The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-08
QUESTION OF vERiClIY BETWEEN THE PRtSl-
DENT AND GEN. GRANT.
Correspondence Between Gen. Grant
and the President.

|
| "WAR DEPARTMENT, Feb. 4. 1863,
"ST-ln answer TO the resolution of the House
OF Representatives, of the Sd, transmit here with
copies furnished me by General Grant of the
correspondence between him and the president,
relating TO the secretary of war; which he reports
| TO be all the correspondence he has had with the
| president on the subject. have had no cores
Pondence with the president since the 18th Of
"After the action Of the Senate on his alleged
! reasons Tor my suspension from the ONCE of
secIetsry OF war, j have resumed the duties of
| mat once, as required by the acts or Congress-
and have continued to discharge them without
| any personal or written communication with the
| president. No orders have been issued from this
department in the name Of the president, with nv
tkno"iecge' and have received no orders from
The correspondence sent herewith embraces
| all the correspondence known to me on the sub.
lect referred to In the resolution of the House of
81 have the honor to be, sir, with great respect,
your obedient servant,
"EDwN N. STANTON.
"Secretary OF War"
s.ntatiVes" 4" 'F'~
GENERAL GRANT TO THE PRESIDENT.
4" HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF UNITED SrArEs,
Washington, ID. c., Jan. 25, 1858.
His Exeeency Andrew Johnson, President of the United
"Sir-On the oath instant, requested Won to
give me in writing instructions which you had
previously given me verbally, not to obey any or
der from Hon. f. NJ. Stanton, secretary of war,
unles knew it came from yourself. To this writ
ten request received message that has left
doubt in my mind Of your intention. To prevent
any possible misunderstanding therefore, | renew
the request, that you will give me written instruc.
tions, and, until they are received, will suspend
action on your verbal ones.
"Iam compelled to ask these instructions in
writing, in consequence Of the many gross misre-
presentations affecting my personal honor cir
culsted through the press for the last fortnight,
purporting TO come from the president, of con-
versaons which occurred either with the president
privately, in his Office, or In cabinet meeting.
What is written admits of no Misunderstanding.
In view of these misrepresentation referred
to- il will be well TO state the facts in the case
Some time after l assumed the duties of secretary
Of war dd interim, the president asked my views
as to the course Mr.. Stanton would have to pur-
sue in case the Senate should not concur in his
suspension, TO obtain possession of his office.
My reply was in substance that Mr.. Stanton
would have to appeal to the courts to reinstate
him, illustrating my position by citing the grounds
l had taken in the case OF the Baltimore police
commissioners. In that case did not doubt the
technical right of Governor Swami to remove the
old commissioners and appoint their successors.
As the old commissioners refused to give mp, how
ever, commended that no rssouroe was left but to
appeal to the courts. Finding that the president
was desirous of keeping Mr.. Stanton out of Office
whether sustained in the suspension or not stated
Of Office bill. but that what stated was the gene
raj principle, and If should change my mind in
this particular case, would inform him of the
fact.
Subsequently, on reading the tenure Of Office
bill closely, / found could not without violation
of law refuse TO vacate the Office Of secretary Of
war, the moment Mr.. Stanton was reinstated by
the Senate, even though the president ordered me
TO retain it, which he never did.
"Taking this view of the subject and learning
on Saturday. the 18th inst, that the Senate had
taken up the subject OF Mr.. Stanton's suspension,
after some conversation with Lieutenant General
Sherman, and some members of my staff in which
stated that the law left me no discretion as to
my action should Mr.. Stanton be reinstated, and
that intended to inform the president, went to
the president for the sole purpose OF making this
decision known, and did make it so known. In
this fulfilled the promise made in our last pre-
cedng conversation on the subject. The pres-
dent, however instead of accepting my view Of
the requirements OF the tenure OF. Ofiice|b con-
tended he had suspended Mr.. Stanton under au-
thority given by the Constitution, and that the
same authority did not preclude him from report
ing, as act of courtesy, his reasons for the sus-
pension to the Senate; that having been appointed
under authority given by the Constitution, and not
under the act Of Congress, could not be gov
erned by the act.
stated that the law was binding on me, con-
tribunal.
"An hour was consumed each reiterating his
views this subject until, getting late the
president said be would see me again. / did not
agree to call again on Monday nor at any other
definite time, nor was sent for by the president
until the following Tuesday.
From the llth inst TO the cabinet meeting on
the l4th inst, doubt never entered my mind
about the president fully understanding my posi-
ton namely, that if the Senate refused TO concur
in the suspension of Mr.. Stanton, my powers as
secretary of war dd interim would cease, and Mr..
Stanton's right TO resume at once the functions OF
his Office would, under the law, bo indsputsble;
and acted accordingly.
With Mr.. Stanton had no communication
direct or indirect, on the subject of his reinstate
ment, during his suspension. Iknew that il had
been recommended to the president to send Ia the
name Of Gen. Cox, of Ohio, for secretary OF war,
that sincerely hoped he would entertain favor
ably. Gen. Sherman seeing the president at my
particular request TO urge this, on the 18th.
"0n Tuesday, Mr.. Stanton entered the Office Of
secretary Of war. Gen. Comstock, who had car
Iied my official letter announcing that by Mr.
stAnton's reinstatement by the Senate, l had
ceased TO be secretary of war Gd interim, aud
who saw the president open and read the cOmmu.
ncation, brought back to me, from the president
message that he wanted TO see me that day at
The cabinet meeting, after had made known the
fact that was no longer secretary of war Gd in
teTiHt. At this meeting, after opening 10 as though
/ was men Der Of his cabinet when reminded OF
the notification already given him that was no
longer secretary of war al iHeriIa, the president
gave version Of the conversation alluded to al
ready. In this statement it was asserted that, in
both conversations had agreed to hold on to the
Ofhce OF secretary OF war until displaced by the
courts, CT resign, so as TO place the pfesdent
where he would have been had never accepted
the office. After hearing the president through,
stated our conversation substantially as given ia
this letter. | Sill add that my conversatiOn be-
fore the cabinet embraced other matter not per-
tinent hsTe, and ia. therefore, LETT out. ! 10 no
wise admitted the correctness Of the presidents
statement Of our conversation, though TO soften
tie evident contradiction Of my statement, / said,
slluding to our first conversation on the subject,
that the president might have understood me the
way be said, namely, that had promised to re-
sign il | did not resist the renstateyaent Imade
10 such statement. / have the hohor to be, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
~. s. GRANT General"
AOTHER REQUEST FOR ORDERS IN WRITING.
" HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON, January 2i, 1868. I
"To His Exeslency Andrew johnson, President Of the
United States
" Sri Rave the honor, very respectfully, to
request TO have, in writing, the order which the
president gave me, verbally, on Sunday, the l9.h
nj 20 arI . tkan r1a~ Of fta H..