The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-06

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb 5, 1868.
10 Ms EEceHeacy ARdIeW Johnson, President
Of tie United States:
Sir,- have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your communication of the 3lst uIt
in answer TO mine of the 28th ult. After n
careful reading and comparison of it with the
article in the National Intelicencer of the
18th ut, and the article over the initials of
j. b. s.. in the New York World of the 10Th
ult, purporting to be based upon your state
ment aud that Of the members of the cabinet
therein named, find it only to be reitera
ton, only somewhat more in detail, of the
many and gross misrepresentation contained
IN those articles, and which my statement of
the facts set forth in my letter of the 28th milf
was in ended to correct; and here 1 re-asse,t
the correctness of my statement in that letter
anything in your reply to it to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
| confess my surprise that the cab;net osf
GERS referred to should so greatly misapnre-
hend the facts in the matter of admissions al
legged to have been made by me at the cabinet
meeting on the 18th nit, as to suffer their
names 10 DE made the basis of the charges in
the newspaper articles referred to- or agree to
the accuracy, as you affirm they do. OF your oc-
count OF what occurred at that meeting You
know that we parted on Saturday. the nth
ut, without any promise on my part, either
expressed or implied to the effect that would
hold on to the Office of Secretary of War nd in.
tertna against the action of the Senate. or. de-
Ginning 10 do so myself, would surrender ii tn
you before such action was had or that wonld
see yon again at any fixed time on the subject
The performance of the promises alleged to
have been made by me would have involved a
resistance Ct the law and an inconsists ncy
with the whole history of my connection with
the suspension of Mr.. Stanton.
From our conversation and my writton mo-
test OF August LIST, 1867, against the removal
of Mr.. Stanton, you mnst have known that
my greatest 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 relation to the govern
menT, enbartas' the army in the performance
u, tne duties especially imposed upon 1t by
ene iaWs, and that it was 10 prevent such an
appointment that l accepted the appointment mt
VI secretary ct War I'd interim and not for the
gu pose OF enabling you TO get rid of Mr..
an onns1i oy my withholding it from him in
oPP1sitioh 20 The law or not ping so m ysef sur
rehaerihg 1t to the one who as the Statement
ana assumption in your communication nIain- |
~ Indicate, was sought; and it was IN avoid
li'o "a n7el a. wen as TO relieve you from the |
personal embarrassment in which NJ G.
ton reinstatement would place Won thai T |
urged the appointment of Govern c. l
lieving that it would be agreeable tn yon' oe
also to Mr.. Stanton, satisfied "a was tboe en :.
was the good of the country and not the offce |
that the latter desired.
On tire 18th ultimo, in the presence of Gen. |
eral Sherman stated to you that thougbt |
Mr.. Stanton would resign, but did not say l |
"euid advise him to DO 80 On the 18th uit. I |