The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-02-14
NUMBER 8.

fetary OF War, unless you have intormsu"n tnt
II was issusd by the Presdcnts direction. Ia .ub.
hitting this request, with which complied on
the 2Yth Inst you take occasion IN ailudo W r-
cent publicatons In reference 10 the ctrcumssncss
connected With the vacation, by yoursen o. me
view OF correcting the statements which you term
gross Misrepresentation. ami give at length your
own recollection OF the fAets under which, vithout
the sanction OF the President. from whom you had
received and accepted the appointment you yield.
cd the Department OF War 10 the present incutn.
bent 90 stated In your communicat lion. Some time
ancr you had assumed the duties as Sec. Of war
ef iafsr,m We interchanyed views respecting the
course that should bs pursued In the event OF tho
non.coneurrence by the senate In the suspension
OF MI. stanton. ] sought that interview, calling,
myself At the War Department. Ny sole object
In then bringing tho subject TO your attention was
20 ascertain definitely what would be your own
action should such an attempt be made for his
jcct Was accomplished. for the interview termina-
ted with tho distnct understanding that II. upon
reflection, you should prefer not to become = par.
~ to tho controversy, or should conclude that "
would be your duty 70 surrender the Department.
to Dir. Stanton upon action In bis favor by the
Senate, you were 10 return the Office TO me prior
tO decision by the Senate, In order that " de-
sired TO do 90 might designate sone on. 70 ,ue,
that had not this understanding been reached. u
vas my purpose TO relieve you from the further
discharge OF duties - Secretary OF MAR ad istem'
and to appoint some other person In that eaPse'
Other conversations upon the subject ensusd.
all OF them having on my part the same oclees
and leading TO the same conclusion rs the htt. ~
is not necessary however, TO refer TO any of theui.
excepting that OF Saturday, tho lith inst. men.
toned in your communication. ~ IL Was then
known that the Senate had proceeded In the case
Of Mr. stanton. was anxious 70 learn your as.
termination. AMER protracted interview: during
which the provisions OF the tenure OF ofhee I'LL
were duly discussed. you said that as II had been
agreed upon In our nrst conference, yon would ell
an. In
enable me 10 appoint q successor before FINAL &C.
ton BY the Senate on Mr. Stanton's suspension, or
would remain ~ its head, awaiting . decision o'
the question by judicial proceediny.. u WAS thsn
ence on Monday. by which time ] supposed you
would DO prepared to inform me Of your hnsl do
esion. You falled, however. 70 fulal the engsss,.
ment. and on Tuesday notified me, in wriung, OF
the receipt OF your oficlAl notification Of the nc,
ton OF the Senate In the case Of Mr. Stanton ana
ct the same time informed me that according 20
the act regulating the tenure OF certain eivil oh-
ces, your functions n Secretary of var ed inf,,,m
ceased from the moment OF receipt Of notice: You
thus, in disregard Of the understanding between
u.s. vacated the ofice without having given me no.
tce OF your intention 10 do 90. II Is but JUST,
however, to say that, In your communication. you
claim that you did Inform me of your purpose.
and thus fulhlled the promise made In our iast
Irscedlng cGnvs,,..on On 'ne .viSss. ,d OF an ar.
rangement OF the kind ] have mentioned Ioa
had found, In our first conference that the Pfesi:
dent WAS dsslrous Of keeping Mr stanton @ oa, ~, o.
You knew what reasons had induced the President
20 ask from you Q promise. You also knew that
in case your views Of duty did not accord with bis
S.ss UGa Sy sSUS.; snoring
existence OF positive understanding between US.
The conclusions we're plainly deducsable iron, our
various conversations. IL IL certain, however,
that, even under the circumstances. you did not
offer to return the place 10 my possession. hut ac
cording 10 your own statement. placed yourseii IN
position where. could havo anticipated your
as was compelled TO ask OF your predecessor In
the War Department, q letter of resignation. or
else TO resort TO tho more dissgreeabie expedient
your letter, the nomination OF Gov. Cox OF ohio
Tor the ONCE OF Secretary OF War WAS suggested To
me. This appointment as Mr.. btantons successor
was urged In your name, and u was said that his
selection would save further embarrassment. !
did not think tat In the selection OF cabinet Of
hcer should be trammelcd by such considerations
was prepared to take the responsibility OF decid.
