Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-02-13

IDls suDJtcI, uHLll, IL getting late, Tue
President said he could see me again.
nor at any other definite time, nor was
sent for by the President until the fol-
lowing Tuesday.
From the 11th inst, to the Cabinet
on the 14th inst, doubt never
entered my mind about the President
fully understanding my position, namely:
That If the Senate refused TO concur In
the suspension Of Mr.. Stanton, my pow
ers as Secretary,of War dd interim would
cease, and Mr.. Stanton's right to resume
at once the functions of his Office, would,
under the law, be indisputable, and l
acted accordingly.
With Mr.. Stanton, had no communi-
cation, direct or indirect, on the subject
of his reinstatement. During his sus-
pension, / knew it had been recommen-
ded to the President to send the namo of
Gen. Cox, of Ohio, for Secretary Of War,
and thus save all embarrassment, a pro-
position that 1 sincerely hoped he would
entertain favorably, Gen. Sherman see
ing the President, at my particular re-
quest, TO urge this, on the 18th.
On Tuesday, Mr.. Stanton re-entered
the Office of the Secretary of War. Gen.
Comstoek, who had carried my official
letter, announcing that by Mr.. Stanton's
reinstatement by the Senate had ceased
to be Secretary of War dd interim, and
who saw the President open and read
the communication, brought back to me
from the President a message that he
wanted to see me that day at the Cab
met meeting, after l had made known
the fact that l was no longer Secretary
Of War dd interim.
At this meeting, after opening it as
though / were member of his Cabinet,
when reminded of the notification alreay
given him that was no longer Secretary
of War Gd interim, the President gave
version of the conversation alluded to
already in this statement. 1t was as
serted that in both conversations had
agreed to hold on to the office of Secre-
tary of War until displaced by the Courts
or resign, so as to place the President
where he would have been had / never
accepted the Office. After hearing the
President through stated our CONVEX
sation substantially as given in this
| letter.
will add that my conversation before
the Cabinet embraced other matters not
pertinent here, and is therefore left out.
in nowise admitted the correctness of
the Presidents statement of our conver-
sation, though to soften the evident con-
tradiction of my statement, said, allud-
ing to our first conversation on the sub
ject, the President might have under
stood.me the way he said-namely, that
1 had promised to resign if ! did not re-
sist the reinstatement. l made no such
! statement.
| have the honor to be, very respect.
| fully, your obedient servant,
u. s. GRANT, General.
GEN. GRANT TO THE PRESIDENT.
| HEADQUARTERS Army OF UNITED STATES,
WAsHINGroN, January 2i 1865.
His Erceuency, And7eU johnson, Presi
dent of the United States.
! SIR: have the honor very respect
fully to request to have in writing the
order which the President gave me YER
bally on Sunday, the 10Th inst, to disre
gard the orders of the Hon. E. NJ. Stan
ton as Secretary of War, until l knew
from the President himself that they
were his orders.
1 l have the honor to be, very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT, General.
THE PRESIDENTS ENDORSEMENT.
The following is the Endorsement on
| the above note:
AS requested in this communication
Gen. Grant is instructed in writing not
to obey any order from the War Depart
ment assumed to be issued by the direc
ton of the President, unless such order
is known by the General commanding
the armies of the United States to have
Ian DO 1868. ANDREW JOHNSON.
opN GRANT TO THE PRESIDENT.
49,, - .nrr.s An,,,, or 1r,S1rvn s,r rvs
WAsHISGroN, January S0 ls6S.
His Ercellency Andresv johnson, Presi
dent.
SIR. have the honor to acknowledge
the return of NV note of the 24th inst.
with your Endorsement thereon, that ]
am not 70 obey any order from the Wal
uanartment gssumed to he issued b,
order of the President. unless such ordel
is known nv me to be authorized by the
Exacntive and. i'm replv thereto. to ga,
that I am informed by the Secretary O
War that he has not Received from The
Evaontive any order or instruction. lin
itinv or impairinp his AUTHORITY to issu,
orders to the army AZ has heretofore beer
his ,.r,ctira undsr the laws and custom
nf tha Hanortwent
Will. this authority TO the War De
nortnent is not countermanded. il will
ba SATISFACTORY evidence to me that an,
orders issued from the War Departmen
Sw diraction of the President are au
~ tSSrinaS hv tho Executive
'iiTi haTs tIs homer to he very resnect
f,,iIy vour ohedient servant
i"N' II s. GRANT General.
~
THE PRESIDENT 10 GENE uhANl
EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 81, 1865