print, and more so as you
were not in the city on the day of the riot,
you having found it convenient to be off to
Texas several days before-I will not saw
in ;alSticipation of q riot, nor will use the
word '.skulk.' lJ 70 45.-s'a5st.
Il bore your damaging accusations a long
while in silence, but finally exercised the
right belonging to the humblest individu-
al. of defending myself publicly against