Constitutional duty, and having determined upon
. course which deemed right and proper, was
anxious 10 learn tho steps you would take should
cd BY Mr.. stanton Had your action been 10 con:
formity with the the understanding between Us,
do believe that the embarrassment would not have
attained Its present proportions. Or that the prob
know that with . view to IN early termination
OF state affair 90 detrimental 10 the public into
rests. you Voluntarily offered. both on Monday,
call % upon Mr. stanton and urge upon him that tho
good or the service required his resignation. I
confess that considered your proposal NJ . sort
Of repsraton for the failure on your part to act
In accordance with an understanding moro than
once repeated, which thought had received your
full assent, and under which you could have re-
turned 10 ne the once which had conferred upon
and leaving the responsibility where II properly
beouged-With the President, who 10 accountable
for the faithful execution OF the law. have not
been informed by you whether, A. twice proposed
by yourself, you had called upon Mr.. stanton and
made an effort 70 induce him voluntarily to resign
from the War Department. You conclude yonr
communication with reference 20 our conyersa-
ton at the meeting OF the Cabinet, held on Tues.
occurred you say that ater the President had Civ.
en- his version Of our previous conversations. you
that | you .in no wise admitted tie corrsetne.. Of
his statement Of them, though to soften the evident
contradiction my statement gave, said, allufins
10 arst communication on the subject the Pfesi'
dent might have understood In the way he said.
namely, that ! had promised 10 resign " dh not
resist the reinstatement ] made no such prom.
ie." My recollection Of what then transplrei "
diametrically the reverse OF your narration. In
the presence Of the Cabinet asked youi
First II iu . conversation which took place.
shortly aftor your appointment a. seeret.ry Of
Mar ed int.rim, you did not agree either To remsln
any yHj judicial % % processing, es that might folio. the
nOn-concurrence by the Senate In Sir StantonI
suspension, or should you wish not TO become In.
volved In such . controversy, 10 put me IN the
same position with respect to the Office n ] oceu.
pied previous TO your appoiu oiutnent, by returning
Il to me In time 10 Ant!clpste such action by tho
Senate. Thus you admitted;
the preceding Saturday, had not, to avoid mis-
understanding, requested you 20 state what you
intended 10 do, and further " In reply TO that In
qury you hsd not referre.i TO our former conver.
vi hat fva,,s shst 4 nd Nd youp
position. and that your action would be consistent
with the understanding which had been reaeliedi
To these questions you also replied In the srrns.
tive
TArrd. l next asked II. st the conclusion OF our
interview on saturday, II was not understood ihat
wo were 70 have another conference on the Mon.
day before the nnsl action by the Senate on The
understanding, but that you did not suppose the
senate would act 90 soon; that on Monday you
had been engaged In conference with Zen sher'
and asked II Cen. sherman had moi called on me
that day. What relevancy Den shernant v,it
10 me on Monday hsd With the purpo.e Tor which
you were 10 have called am at loss 70 perceive.
a. he certainly did not Inform me whether you had
determined 90 retain possesson VI the once or 20 az
ford ne an opportunity 10 appoint . successor In
advance Of any attempted reinstatsmsnt Of Mr.
Btantsn.
This account OF whst pa,sed between q, at the
Cabinet meeting the iiih inst widely differs
from that contained in your communication, for II
tions, 90 given In the letter which has made this
reply necessary, you admitted that my recital Of
them was wholly sccursts. sincerely anxious,
however, 10 bs correct in my statements, have
to-day read this narration Of what occurred on the
18th Instant 20 the members OF the Cabinet, who
were then present. They without exception agree
In it accuracy. Il 10 only necessary 10 add that
on Wednesday morning, the 18th. you called ON
me In company with Lieut.. Zen. Sherman. Amer
some preliminary conversation you remarked that
sn article In the Nsi,sAsi ini,i,gssen that date
did you much injustice. lrepllsd that had not
read the Infsiiigssssr OF that morning. You 1rst
told me that IL was your intention 10 urge Mr.
stanton 20 resign his once. AMER you had with.
drawn I carefully read the article Vi which you
had spoken, and fouDd tbss ~ statement of the
understanding between us va substantially cor
rect On the lith caused it 70 bs Rad 10 Hur OF
the Ave members Of the Cabinet who wsrs present
ss our oonisrenss On the itth, and they occurred
In the general accuracy of its statements rsspeet
Ing our Conversation upon that occasion. In re-
ply 70 yoar coumunieation have deemed 10 pro-
per In order 10 prevent further Misunderstanding,
" make the simple recital Of faets.
Very respectfully youp,
ANDREW JOHNSON,