The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-02-07

assumed to tie issued by tie direction of the
President, unless such order is known by the
General commanding the armies of the Uni
ted States to Lave been authorized by the
Executive.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY UNITED STATES,
WASHINGTON, January so, 1868.
HIS ErceQency, a. johnson, President Of the
United States:
Sir Il have the honor to acknowledge the
return of my note of the Gath inst with your
endorsement thereon tlat am not to obey
any oId6r nom the War Department as
sumed to be issued by direction of the Presi-
dent, unless such order is known by me to
have been authorized by the Executive and,
In reply thereto, to say that am informed by
the Secretary of War that lie has not reCeiv-
ed from the Executive any order or instruc-
tons limiting or impairing his authority 10
issue orders to the army as has heretofore
been his practice under the law, and the
customs Of the Department While this au-
thority to the War Department is not coun-
fernandez, il will be satisfactory evidence 10
ME that any orders issued from the War De
partment, by direction of the President, are
authorized by the Executive.
have the honor TO be, very respectfully,
your oledient servant,
[Signcd] L. S GRANT, General
The remaining correspondence merely
presents the disgraceful exhibition of ques-
ton of veracity between the General-in-
Chief end Tie President. Apart from the
fact tls.. ii. Itnident's version of what oc-
Cured al the Cabinet meeting on January
18th is endorsed by every member of the
Cabinet WHO was present, we think that the
internal evidence Of the letters themselves,
even as the correspondence now stands, is
abundantly sufficient to sustain the President
For instance, the President says:
ut must have been apparent to you that
had not this understanding been reached il
was my purpose 10 relieve you from the fur.
ther discharge of the duties of Secretary OF
War ad interim, and to appoint some other per.
son in that capacity.
And again:
You also knew that in case your views oil
duty did not accord with his the Prcsident'sI
cwn convictions it was his purpose to fill
your place by another appointment. Even
ignoring tire existence of positive under.
standing between us, these conclusions were
plainly deducible from our various converse
tions. 1t is certain, however, that even un.
der these circumstances, you did not offer tc
return the place to my possession but &C
cording TO your own statement, placed your
self in position, whenscoud | have antici
pated your action, would have been com
PEELED 10 ask of you, as / was compelled tc
ask of your predecessor in the War Depart
ment, a letter of resignation, or else TO resor
to the more disagreealle expedient of sus
pending You bya successor
And General Grant says:
You must have known that my greatest OBJ
lection to his (Stantons) removal or suspen
sion was the fear that some one would be up
pointed in his stead Who would, by opposition
to the laws relating to the restoration of tn,
Southern States to their proper relation Il
the Government, embarass the army in til,
performance of the duties especially imposed
upon it by the laws, and that it was to pre-
vent such an appointment that accepted TIN
appointment OF Secretary of War dd interim
and not for the purpose of enabling you 4
get rid of Mr.. Stanton, by my Withholding
from him, in opposition to the law or no
doing so myself, surrender it to one VIII
would, as the statement and assumptions il
your communications plainly indicate, wa
sought. 7a
Take This and that together, and what doe
It mean The conclusion SEEMS tous inevita
BILE, and ie s;;sse which a lingering respect 70
opcs honorable position makes US hesitat
% put in print aa
These letters of General Grant were evi
IDENTIFY intended and written for the publi<
but for all the COED they are likely TODD Inn
we think that he could have afforded to wal
for the ink to dry before rushing them befor
Congress and the public.