Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-02-22
new YORK.

NEW loRK, Feb. ga Wasnihsso"
had an interview Win ffes-
ident johnson last nigh. relative TO the 70.
movai Of Secretary stanton. IhePses'us"'
inquired
49,. ,bev are surprised but have only
son. y hat had determined upon. never
h.d hut one determination on the subject,
hr, / have acted carefully, prudsntly, asd
m oderstsly-perhaps have been ZOO slow
about removing Mr.. Stanton, bus not b.
cause feared the bug ofimpsaehmsnt,
or that drssdsd anything that Congress
might do. Nothing that body could attempt
or carry cut, would intimidats u surpriss
me. know they are capable of Doing any
thing. delayed final action solely TO let
the country sec and understand the position
Of NJ. Stanton. We arst animated to him
that We would like him to withdraw from
our pTivy council be did mot take the hint.
We then requsstsd him 70 resiga-hs re-
fused. We then suspended him under the
constitutional power which We have 10 sus.
pend or remove any member Of our cabins,
tho act OF suspension WAS also moi in
conflict with the tenure Of Office bill though
We did not therefore recognize its Constitu-
tionality. As matter OF courtesy No sent
reasons for our action to tho Senate. Thai
bojy pretended not to consider those Ssa-
sons sufficient, and assumed 10 rsinstats
Mr.. Stanton in Office. Well, We still waited
hoping Mr.. Stanton would see the propriety
Of resigning himself. Gen. Sherman and
Grant offered to 20 20 Stanton and advise
him 20 resign. Here 10 letter which indi
Gates whas they proposed"
1872 K SrRsrr, WAsniHsroH,
Jan. Enthusiastically.
neglected this morning 10 cay that ha'
agreed 10 20 down TO Annapolis 70 spen'
| Sunday with Admiral Porter. Gen. Gran
has to leave for Richmond on Monday d
o'clock A. II. Al . conversation with III
0em1eal After 40 interview. wherein offer
Cd y 80 With him on Monday morning I
N. Stanton, and cay thaA IL vas our opin
ion that hs should resign. II vas foun'
impossib:s BY reason Of his going to Rich
mond and my going to Annapolis. Tn
General proposed this course: He vii
call on you to morrow and Offer 70 70 to NJ
S.aatos. 70 ssy, fos the COED Of The sssvic
Of ths country. be ought TO resign this q
Sunday OF Mssday. will call ON you am
il you think il necessary, l will do the same
call % NJ. Stanton aad tell him he shoult
resign. II he will not. then it will b tim'
% c0ntrive Interior measures. In the nsen
time, slss, il happens that no necessity q
is,s for perpetratlng the matter.
Yours, truly,
[Signsdl w. T. SnnlMAx.
The President then continued:
after waiting . reasonable time VI
thought proper to-day to order the remova
of MIR. stanton, and to appoint Genera
Thomas Secretary Of War, I'd interim Thi
10 the whole stery."
Correspondent-"was this step discuss
ed in the cabinet council, Mr.. President 2
President-"No sir; not precisely.
| general policy was agreed upon some tim
ago, and the removal to-day is IN accord
ancc herewith. | have just received cop,
u the resolution adopted hy the Senate to
night in executive session.
| C,rrcspondent-"Wh hat will the ScnAt
do. Mr.. President, under that resolution,
you still insist upon having Gen. Thoma
/ act as Secretary. ad interim p
Prcsident--"I don't see that they can dc
anything. The resolution itself is the end
Of the matter, SO far as the Senate is con
cerned, unlcss the House presents article.
OF Impeachment, and the Senate undertake.
to try the Executive, aud resolves itself in
10 high court Of impeachment"
Correspondent. "Do you think Congress.
really will attempt the impeachmcn
Of tho President The President said. /"
don't know, indeed, nor do care it will
make but little difference to me- thine
90 l..
President would do in the event Of the
passage Of the Eimund's bill. To which
the President substantially answered. -
'S'r. | would not obey the law, il Il clearly
unconstitutional, there is one point
against 1t which you gentlemen Of the
Press seem TO have Altogether overlooked
The bill Of Senator Elmunds, to suspend
the pending trial would. undoubtedly be an
sxpost iacto law as far a. my case would
be concearncd such law 10 declared uncon-
stitutional by the very language Of tho
Constitution itself"
Ny offence, we will suppose, 10 the re-
movsl OF Mr.. Stanton that is an accom-
p,ished fact, and anyhow prescribing pen
atty for that action would be srpost fdc,o
and therefore Institutional. How, there
fore, can Congress legally pass bill 81
such character?
The correspondent remarked that certain
radicals might argue that a persistence in
keeping Mr.. Stanton out Of office after the
Senate had declared his removal contrary to
law, and after tho proposed passage OF Mr..
Edmund's suspension bill. would be bring
log the question out Of the operation Of an
erpost fdcto law.
The President replied, that could not al.
ter the case. - the offence charged would
still be ths removal Of Mr.. Stantop-an aot
performed before the passage Of the propos-