The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-13

entered the Council Chamber, General
Grant, on coming in, said to me that he
was not in attendance as member Of
the Cabinet, but upon invitation, and
replied by inquiry whether there was a
change in the War Department..
After the President had taken his
seat, business went on in the usual way
of hearing matters submitted to the
several secretaries. When the time
came for the Secretary of War, General
Grant said that he was not there as Sec-
retary OF War, but upon the Presidents
| invitation; that he had retired from the
War Department. A slight difference
then appeared about the supposed in
vitation, General Grant saying that the
officers who had borne his letter to the
President that morning announcing his
retirement from the War Department
had told him that the President desired
to see him at the Cabinet. to which the
President answered that when General
Grants communication was delivered
to him, the President simply replied he
supposed General Grant would be very
soon at the Cabinet meeting.
regarded the conversation thus be-
gan as an incidental. 1t went on quite
informally, and consisted of state
ment on your part of your views in re-
gard to your understanding of the
tenure upon which General Grant had
assented to hold the War Department
dd Interim, and of his replies by way of
answer and explanation. 1t was re-
spectful and courteous on both sides,
being in this conversational form. AS
the details could only have been pre-
sented by verbatim report, and so far
as l know no such report was made at
the time, can give only the general
effect of the conversation. Certainly
you stated that you had reported the
reasons for Mr.. Stanton's suspension to
the Sanata- vnII nPVnrfha1a1o hold fhok
he would not be entitled to resume
Office of Secretary of War even II the
Senate should disapprove OF his sus-
pension, and that you had proposed to
have the question tested by judicial
process, to be applied to the person who
should be the incumbent of the De-
partment under your designation OF
Secretary of War Gd Interim in
the place of Mr.. Stanton. You con-
tended this was we'll understood be-
tween yourself and General Grant;
that when he entered the Department
as Secretary Gd interim, he expressed
his concurrence in belief that the
question OF Mr.. Stanton's restoration
would be question for the courts; that
In ubseQuent conversation with the
General, you had adverted to the un-
derstanding thus had, and that General
Grant express his concurrence in 1t; that
the same conversation which had been
still adhered to the same construction
of the law, but said II he should change
his opinion he would give reasonable
notice of 1t, SO you could in any case be
placed in the same position in regard to
the War Department that you were
while General Grant held it. 1 did not
understand General Grant as denying
nor as explicitly admitting these state
ments in the form and full extent to
which you made them. His admission
of them was rather indirect and circum-
stantial, though 1 did not understand
1t to be an evasive one. He said that
reasoning from what had occurred in
the case of the police in Maryland,
which he regarded as partial
one, he was of opinion, and SO as
cured you, that it would be his right
and duty under your instructions to
hold the War Office after tbe Senate
should disapprOve of Mr.. Stanton's
suspension; the question should be de-
cided by the Courts; that he remained
until very recently of that opinion, and
that on the Saturday before the Cabinet
meeting, conversation was held be-
tween yourself and him, in which the
subject was generally discussed. Cen
eral Grants statement was that in that
conversation, he had stated to YOU the
legal difficulties which might arise, in
volving fine and Imprisonment under
the civil tenure bill, and that he did not
care to subject himself to those penal
ties; that you replied to this remark,
that you regarded the civil tenure bill
as Unconstitutional, and did not think
Its penalties were to be feared, or that
you would voluntarily assume them.
and you insisted that General Grant
should either retain the Office until re-
lieved by yourself, according to what
you claimed was the original under
standing between yourself and him, or
rNF III -
pose on his part, put you in the same
situation which you would be In if
he altered. You claimed that General
Grant finally said in that Satur-
days conversation that you understood
his views, and his proceedings thereaf-
ter would be consistent with what had
been so understood. Gen. Grant did
not controvert, nor can l say that he
admitted his last statement. Certainly
Gen. Grant did not at any time in the
Cabinet meeting insist that he had in
the Saturday conversation either dis
tinctly or finally advised you of his de-
termination to retire from charge of the
War Department, otherwise than under
your own subsequent direction. He
acquiesced in your statement that the
Saturday conversation ended with an
expectation that there would be a sub
sequent conference on the subject,
which he as well as yourself supposed
could reasonably take place on Mon
day.
You then alluded to the fact that Gen.
Grant did not call upon you on Mon
day, as you had expected from that
conversation. Gen. Grant admitted
that it was his expectation to call upon
you on Monday. Gen. Grant assigned
reasons. for the omission. He said he
was in conference with Gen. Sherman;
that there were many little matters to
be attended to. He had conversed
upon the incumbency of the War De.
partment with Gen. Sherman, and ex.
pected Gen. Sherman would call upon
Monday.
My own mind suggested further
explanation, but do not remember
whether 1t was mentioned or NOT,
namely: 1t was not supp osed by Gen.
Grant on Monday that the Senate
would decide the question so promptly
as to anticipate further explanation be-
tween yourself fand him, II delayed be-
yond that day. Gen. Grant made an
other explanation, that he was engaged
on Sunday with Gen. Sherman, and
think also Monday, in regard to the
War Department, with hope, though
he did not say in an effort, TO procure
an amicable settlement of the affair Of
Mr.. Stanton, and still hoped it would
be brought about. I have the honor to
be, with great respect,
Your obedieDt servant.
WIN. q. SEWARD.
To the President.
The accompanying letter from Gen.
Grant, received since the transmission
to the House of Representatives of nv
comm unication OF this date, Is sub.
mttted TO the House as a part of the
n0rFaannn6anRn - a. tEa 80.