Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-02-14

Gle of which you spoke, and found that its
statement of the understanding between
us was substantially correct. On the 18th.
caused it to be read to four or five mem
bers Of the Cabinet who were present at
our conference of the 18th, and they con-
CURED in the generalaccuracy of the state
ment respecting our conversation on that
occasion. In reply to your communication,
l deemed 1t proper to prevent further
misunderstanding, to make this simple
recital of facts. '2'@e' 1859 -
Very respectfully, yours,
,a- ANDREW JOHNSON.
General U. S. Grant, Commanding U. s. Army.
.@TtE HEADQUARTERS OF THE q. s. ARMY,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 1868.
To His Excellency, Andrew johnson, President:
SIR: 1 have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your communication of the
31st ult., in answer to mine of the 2Sth
ult. After careful reading and compari-
son of it with the article of the 10Th ult.,
liz the National IatellSgencer, and the article
over the initials 81. B. S." in the New
York World of the 9th ult, purportipg to
be based upon your statement and that of
members of the Cabinet therein named, /
q
more in detail, of the too many and gross
contained in these arti-
cles, which my statement of facts, set forth
in my letter Of the Oath ult., was intended
to correct; and herein l, reassert the cor
rectness of my statements in that letter,
anything in yours, in reply, to the con-
trary notwithstanding. l confess my sur
prise that the Cabinet officers referred
to should have so greatly inexperienced
the facts in the matter, OF the admissions
alleged to have been made by me at the
Cabinet meeting, of the 14th ult., as to
suffer their names to be made the bases of
the charges in the newspaper articles re-
ferred to, or agree TO the accuracy, as
you affirm they do, of your account of
what occurred at that meeting. You knew
we parted on the 18th ult, without any
promise on my part, expressed or implied,
to the effect that would hold on to the
office Of Secretary of War Gd interim
against the action of the Senate, or, declin-
ing to do so, would surrender it to you be-
fore that action was had, or that l would
see you again at any fixed time on the SUBJ
ject. The performance of the promises
alleged to have been made by me would
have involved q resistance>tC law and an
inconsistency with the whole history OF
my connection with the suspension of MIR.
Stanton. From our conversation, and
my written protest Of August 1, 1867,
against the removal of Mr.. Stanton, you
must have known my great objection to
his removal was the fear that some one
would be appointed in his stead who would,
by opposition to the laws relating TO the
restoration of the Southern States to their
proper relations to the Government, en-
barrass the army in the performance of
duties especially imposed upon it by the
laws and that it was to prevent such an
appointment that accepted the appoint
ment of Secretary of War aud interim,
and not for the purpose of enabling you
to get rid Of Mr.. Stanton, by Withholding
from him, in opposition to the law, or not
doing so myself, to surrender to one who
would, as the statement and assumption
in your letter plainly indicate was
sought. 1t was to avoid this danger, as
well as to relieve you from the personal
embarrassments in which Mr.. Stanton's re-
instatement would place you, that urged
the appointment of Gov. Cox, believing
that it would be agreeable to you and also
to Mr.. Stanton, satisfied as / was that it
was the good of the country, and not the
office, the latter desired. On the 18th
ult., in the presence of General Sherman,
I stated to you that thought that mr..
Stanton would resign, but l did not say
that would advise him to do so. On the
18th did agree with Gen. Sherman to go
and advise him to that course, and on the
10Th had an interview with Mr.. Stanton,
which led me to the belief that any advice
would be useless, and so informed Gen.
Sherman. Before l consented to advise
Mr. Stanton to resign, / understood from
him in conversation On the subject,
Immediately on his reinstatement, that
it was his opinion that the act of Congress
entitled can Act to temporarily supply va
cancies in the Executive Department, in
certain cases, approved Feb. 20, 1868, was
repealed by subsequent legislation, which
materially influenced my action. Previous
to this time, I had no doubt that the law
of 1868 was still in force, and notwithstand-
ing my action, fuller examination of the
laws leaves aquestion in my mind whether
it is or not repealed. This being the case,
l could not now advise his resigna-
ton. The same danger I apprehended on
the first removal might follow. The course
you have understood that agreed to pur-
sue was in violation Of law and orders
from you, while tie course l did pursue,
AID which l never doubted you fully knew,
was in accordance with the law, and not
in disobediepce to any orders of nv SUI
perior. And now, Mr.. President, when
my honor as a soldier and integrity as a
man have been SO violently assailed, par
don me for saying that can but regard
this whole matter from beginning to end,
as an attempt to involve me in resist
ance of law for what you hesitated to as
sumo to be responsible, in order to de-
stroy my character before the country. /
am in measure confirmed in this conclu-
sion by your recent orders directing me
to dis0hey the orders from the Secretary