The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-02-19

tice under the law, and the customs Of tie
Department White this aa,barity to the
War Department is nct eountermspded. It
will be satisfactory evidence 10 me ,hst
any orders ts.upd from the War Depart
n.ent, by direction OF the President. are
authorized by the Executive.
lhsve the honor to be very respectfully,
your obedient servant, .,,.-.. .r.-l... -.
Isigned1 u. s. Ga.Sr. General il.
.ss. ExEcUrIvE MASsIoS, Jan. 81, 1868.
GESxnsL-I have resolved your commu.
nication Of the 2sih instant, renewing your
r.qu.st Of the 24th instant; sbottld repeat
in a written form my verbal Instructions Of
the 10th inst: viz: That vou obey no or.
ders from the Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton, as
Secretary Of War. unless You have iuforma-
tion that IL was issaed by the Presidents
direction.
In submitting this request (Sith wl,ieh I
complied on the 2e:h instantly You take oc
casion to allude to recent publications in
reference TO the circumstances connected
with the vacation, hy yourself, Of the office
Of Secretary of War ad INTERIM, aud with
the view Of correcting Statements which
you term "gross misrepresentation" give
at length your own recollectivns Of the facts
under which, without the sanction Of the
President. fiom whom you had received
and accepted the appointments. you yielded
the Department Of War to the present in.
cumbent.
As stated In your communication some
tine after You had assumed the duties Of
Secretary Of War dd inferin, we inter
changed views respecting the course that
should DC pursued in the event Of non.con>
currence by the Senate, IN the suspension
from Office 0f SIR. Stanton. l sought that
interview, calling myself at the War De-
rar,ment My cole Object in then bringing
the subject to your attention was 10 ascer.
tain definitely what would De your action
should such an attempt be made for his
restoration to the War Department. That
Object was accomplished, FOR the interview
terminated with the distinct understanding
that il, upon I, reflection. you should prefer
nstto become party TO the controversy,
or should conclude that II Would Le your
duty to surrender the Department to Mr..
Stanton upon action in his favor by the
Ssnate. you were TO restors the Office 10 me
Prior to decision by the Seaste, In order
that u ld.sired to do go I might designate
some one 10 succeed you. It must have
been apparent to you that hal not this
uhd' rstanding been reached il was my
purpose TO relieve you from the further dis
charge Of the duties ef Secretary Of War
dd interim, and to appoint some other rer.
con in that capacity. ........
o!hcr conversations on the subject en-
sued all Of them having. on my part. the
same Object aud leading to the same con
c'usion as the fret. II is not necessary,
however, 10 refer 10 any Of them. except
that Of Saturday, the Ilth instant mention
ell In Your communication. As IL we
then known that the Senate had proceeded
to consider the case of Mr.. Stanton I was
anxious 10 learn your det-rminati, IN. Aner
- prorracied interview, during which the
provisions Of the Tenure of Office Bill were
iully Discussed you said that, az had been
agreed upon in our hrst conference YOU
would either return the Office TO my pos
session in time To enable me to appoint q
sacc"ssor before Bnrl action by the Senate
up"n Mr.. Stanton's suspension,. or would
r"main ~ iis head nwRHtfn& n decision Of
the question by judicial proceedings. II
was then undrif, ood that there would be A
further conference on Monday, by which
time, supposed. you would be prepared to
inform me Of yo6r fnsI decision: You
f,ilet. however, TO fulfill the engagement.
and on Tuesday notified me. In writing, VI
the receipt Of your afiicial notifcaiion ef
the action Of the Senate in the case Of Mr.
Stanton. and at the came time informed me
that according To the act regulating the
tenure Of certain civil officers your func-
,ions as Secretary 'of War al interim ceased
from the moment Of the receipt of The no.
tice. You thus. IN disregard Of the under.
Standing between ne, vacated the Office
without having given me notice Of your in
teniion to do so. Il is hut just, however.
to say that IN your communication yon
elaim that you did inform ma Of your pur-
pose. and ilrus =" fuifiIled the promise mad.
at our last preceding conversation on this
subject" The fact that such promise ex
isted is evidence Of an arrangement Of tue
kind have mentioned. You had found
in our first conference that the President
was desrous Of keeping Mr. Stanton out Of
Office. whether sustained in the Suspension
or mob" You knew what reasons had in-
duced the President TO ask from you
promise. You also knew that in ease your
viewsof duty did not accord with his own
oopyiction., il wac his parpose to fli your
place by another appointments Even. ig-
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