Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-19
Grant and Johnson.

UTdMt duu JOuuSOus
Tuesday of last week, the President sent
to the House continuation of his CORES
pondencc with Grant, in respect to the War
Department affairs This new budget of let
tiers consists OF long one from Mr. John
son to Gen. Grant enclosing letters from
Welles, McCullocl, Randall, Seward, and
Browning Mr.. johnson insists in his COM
munication that Gen. Grant imposed upon
him by pretending to favor the presidential
design Of keeping Stanton out Of the War
Department, while in fact he only hold
ing the Office for the purpose of surrender
ing it TO Stanton. in opposition to what lac
knew to be the design OF Mr.. johnson He
however, brings forward no new facts in sup
port Of this assertion, and his letter is there
fore only augrnen tative
Randall, Wells aud McCullocn fully en-
dorse Mr.. Johnson statement in respect to
what occurred between him and Grant at the
Cabinet meeting, the history Of which we
gave last week. Stewards and Browning's
letters, however. lack Il good deal OF confirm
ing Air. -Joiusons story, but furnish almost
Grants history of the interview - far as
the question 81 yeracity II concerned and
that all the question made by General
Grant-it all hangs upon whether the zen
eraI, at the first interview previous to Stan
tons restoration T. the Department, prom
ised to sec the President Monday. Johnson
says he did. Grant says he did not agree to
see the President Monday, or any other time.
hut that he expected = t. SEE him before
the Senate acted upon the matter and this Is
what Seward and Browning say Grant adj
mitted The Presidents witnesses on the
Whole give bis case no additional strength
Air- JOHNSON letter also discusses 1T con
siderable length Grants statement that he
should feel it his duty u obey al orders
regularly issued from the War Department
rs heretofore. This the President says is
standardization Grant replies that he has
never declined to obey all legal orders Of his
Commander in Chief, and adds
1t was clear t. me before my letter Of Jan
80 was written, that / the person having
more public business t. transact with the
Secretary Of War than any other Of the
:
who had been instructed To disregard the
authority OF Mr.. Stanton, where his author
ty was derived agent Of the President.
On the - til of january received letter
from the Secretary Of War copy herewith)
directing me t. furnish an escort TO the pub
lie treasure from the Rio Grande to New
Orleans, tSc.. at the request of the Secreta-
~ of the Treasury to him.
[ also send two other Enclosures showing
the recognition of Mr. Stanton by Secretary
Of the Treasury and the Postmaster-G General,
in all Of which cases the Secretary of War
had to call upon to make the orders re
quested or give the information desired, and
where his authority to do so is derived in
my view, as agent Of the President
With order clearly ambiguous as
that Of the President here referred to, it
was my duty to inform the President Of my
Interpretation Of it, and to abide by that in
depreciation until | received other orders.
Disclaining any intention now or hereto
fore Of disobeying any legal order of the
President, directly communicated, | remain.
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
T. :. GRANT, General
The issue between Mr.. johnson and Cen
Grant is wholly one Of Mr. Johnson's own
making. lie thought to use Grant to make
it easier to get Stanton out Of the War De
partmeEt and keep him out. He knew
Grants popularity would make the removal
of Stanton much less obnoxious to the public
than it otherwise would have been; and if
he could have persuaded the General TO hold
the Department against Stanton and the
Senate be would have been doubly happy.
He would thus have involved Grant in DISC
bedience to law. and relieved himself by
throwing upon the General halfof the blame
Of this wrong doing. Johnson's grief now
Is that Grant neither went into partnership
with him in this iniquity, nor resigned 30 AZ
to enable the President TO put plant tool
in the Department for the purpose of keep
ing Stanton ous. Grant wasn't quite ac-
comodating enough, it is true, 70 suit the
schemes Of the law-defying executive and
all this correspondence only seems to show
how true Grant was to the law and the du-
ties Of his Office, and how, IN being 80 he has
got Mr. johnson into great rage