The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-17
Our wash1ngton Dispatches.

HOW STANTON MANAGED TO GET BACK INTO THE
wAR OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES GRANTS PERFTDY
his LETTER TO THE PREsDENT-A DEAD
LOCK IN THE WAR oFF1cE-RADIcAL THREATS
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, January 16.-It is now known
that Grant and Stanton had conference at 3
O'Clock Monday night, and agreed that the for
mer should next morning retire from the War
Department, and the latter take possession.
In pursuance with this understanding General
Grant, at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning, packed
up his papers in the War Department, and,
with them, went to his headquarters. MIR.
Stanton, after short interview with General
Grant, took possession Of the War Depart
ment. At IL o'clock one of General Grants
staff presented the following communication
to the President from General Grant:
"Sir, have the honor to enclose herewith
CODY Of the official notice received by me last
evening Of the action Of the Senate OF the
the United States in the case of the suspension
Of Hon. E. NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War. Ac-
cording to the provisions OF section I'd OF the
act regulating the tenure of civil officers, my
functions as Secretary Of War dd arterana
ceased from the moment of the receipt OF such
notice."
Just one hour before this note was handed
the President, General Grant had surrendered
the War Department to Stanton, notwithstand-
ing his positive agreement with MIR. johnson
several times repeated, the last time on Sat-
urday-that he would either hold possession Of
the Office, and force Stanton to test the con-
stitutonality OF the law in court, or he would
give the President timely notice of his inten-
ton to resign as Secretary ad Interim, 30 that
another might be appointed by the President
before final action in the Senate. Grant has
not satisfactorily explained why he failed to
keep his promise.
Persons who have business at the War De-
partment say that there have been no official
transactions there during the past two days.
Things are at dead lock. The partisans Of
Congress say that If the President should adopt
aggressive measures, Congress will at once
pass a bill recognising the War Department,
and defining its powers and duties, SO that its
business may proceed under the direct author
ity of Congress.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
In THE SENATE, the chair presented COM
munication from Hon. E. NJ. Stanton, Secre-
tary Of War, enclosing list OF volunteer Off
GERS now in service. The cotton tax came up
for consideration. 4 motion was made that
the Senate recede from its amendments and
insert proviso exempting the imported arti-
Gle from duty after July, which was postponed.
bill reorganising the Treasury Department
was introduced, and referred to the Finance
Committee. Several matters Of minor impor-
tance were discussed, when the deficiency ap-
uropriation bill for the Reconstruction acts,
etc., was taken up and passed, with some
amendments. After an Intellectual attempt to
to resume the consideration of the cotton tax,
the Senate adjourned.
In THE HOUSE, the Secretary Of the Treasury
was asked whether q. 8. Wells had complied
with his contract for removing distractions
from the Savannah River. The House pro-
ceeded to discuss the new Reconstruction bill
until o'clock, when they took a recess to 7s
P. N.