Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-12-14
Why Stanton Was Removed.

A Washington dispatch Of the 18th
tells the story:
The President sent to the Senate a
message giving his reasons for the
supercedare of Hon. Z. NJ. Stanton as
Secretary Of War, on the 18th day OF
August last A copy Of the message
cannot now be procured for publication,
nor was the document read in open
Senate, but the following, it is believed,
are the essential points of the document:
twill be recollected that the President,
for considerations of high character,
requested Secretary Stanton to resign
his office, and that Stanton, in reply,
quoting the phrase of the President,
said that considerations ofs high
character had induced him to remain at
the head Of the department, and con-
strained him not to resign the Office Of
Secretary Of War before the next
meeting Of Congress.
This. abe President says, is not merely
8 declinsiion Of compliance with the
request for resignation, bat was def
snce. Whatever proprieiy there might
Be. IN expressions TO others, one thing
was certain, it was Official misconduct,
TO say the least Of il, to parade them
before his superior officer, aud showed a
want Of proper respect and digEity for
the President Is addition 10 the above
recited grounds Of the Secretary, why
be denied the President right TO remove
hin he could not refer TO the law
creating the War Department, for that
eoBfers on the President the right to
remove the head Of the department The
0 " other Law under which Stanton
could plead extenustion Of his conduct
vas that 10 relation to the bin known as
the tenure Of Office. Nothing in that
law compelled him TO remain in Office.
he vas free At any time 70 resign it
The tenure bill did not pass without
Eoiice. Every member Of the Cabinet
vas consulted on The subject, aud par
ticnlarly the Attorney General and Mr..
Stanton, the latter formerly having held
Office as Attorney General
siauton's condemnation Of the law,
the PresideH says, was most elaborate
and emphatic.
Some reference Is made 10 The circum-
stance under which the President re.
tanned his predecessor cabinet, includ.
Jog Nr. Stanton, and be remarks as 70
the mode Of ree0nstruchon IN the
Southern States, all the members
we're 10 perfect accord with him
SELF The President, after setting
forth his views 81 length, assigns
a special ground fOr the suspen-
sion Of Mr. Stanton. 1t will be
recollscted that during the summer Of
1866 Genera Baird ielegraphed from
NeZ Orleans TO the Secretary Of War
that q convention was aboutto assemble
and that the city government thinking
il was an Unlawful assembly, would
break il up. The General asked the
Secretary for instructions 70 be tele-
abhei bin at once. Stanton did not
however, give an answer, nor did be
commnnicats the fact Of the dispatch 10
the President who knew nothing Of is
existence for ten days after i came into
Mr. Stantons hands, and not until the
riot had occurred. The President there
fore lakes the ground that ~. stanton
is respousihie sor the delinquency, aud
u be lihe Presiientl hsd knoEn Baird,
The riot would have been prevented. The
President holds that, so ar as The public
interests arc concerned, there is 20 cause
whatever 70 regret The removal Of Mr..
Stanton, for The present Secretary 0d
interim be-. By bic measures Of economy
saved mhlions Of dollars 10 The Govern
menL