The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-02-23
FROM WASHINGTON.

The LeTaids s Washington correspondent
had an interview with President johnson late
last night, relative to the removal OF Secreta>
ry Stanton and his action. The President in
quired: Well, what do the people say Isup-
pose they are surprised, but have only done
what had determined upon. | never had
but one determination on the subject, but
have acted carefully, prudently ana moder
ately. Perhaps | have been Too slow about
removing Mr.. Stanton. but not because
feared the bugbear Of impeachment, or that
| dreaded anything that Congress might
do. Nothing that body could attempt or car
ry out would in,imidate or surprise NE. |
know they are capable of doing anything. l
delayed final action solely to let the country
see and understand the position of Mr.. Stan
ton. We first intirnated TO him that We would
like him to withdraw from our privy council.
He did no. take the hint We then requested
BIN to resign. He refused. We then sus-
pended him, under the constitutional power
which we have 10 suspend or remove mem
bers of our Cabinet. The act of suspension
was also not in donGict with the Tenure OF
Office bill, though we did not, therefore, rec
ognize its constituhoualiiy As matter Of
conrtesy we sen. the reasons for our action to
the Senate. That body pretended not to con
slider these reasons sufficient, and assumed TO
re-ius,ate Mr. Stanton in Office. Well, we
still waited, hoping Mr.. Stanton would see
the propriety of rdsigning, himself. Gene
rails Sherman and Grant offered to go to Mr..
Stanton and advise HIM to resign.
Here is letter which indicates what they
proposed:
No. 332 X SIRE Er, WAsnIgGToS, Jan. Is,
saturday.-I neglected this morning TO say
that had agreed 10 go down TO Annapolis,
to spend Sunday with Admiral Porter Gen.
Grant has to leave for Richn ond on Monday
noon. At six a. ri., in conversation with
the General, after our interview wherein |
offered to go with him on Monday morning
to Mr.. Stanton and say that il was our opinion
be should resign, It was found impossible, by
reason of his going to Richmond and my
gong to Annapolis. he General proposed
this course: He will call on you tomorrow,
and offer to go to Nr. Stanton TO soy, for the
good of the service of the country he ought
to resign; this ou Sunday. On Monday
will cali on you, and if you think it necessary
| will do the same Call on Mr.. Stanton, and
tell him he should resign. If he will not,
then it will be time TO eontrive Interior meas
ures In the meantime it also happens that
no necessity exits far perpetrating the
matter. ours truly,
w. r. SHERMAN.
The President then continued After wait
ing reasonable time, we thought proper to-
.ay 10 order the removal Of Mr. Stanton and
to appoint Gen. Thomas Secretary Of War 0d
intersps This is The whole story.
Corespondent-Was this step discussed in
the Cabinet counsel, Mr.. President?
President-No, sir not precisely. A gen
eral policy saa agaeed upon some time ago,
and the removal to-day is in accordance
with hare iustIreceiyed copy Of the res
olntion adopted by the Senate tonight, 10
executive session.
Correspondents What will tho Senate do,
Mr. President, Under that resolution, If
you still insist upon having General Thomas
act as Secretary al inferims
The President1I don't see that they can
do any thing; the resolution itself is the end
Of the matter 50 far IS the Senate is concern
ed, unless the House presents articles of inn
parchment, and ths Senate undertakes to
iry the Executive and resolves itself into
high Court OF impeachment.
Correspondent-Do you think Congress
really will attempt impeachment. Mr. rres;-
dent?
The PRESIDENT don't know, indeed nor
do | care. 1t would make very little difference
to me.
Correspondent here asked what the Pre-
sident would do in the event sf ths passage
Of Mr.. Edmun6s' bill OF suspension. TO
which the President answered:
Substantially, sir, / would not obey the
lay, il theY attempted to suspend me. The
law is clearly unconstitutional. There ia :
point againstit which you gentlemen Of the
press seem to have altogether overlooked.
The bill of Senator Edmpnds' t, suspend the
pending trial, would undoub. eddy, be an er
post facto lav. So far as my Gasp would be-
n eurh 10 xva,,fd In Il III nd
constitutional by the very language of The
. Constitution itself. My ofense. we will sup
pose, is the removal Of Mr, Stanton; that is
an accomplished fact, ANY law preacribing
penalty for that act, would be e. posi- facto,
and therefore. unconstitutional. How, there
fore, can Congress legally pass : bill Of such
. character?
Correspondent remarked that Certain Ra-
dicals might argue that persistence in keep
!ng Mr.. Ssanton out of office after the Senate
DECLARING bis removal contrary to lAw, and
after the proposed passage Of Mr. Edmunds'
suspension bill. would be bringing the ques
ton ont Of the operation Of an &c post fdcto
law.
The President replied that that could not
alter the case, q the offence charged would
still be the removal OF Stanton and set per-
formed before the passage Of the proposed
law.
An important movement was made late
last night in the Johnson-Stanton embrogEo.
Application was made on oath, before Chief
Justice Carter, for the arrest Of General
1tomss, for siplatiop of The ctyiI tenusp lsT.
al grst tho Judge did rot think be had pow
or, but became convinced 70 the contrRry, and
decided to issne ! srlt 0snerei Thonas,
| therefore, Fill probably be arrested to-dsy,
By virtue Of the fifth section Of the civil tcn-
ure Law.
The FIRST intimation Secretary Stanton bad
Of his second suspension wAs q noon. Gem
eral Thomas entered his room and presented
lihe Pf<aideat's nrder. 4 GOOD natprsd pom,
yersAsson snsned, during which q. Stanton
said, DO you want mslo tacAte 1t oncs?E
General Thomas replied, "0h mol haye
notified The President Of nay acceptance, aad
yqa paH getsour private papers tosstlef and
morning. H
General Thomas sAys he understood Sec.
retary stanton 10 acquissce ia thia, hat the
laiser mainiains thAt hs bas no iatentinn
FhstsveF Of yielding 70 Gsnsral Tk6aassex-
fspa