Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-22
Reinstatement of Secretary Stanton.

Reinstatement of Secretary Stanton
We stated last week that the Senate had
voted to restore Secretary Stanton to his po-
sition in the War Office, by deciding that
the PRESIDENT reasons for suspending him
were insufficient. \ notice of this vote of
the Senate was served on Gen. Grant and
also left at the White House Monday evening.
The following morning Secretary Stanton
went to the War Department, took posses
sion, and installed himself rs Secretary of
War. This occurred about 10 O'Clock. Gen.
Grant had been there previously, and had
delivered the key Of the Secretary's private
office to the Adjutant General after which
he retired to his office at the Headquarters
Of the Army. There was no scene. Among
the first to call on Secretary Stanton We're
Senator's Trumbull and Wilson, and the Ten
ncssec Congress delegation. At about II
0 clock Gen. Grant called on Mr. Stanton,
and had an hours conversation with him.
Shortly after Gen. Grant left the War Office.
the President sent for him to attend Cabi-
net meeting, which request he obeyed, re-
naming at the Cabinet council about an
hour
Gen. F. L. Dent of Gen. Grant staff. who
has been on duty in the War Department
during the administration Of Gen. Grant,
also Withdrew that morning with Gen. Grant,
and Mr.. Stanton Immediately directed Gen
Louis II. Pelouze, his former Adjutant Gen
eral, to report there for duty at IL o'clock
Gen. Pelouzo took charge Of the Office as
Assistant Adiutant General.
There was, Of course. great excitement at
Washington in respect to the matter. The
National LitetHgencr, and sundry other
johnson and Democratic papers at once
and apparently with the President's privity
charged Gen. Grant with having violated
bis word as well as his official duty, in thus
passing the key Of the Department over to
Mr.. Stanton Ii is claimed by these papers
that Gen. Grant had assured the President
that he would either deliver the key of the
Office to him, (Mr. Johnson) or would hold
on to the Office and compel Secretary Stanton
to carry his case before the court; and they
also urge that as Grant was a mere subordl-
nate officer, he should rot have put Stanton
in possession when he knew that his superb
or, the President, proposed to test the
question of the right of the Senate thus
to re-instate him Gen. Grant has made
no reply to these charges, and needs to make
none Nobody really believes that he gave
the President such assurances as the Iilte{(i-
qencer insists were given, for the very good
reason that he would not have given them :;
or if he had given them would have kept his
word. .Johnsons testimony is insufficient,
when used to impeach Grants honor Be
sides. there was really no legal question for
Mr.. johnson or Secretary Stanton to try, and
neither Gen Grant nor President johnson
had any legal right to keep Secretary Stan
ton out of the War Office after the Senate
had acted upon the reasons for that officers
suspension. The whole proceeding has been
under the tenure Of Office act, the President
in his course recognizing that law, and Gen.
Grant being only Secretary ad ipferim- and
that law provides that a suspended officer
shall be reinstatcd whenever the Senate de
cides that he was improperly suspended. 1t
isn't legal question at all, but wholly a
question of fact, and Gen. Grant did precise
" what ought to have been done by at once
passing the keys over to the official whom
the Senate declared rishtfully entitled to
them. This Democratic and J0hnsonian
blu ter is therefore wholly without reason,
and mere partizan clamor
Speculation has been rife in respect to what
is IN come of this imbrogllo. The President
friends declare that Stanton is not to be rec
ognized in any event by the executive, and
that the other heads of departments will be
ordered not to recognize him. 1t is also CON
fdently asserted by some Republican news
papers that the Secretary will resign. and
that the President will nominate some one
for the place satisfactory TO the Senate.
Thus far matters have proceeded much as
usual. the Secretary performing the duties
of his office as formerly, and being treated
bv other officials the same as before his sus
ncpsion. The Senate has indicated itself
. nd asserted the law, and the President has,
anparently. no alternative but submission
The bill requiring two thirds OF the Su-
\ e.,