Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-02-14

euSs-Sh so0 pEeSS'huk Ss's'e"y - "o's ~
sy.il MISUNDERSTANDING, r.qusst.,l ySu TO state
villa, you Intended 10 do: and further. II, III
reply &c; ;ths, iuquiry, you hsd net referred to
our former nonrerta,isn ,ayins that frem them
Wude r.tood your position, and that your -.e
,ion would be cor.istsut. nth the understand
ing which had besn rearhrd.
TO these questions you also replied in the
Affirmative.
Third. next nsked If at tho csnclusisn oi
our inlerview on Saturday it wos not under
stood that We were to have another conference
on Mohdsy before final action By ths Ssnn,-
in the case of Mr. Stanton.
You replied that such was tho understand.
ing. but thst you did not suppose tl,rt the
Ssnu'e would act 8" aoor; tina. on Monday you
had hsen engaged IN a conference with G-n-rs
She, rIan, and were occupied with with "mans |
little matters" aud asked il General Shrrmau
had not called Oh that j"yi What relevancy |
General Sh.rnnn's visit I" me sH Monday had !
| wnh the Puriosr for winch you wars to have
called am at loss to perceive, as he eertsiu:y
did not inform tie ~he,her You had d.t-rn,in
ed to r.tain possession of the office sff"rd
mr an opportunity to appoint . successor in
+, adv""o. OF .ny sttenp pt-d reinstss.n,sut sf
Mr. Stanton"
| Grant. in his reply, dated February sd, re-
! itcrates his former s,ntsmnnts, hut uuwittinply
| furnishes n clue to explain his whole conduct,
and 10 prove tha, in his short te~urs nf ,.hlce
lie was mere tool Of Stanton. Ssys he:
The performances Of tho promises alleged by
GU 10 hav. been mad. by mo would hare in
volv.d II resistance Of tho law. aud =. inco,-
| si.ta vr;tI, h. SrI,,,la NJ
hectic II with the suspension Of Mr.. Ktanion.
From our conversation aud my written protes,
Of August LIST. 1897. against the removal Of
Mr. stanton. you must havo known that my
greatest objection 70 his ren"val su-pvn-
sion wns thu fear that sot.s would 10 ar.
pointed in his sl.ad who would. hy oppusi,t OF
10 tn. laws relating to the restoration Of tho
S"u,hern states 10 their proper r.lation to III.
government. emha,ra's the army in the per-
furn,anee Of ,is datirs especially imposed upon
it by the laws and that it was TO pre- vent such
. an appointment tha; accepted tho appoint
. meut Of Secretary of War cd in terin' and no
= for the purpose Of enabling you 10 get rid o
r Mr. Stnn,"n by my withholding it from him i,
opposition TO til. law, no, doing myself
surrender i, to one who would. As The state
uIouI anu !" yeNi
,,laiuly indicate wss sought"
The President replies as follows. and sub
=. stan,i,te hi. statements. ~ ,ha testimony a
l. iSccrS,nri.s Wrlles Mccullough. Randall. Sew
- ard aud Br, wnng:
a "rh. extraordinary character Of your ls,te
!, Of th- 81 would s.en 10 preclude = reply: hu
y. the manner in ~hsch publicity ha. been give
no ,e III. Correspondence whereof that l-r.
~. forms a part, aud the grave qv-stions inv"lve
), i"du CT this nlodo Of giving proper sequel
tha eomrnun calions which have passed hs
-, tween US. Statements Of fv. m embers Of Il
H.. Cabinet. who were pressut during the eonvs
;, s.tiou on til. l4,h. aud copies Of their ls,,s
~, are -nciorsd." Quoting fr"m Grants lett.
the President says: When a euntrovsrsy uPe
~. matters of fact reaches = point TO which Il
-, has been brought, further assertion or dsni
Ibstw-eu the immediate parties should css
t especially where either sido il luases {
:, character of respectful Discussion: which r
-. CURED by Tho relations in which tho part,
~, stand TO ~ch ether After quoting again, 4,
c,r Pr-srd.nt says: The point il. that before :.
,r changed your viows, you had sacrstiy dsi
., mined :" do The very thing which you at Il
:. dm-.urrrnlsr the oliae TO Mr.. stanton. Y
g., may have changed your \ our views as 10
course y"u had marked oct for ysurs-lf fr
,h.lbssinning' Tho Pr-.id-n, argues At so
n. length tho legality Of his order u Grant
r disregard 8, an,on's orders. making .the pc
.,,, that Grant will net obey his direct erd"rs,
President concludes: without further oonm
upsn the nsrbor.liu"ts attitude which
have assumed, I nm ~ loss to know how
,r., can relieve your'.li from ohed'e"ee I" tho
-, ders Of tas PIsridenl. who 10 made Ivy the G
rti,ution the Conmauder in Chief Of the ~
and navy. and IS therefore the official sup
r..... as we'll Of III. General ef the Army ~ Of
am Secretary If War 80
The whole correspondence 10 very dsmsi
., to the character Of Gen. Giant. Apart
any express pledges, he uaa under an ini
, d. obligation 10 ststaiu from any act "
,,,;,. would es,nproraiss the legal rights Of h'
cipnl. lie had assumed the tftSce in ohsdi
. :. to orders from his military chief. and lie sh
r,;., .ot havJ Civ e, up h is post without consul
acts. h" superior.