New-York tribune., 1868-02-24
President said that he desired to test the question
legally in the Courts

In the afternoon Gen. Thomas again made an eloit
TO obtain possession Of the War Department. but ihe
doors closed and he was refused admission.
messenger with a communication addressed AdJt-
Gen Thomas Secretary of War ad interim, was tom
that no such person was known at the Department.
and that Mr. Stanton the only recognized Seele-
tary Of War. During the day the only persons gen
orally admitted were Senators and Members OF Con
greSs, who called in large numbers. Mrs. stanton
visited the office in her carriage, and tared snor'
time. and the Secretary came out, and had few
minutes conversation with her. The Secretary hau
dinner and tea in the Department, and passed the
time as comfortably as possible under the clrcnm-
stances of his selEimposed incarceration 1he Sec
retary made preparations to spend another night IN
the DEPARTMENT He was waited on by troops OF
Conpressmen who spoke with hlln on the various
events of the day. Judge Fisher OF TINS CITY, one OF
the Secretarys most intimate friends, remained with
him all night.
The charges which led to the arrest of Gen.
Thomas are based upon his attempted assumption OF
the functions of the Secretary of War On Satur-
day afternoon he signed himself, in two commumca-
tions, Secretary Of War ad iReim-once IN the copy
of his order from the President, which he furnished
to Mr. Stanton, and afterward, in letter 10 Uen'
Price directing that the Paymaster-Generals office
he closed ON Saturday by virtue of its being hOli-
dav. Mr. Stanton has retained the Hon. Matthew
II. Carpenter of Wisconsin to appear for him. and 1t
is probable that the President viii direct Attorney
Gen. Stanbery to appear for Gen. Thomas in addition
TO Messrs Bradley and Menick. The determination
of Mr. Stanton to cause the arrest of Gen. Thomas
was decided upon 10y him as the surest and most di-
rect method of compelling that officer to take the in
itatye in any civil proceedings which he may insti-
tute to obtain the possession of the office. Being
under bonds he is in measure, prohibited from act
ING at his own pleasure, and if he receives further
orders from the President, must decide between dis
obedience to him and incuuing still further penal
ties for violation of law.
Long after II o'clock last night when the House adj
iourned the hotels and other places of public resort
in thscty were thrOnged not only with the strangers
sOjournng here, but also with the citizens generally
who dropped in to discuss the situation hear the
latest rumOrs and comment on events as they oc
cured The scenes resembled those of the old war
days the excitement being just as intense, and the
interest as al-absorbing. This morning the Sunday
papers were eagerly bought up and their contents
perused. Groups of twOs, and threes, and four aud
skies began to assemble, all talking on the same sub
iect namely, the question of impeachment and the
difficulties growing out of it. The lobbes of the
principal hotels were in great measure the political
HEADQUARTERS. Republicans and Democrats discussed
andregarded the aspect of affairs from their respective
standpoints But all seemed to be agreed on one
point which is that Johnson has made fatal mis-
take inasmuch as he had not consulted any one, and
acted solely on his own responsibility. Senator Pat
tcrsOn of Tennessee the Presidents sOn-in-law was
among the crowd surgng and crushing through one
of the halls at Wizards. lie was accosted by a
prominent New-Jersey politician who served term
in Fort Lafayette during the war; and the following
conversation took place: We'll, Patterson, how is
the PRESIDENT Is he all serene y oh yes, he IS
all right" "Is he preparing to move on the reyolu-
tionary lines T. "Well. that remains TO he seen"
with maudlin smile which was intended to mean
something but did not mean anything. Every half
hour brings the widest rumors, which are rs GER
tainly contradicted in the next 30 minutes. At this
hour the rumor is that the President is preparing
proclamation calling upon the country to come to the
rescue in this moment Of its peril rs he judges IT,
and that he has summoned to his assistance some of
the leading lawyers who politically agree with him
Messrs Black and Blair and Others-to aid him in
this emergency.
Mr. Johnson has had several interviews with Gen.
Emory who commands the troops here but OF course
il is not known what occurred 1t IS inferred, how
ever that he has been sounding that officer and 9th
ers with view of ascertaining what they willing
TO do in the event of an emergency. Some have IT
that the President will quietly submit and others
assert that he is most determined and will, II he
thinks there is prospect of success have resource to
force Cen Gordon Granger Colonel of the 9th Infan
try has been in council with him. and has been asked
whether he would take command here in the event
Of n
ture of Johnsons and likely to do anything that
President might require of him.
Concerning occurrences at the White House, there
can be but little more than mere conjecture. Some
of the Presidents friends assert that the
tion. said to have been had with the President by
the correspondent of a Democratic journal on Friday
evening relative TO Senator EdmOndss BILL greatly
exaggerated and that the President uttered no such
sentiments as are attributed to him in the report OF
the interview 1t is understood that Gov Swami LETT
Annapolis late last night and is now in this city IN
conference with the President at his invitation
Vague rumOrs are ahoat relative to the intentions
of Swami and the feeling of the Maryland militia. A
gentleman who came in the cars with Gov Swami,
says that Swami told him that he was coming
to Washington for the purpose of cOneuing with the
President, and ready, If necessary, to use the
whole force of Maryland to head off what he terms
the Republican conspiracy to depose Mr. Johnson.
1t is said that Maryland is ready for anything rash
and ladvised at present in consequence of the re-
lection of Senator Thomas. Here it may be added
that the Democratic members of both Houses OF Con-
gress who are friendly TO Mr. Johnson, advise him to
act with extreme caution, the military power con-
ferTed upon Gen. Grant will be exercised by that
officer regardless of the consequences They say that
all their hopes of being able to carry the next Presi
dental election depend on his retention of power,