The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-02-14

To the course you had marked out Tor yourseii
from the beginning.
will only notice one more statement In your
letter Of the 81 inst, that the performance Of
the promiscs which il is hlcgcd were made by
YOU would have involved you in the resistance
of law. know Of no statute that would have
bsrn violated hsd you in carrying out your
promises in good faith and rendered your rrsig-
nation when you concluded not TO be made
party in any legal proceedings.
You adl, 81 am in measure confirmed In
the conclusion by your RECENT orlers directing
me TO disobey orders from the Secretary Of War,
my superior and your subordinate, without hay-
Ing countermsndsl his authority To issue theor-
ders Am to disobcy." On the 9th ultimo you
allrcsscl note to the President requesting in
writing an opler given to you verbally Ave days
before. To disregard orlers from Mr.. Stanton rs
Secretary Of War until you knew from the Pres
icnt himself that they were his onlers. On the
10Th, in compliance with your request, did
give you Instructions In writing not to obey any
order from the War DEPARTMENT assumed TO be
issuel by the direction OF the President unless
such orler Is known BY the General command
Ing the armies Of the United States to have been
AUTHORISED by the President. There are some
orlers which Secretary Of War may issue
without the authority Of the President; there
are others which he issues simply as the agent
Of the President. AMI which purport to be by
direction Of the President. For such orders
the President Is responsible, and he should,
therefore, know and understand what they are
before giving such directions.
Mr.. Stanton states in his letter of the 4th
inst. which accompanies the published CORES
pondence with the President since the 18th Of
August last, and he further says that since he
resumed the duties VI his office he has continu-
81 10 discharge them without any personal or
written communication with the President; and
he adds, "no orders have been issued from this
Department In the name Of the President Ia my
knowledge, and have received no orders from
him IL now seems that Mr.. Stanton now dis
charges the uutes VI the War Department with
out any reference to the President and without
using his name. My orler to you hal only re
ference To- orders ASSUMED to be issued by the
President. IL would appear from Mr.. Stantons
letter that you have received no such orders
from him. In your note To the President of the
31th ult., in which you acknowledge the receipt
Of the written order Of the 10Th, you say that
You have been informed by Mr.. Stanton that
he has not received any order limiting his au-
thoriry 10 issue orders to the army according
o. the practice Uf the Department, ani state
that "while this authority 10 the War Depart
meut is not cOuntermandsd, il will be srtisfic-
tory evidence ~ me that any orders issued from
th. War Department by direction Of the Presi-
dent are authorized by the Executive" The
President issues an order to you to obey no
orders from the War Department purportinS To
be made "by the DIRECTION Of tue President"
until you have referred 10 him for his approval.
You reply that you have received the Presi-
dents order and will not obey Il, but will obey
an order pur?ortinG To be given By his dircc-
ton ifit comes frum the War DEPARTMENT.
You will obey no direct orders ufthe President,
but will obey his Indirect orders.
II. ~ you say, there has been practice in
the War Department ~ issue orders in the
name Of the President without his direction,
does not the precise order you have requested
aLd have received change the practice rs To the
General of the army! Could not the Presi-
dent countermand any such order issued 10
you from the War Department! Ii you should
receive an order from that Department issued
In the name Of the President to do n special
act, AMI an order directly from the President
himself not % do the act, Is there u doubt which
you are to obey. You answer the question
when YOU say to the President. in your letter
Df the 81 inst, 1.-THE Secretary Vt War Is my
superior and your subordinate" aud yet re-
fuse obedience to the superior out Of Difference
20 the subordinate. Without further comment
upon the insuborlinate attitude which you
have announced, | am Mt = loss To know how
YOU can relieve yourself from the orders Of the
President. who Is made by the Constitution the
Commander-in-Chief Ut the army aud navy.
and is. therefore, the official superior, rs well
OF the General VI the army US of the Secretary
Of War.
Respectfully, yours.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Gen. U. s. Grant. commanding the Armies VI
the United States.
The letters Of the Cabinet officers are quite
long. and for the most part are restatements Of
what has already been published concerning
what took place In the Cabinet meeting On
Tuesday after Secretary Stanton WAS reinststed.
They all agree substantially upon the state
ments made by the President which have aP-
pesred in print.