The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-02-21

The charge having been made that
Gen. L. S. Grant had made a distinct
promise to the President that he would
either hold on to the War Department
and let Mr.. Stanton test his right to
that office in the courts, or would re-
sign in time to permit the President to
appoint some one who would hold on,
and that Gen. Grant had promised the
President that he would call on him on
certain day fixed by them to let him
1.-THE President) know whether hewOuld
hold on, or resign, he (Grant) wrote
the President a letter denying that he
had made any such promises. The
President replied that he Grant did
make the promises and that he Grant
kneaC he made them.
Grant rejoined in reiteration of his
denial and wound up by charging the
President, in an insolent manner, with
trying to commit him Grant toa vio-
Iation of the Tenure Of Office LAW"
The President now comes in with his
re5utter and produces in support of his
statement, the evidence of five MEM
bers of his Cabinet, who were present
when Gen. Grant acknowledged that he
had promised to hold on to the War
Department, or resign, and also that
he had agreed to meet the President
and apprise him of the course he in
tended to pursue, on the day specified.
We give below the letters of the Presi-
dent and members Ofthe Cabinet. Here
are six of the most eminent and hon.
orable men in the whole Union whose
testimony proves that Grant has not
only acted treacherously, but in deny
ing that he had made the promises a.
bove described, he uttered II leiyM and
deliberate fdlsehoOd. Read this cores
pondence carefully and then hand to
your neighbor:
EXECUTIVE MANSION. Feb. 10, '68.
General: The extraordinary charac-
ter of your letter Of the Sd instant
would seem to preclude any reply on
my part: but the manner in which
An. IN n
DOndence Of which that letter forms a
part, and the grave questions which
are involved, induce me to take this
mode of giving, as a proper sequel TO
the communications which have passed
between us, the statement of the five
members of the cabinet who were pres
ent OH the occasion of our conversation
on the I4th uItimo. Copies of the let
tiers which they have addressed to me,
are accordingly herewith enclosed.
You speak of my letter of the 3lst
uItimo as q reitera ton of the many
gross misrepresentation contained in
certain newspaper articles, and reassert
the correctness of the staten ents con-
tained in your communication of the
28th ultimo, adding, land here / give
YOUR own words, anything iii yours
in reply to the contrary, notWithStand-
ing" When IL controversy upon mat
ter of fact reaches the point to which
this has been brought, further asser-
tion or denial between the immediate
parties should cease, especially where
upon either side, it loses the character
OF a respectful discussion, which is re-
Huired by the relations in which the
parties stand to each other, and degen-
crates in tone and temper. In such a
case, if there is nothing t0 rely upon
but the opposing statements, cHnclu-
sions must be drawn from the state
ments alone, and from whatever intrin-
sic probabilities they afford in favor Of
or against either party.
/ should not shrink from this test IN
the controversy, but fortunately it Is
not left to this test alone. There were
five Cabinet officers present at the con-
versation, the detail of which, in my
letter of he 18th ultimo, you allow
yourself to say contains "mdny gross
Misrepresentation" These gentlemen
heard that conversation, ana have read
nv statement. They speak for them
selves and have the proof, without
a word of comment, deem 1t proper,
before concluding this communication,
TO notice some OF the statements con-
ralneu Ia your lelteT. You say ttiaL
performance of the promise alleged to
have been made by you to the Presi-
dent "wOuld have involved resis-
tance to law and an inconsistency with
the whole history or my connection
with The suspension Of Mr.. Stanton"
You then state that you had fears the
President would, on the removal of
Mr.. Stanton, appoint some one in his
place who would embarrass the army
in carrying out the reconstruction acts,
and add: at was TO prevent such an
appointment, that | accepted the office
of Secretary of War, I'D interim, and
not for the purpose Of enabling you to
get rid of Mr.. Stanton by my with
holding it from him in opposition to
law, or, not doing so myself, surri n
dering it TO one who would, as the
statement and assumptions in your
communication plainly indicate was
sought"
First of all, you here admit that from
the very beginning of what you term
"the whole history" Of your connection
with Mr.. Stanton's suspension, you in.
tended to circumvent the President. 1t
was to carry out that intent that you
accepted the appointment. This was