New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-12


DALL-GEN. GRANTS sUR-REJoISDER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE President sent
the following letters this afternoon to the of Rep
resentatives:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Feb. 10, 1863
GENERAL: The extraordinary character of your letter
OF the sd INST would preclude any reply on my
part; but the in which publicity has been given
10 the correspondence OF which that letter forms part
ana the grave questions which are involved nduce me 10
take this mode Of giving proper sequel to the com
municatons which have passed between U.S. the state
ments Of the five members Of the Cabinet who were
present the occasion Of conversation on the 1th
ut Copies OF the letters which they have addressed to
upon the subject accordingly herewith inclosed
You speak Of my letter OF the 31s ult reeraton OF
the many and gross misrepresentation contained In GER
tain newspaper articles and renssert the correctness OF
the statements contained in your communication OF the
2sh ult addiDg-and here give your words" Any
thing in yours reply TO 1t TO the contrary nowith-
standing" When controversy upon matters OF fact
reaches the point to which this has been brought further
assertion denial between the immediate parties should
cease especially when upon either side it loses the char
acter OF the respectful discussion which Is required by
the relation which the parties stand TO each other and
degenerates in and temper In such II there
is nothing TO rely upon but the opposing statements
conclusions must be drawn from those statements alone
and from whatever intrinsic probabilities they afford In
favor Of or against either OF the parties, should not
shrink from this controversy But fortunately IL is not
left this test alone. There five Cabinet officers
present the conversation, the details Of which, in my
letter Of the 2sth ut you allow yourself to say contains
"many and gross misrepresentation" These gentlemen
heard that conversation, and have read my statement
They speak for themselves and leave the proof without
a word Of comment.
deem 1t proper before concluding this communication,
to notice of the statements contained in your letter
You say that performance OF the promises alleged 10
have been made by you te TIC Tesdeht would have IN
1oIo I,tia
who'll .s .cs 9! fly connection with the suspension OF
Mr. Stanton" You then state that you had fears the
President would the removal Of Mr. Stanton, appoint
one in his place who would embarass the army In
carrying the Reconstruction acts and add 1t was
TO prevent such appointment that accepted the Of
fee Of Secretary OF War al interim, and not for
the purpose Of enabling YOU to get rid OF
Mr. Stanton by my uphodng II from him. in opposition
10 the law or not doing myself surrenderng II to
who would ms the statements and assumptions in your
communication plainly indicate. was sought first Of all"
You here admit that from the beginning u what You
term "the whole history OF your connection with Mr.
stapton's SUSPENSION you intended 10 circumyent the
President II TO carry out that intent that you
cepted the appointment. This in your mind at the
time Of your acceptance 1t not then in obedience TO
the order OF your superos heretofore been supposed
that you assumed the duties OF the Office You knew IL
the Presidents purpose 10 prevent Mr. Stanton from
resumug the Office OF Secretary OF War; and you intended
TO defeat that purpose You accepted the Office not In
the interest of the President, but of Mr. Stanton II
this purpose, entertained by you, had been con-
fined TO yourself, II, when accepting the Office
you had done with mental reservation
TO Illustrate the President IL would have been taeit de-
ception In the ethics OF persons such course Is
allowable but you cannot stand upon that question
able ground. The history Of your connection with this
transaction written 10y yourself, places you In differ
cnt pTedcament and shows that you not only concealed
your design from the President but induced him TO sup
pose that you would carry out his purpose 10 keep Mr.
Stanton OF office by retaining II yourself after an
attempted by the Senate 10 require Mr.
Stanton establish his right by judicial decision now
give that part OF this history written by yourself In
your letter Of the 2sth ult:
"somo time after assumed the duties Of Secretary Of
War dd interim, the President asked me my views as TO
Mr. Stanton would have To In the
should In his suspension TO obtain pos
session Of the Office; My reply was, IN substance that
10 renstato him. illustrating position by citing the
ground had taken In the case OF the Baltimore Police
Commissioners"
Now at that time az you admit in letter OF the
sd inst you held the office forthe very object Of defeat
ing an appeal the In that letter you say that
In accepting the office, motive was to prevent the
President from appointing other person who would
retain possession and thus make judicial proceedings
necessary. You knew the President was unwilling TO
trust the Office with any who would not by holding
II. compel Mr.. Stanton 10 resort TO the courts You per
fecty understood that In this interview Some time AFTER
you accepted the Office the President not content with
your silence desired an expression OF your views and
you answered him that Mr. Stanton would have to ap
peal II the President had reposed conf
dcnce before he knew your views and that confidence
had been violated IL might have been said he made
| mistake, but violation Of confidence reposed
CATER" that conversation was no mistake Of
his. Of yours 1t Ia the fact only
that needs stated that at the date Of this
you did intend to hold the Office with the purpose Of
forcing Mr. Stanton into court but did hold 1t then and
had accepted TO prevent that course from being carried
out In other words, you said to the President, "Tha
the proper course and you said to yourself 81 have
accepted this office, and hold 1t to defeat that
course" The excuse you make in subsequent para
graph Of letter OF the 2sh u that afterward you
changed your views TO what would be proper course
has nothing TO do with the point under considera-
ton point is that before You changed your views
you had secretly determined TO do the very thing which
at last you didsurrender the office TO Mr. Stanton You
may have changed your views 10 the law but you
certainly did not change your views TO the course you
had marked out for yourself from the beginning
will only notice statement n -FOUR letter Of
the Sd nstthat the performance Of the promises which
1t Is alleged made by you would have involved you
I'm the resistance Of law. know Of statute that
would have been violated had you, carrying out your
promises In good faith rendered your resignation when
you concluded TO be made party In any legal pro-
ceedings You add 1 am In measure confirmed In
this conclusion by your recent orders directing me TO
disobey orders from the Secretary Of War; superior
and your subordinate, without having countermanded
his authority TO issue the orders to disobey."
On the oath ult you addressed note to the President
requesting in writing order given TO you verbally
1--WE days before disregard orders from Mr. Stanton
Secretary Of War until knew from the President him
self that they his orders On the 10th, In comp
ance with your request, did give you instructions in
writing not obey any order from the War Department
assumed to issued by the direction OF the President
unless such order is known by the General commanding
the armies Of United States to have been authorized
NV the EXECUTIVE There orders which Score