The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-18
Yithmond nispatrt,
.,,rsDAY.. FEBRUARY ls, 1868
thor Talk with the President
,,pcachment-G n u 1.-THE Presf.
Tho Eeninne.

o,ber Talk with the President
N,rcachsnent-G n u 1.-THE Presf
,cpcy-The Fenfans.
,.o-rcspondence Cincinnati Commercial.
WASHINGTON, February 10, 1868.
called on the President last evening,
"A had an interview with him of about an
,,nr's duration. What from the revival
,i,hc impeachment project and the recent
.,-rcspondence between him and General
c-,nt. which had been informed, on the
,-,horitv of several eminently loyal news.
.,,s7s. was literally "crushiag to A.
i expected to fnd his Excellcncy in
,,,s:rate and enfeebled condition, or, per-
ANS. writhing in the agonics of despair"
roTney'S two dailies would express it.
n, he wasn't PROSTATE, and he didn't
awrithc" any. Qnite the contrary. !
,fycr saw him more cheerful or in better
ssath and spirits.
IMPEACHMENT.
They're after you again, Mr.. Presi
ient. with an impeachment" said I.
80 hear" he said, "but l can't get
81 the point they are trying to make against
ne this time; though, for that matter,
larn't taken much trouble to find out"
Iexplained to him, then, what under.
seed to be the CHARGES under consideration
j. the Reconstruction Committee First,
rs order to General Grant not to regard
S,anton's orders unless he knew they came
i-oa the Executive; and second, what was
istmed conspiracy on his part to resist
he execution Of the tenure-of-office act
hy arranging with General Grant that he
Grant, should resign the Secretaryship
al interim Of the War Department in time
.o7 him (Johnson) to put in some man who
would refuse to relinquish his portfolio at
he bidding Of the Senate, in order to test
he validity Of the tenure office act be.
fore the Supreme Conrt.
Is that all ?" said the President.
"Yes, sir; and l understand that Bing-
ham and other Republicans on the com
miltee think it quite enough to turn you
put Of Office"
"Well, now" said the President, "as to
the order about Stanton, didn't suppose
there was q man in Congress who is not
aware that have perfect right to do
what that order directs without making
any order at all. Mr.. Stanton's orders are
cf no more force than yours, except upon
the presumption that they come direct
from me; and have a perfect right to
communicate with General Grant direct,
without availing myself of Mr.. Stanton,
who, IN such matters, is Il mere clerk for
the transmission Of orders. As to the
charge, of conspiracy, it only shows how
badly they are off for something to quarrel
about. In the first place, if wanted to
do what they make out to be conspiracy,
could have done it without conspiracy
with General Grant or anybody else. !
could have removed Grant as Secretary
al interim in time to have put in some
man who would test the law. And if
lad taken such course, there would be no
crime about il, unless it be crime to
appeal to remedy provided by the Con.
stution for the settlement Of disputes
between the legislative and executive
departments Of the Government. What
else is the Supreme Court for but to settle
such controversies? Aud has the Execu-
tive no rights and no opinions-nothing
tn; blind obedience TO the legislative de-
r1.,mcnt? II such was the intention OF
a- trainers Of the Government they
wouldn't have created a Supreme Court !;
III it could be Of no use. But it was
intended Us the final aEbiter in all such
controversies and when it determines o
question, It's decision is binding as much as
the Constitution ITSELF"
"DJ they seem to be very rabid about
mpcschnelt this time-worSe than they
we're before ," inquired the President.
Il think the thing is little stronger
:tan it was" replied. "They are get
:.Dg desperate, and they want to put you
agi SO IS to put Ben Wade in, and get con.
trol Of the Federal patronage for the next
Presidential election. Besides, maybe
they want to dsqualify you as candidate
against them, for Boutwell, and others
aaoog them say you will be their most
formidable opponent in the next canvass"
II don't know about that" said the
President, laughing. "But hope they'll
ind somebody formidable enough to beat
them. | don't think they expect to do
anything with the impeachment, unless a
lev Of them may be operating in the gold
market"
replied that previous experience in
gold speculation on impeachment proba-
bl!ieS vas not encouraging. Several gen.
tiemen had gone into it in the hope of a
rise, which never came, and the result had
been rather disastrous than otherwise.
Nothing short Of actual conviction by the
Senate would create rise enough to make
lipayto buy on margin. "Well," said
'1e President, let them 60 ahead. When
hey bring in the charges I'll try to an
s1er them, that's all %: and he laughed, as
j he didn't believe the charges would
ever come.
GENERAL GRANT AS A GAY DECEIyER.
Mr.. Johnson referred to that part of
General Grants correspondence in which
',le GeUeTal asks him to reduce to writing
'Ae order given to him verbally to disre-
gaFd any order received from Stanton un-
less lie klew 1t to emanate from the Ex-
ecniWe. Here" said he, General
Grant asserts that had given him such q
verbal order. never did anything of the
Ald. TWAS he himself who first suggested
!laI could take such a course as to re-
atee Stanton to mere clerk and it was
'-S suggestion from him, and not any
'e'oa! order from me, that first brought
~s SUBJECT up in that light.
Al this point the President produced |
5 ;.'.eE from General Sherman, dated Satur-
"a! evening, January Is. Sherman says
r ~a' Il was the intention of himself and
vv'Sl' 10 call on Stanton on the following |
S:oHaay to request him, for the good Of
~s country, 10 resign the Office of Secre-
%.y Of War; but that he learns Grant |
~.S 60 10 Richmond, and he to Annapolis;
= 1ls' they can't call on Stanton on Mon
.-H0lt Will do so at some other time, and |
. -," That he shall resign. Then Sherman
s'e' On to say that if Stanton won't resign
MN DO time enough to look to "ulterior |