The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-03-04
The Presidents Views of the Situation.


win fear or trembling, but smiling and
RADIANT, in better humor and spirits
than Tor many months. The President
received yonr correspondent after the
usual hour for visitors. and granted him
half an hours interview. After the
cusi omary snlutations your correspon-
dent remarked that the country was
somewhat taken by surprise by the sud-
den removal Of Stanton aud the appoint
mcnt Of Thomas as Secretary ad ,nte
r'im.
The President smiled and inquired,
"Wcll, what do Tie people say |
suppose they are surprised bn, | have
only done what | had determined upon
long ago.'
Correspondent the removal, then. Is
not IN pursuance Of a recent drrertrra
ton on your part, Mr.. President
The President Not at all, sir. The
people seem to have mistaken my course
altogether in tlis mater. never had
but on determination on the subject,
bnt [ ave acted carefully. pruden,ly
and /, ately Perhaps have been
too slow about removing Mr.. Stanton.
but not because | feared the hugbear Of
impeachment, or that dreaded any
Thing that Congress might do. Moth.
ing that body could attempt and carry
out would in,imidate or surprise me. |
know they are carhbla Of doing any.
thing. | delayed final action solely to
let the country see and understand the
position of Mr.. Stanton. We first init.
mated to him that we would Ike him
to withdraw, from our pfivy tonpcil.--
lie did not take the hint We then re
qnest"d him to resign He refused.
We then suspended him. under the con.
siitutlonal power which We have to sis-
pend or remove member Of our Cabi
net: The act Of suspension was also
not III conflict with the Tenure OF Office
bill, lhongh we did not. therefore, recog-
nlzc its consi'utionality. AS matter
OF courtesy we sent reasons for or
action TO the Senate. The body pre-.
tended not to consider those reasons
sufficient, and assumed to reinstale Mr..
Stanton in Office. WELL we still wait
ed, hoping Mr. Stanton woull see the
pfoprieiy Of rcsigning himself. Gene.
raj Shernihn and General Grant offered
to go 10 Station and advise him 10
resign. Here is a Letter which indicates
what they proposed:
Here COMES The letter of General
Sherman, written On the 18Th Of Janua.
ry. and published in our telrgraphic
Column Yesterday.
The President then continued "A T.
ter waiting a reasonable time we though,
proper to-day TO order the removal o
Mr. Stanton ond 10 appoint General
Thomas Secretary Of War aG interim
This is the whole story
Corrcspondeni-"Was this step dis
, cusscd in the Cabinet Council, Mr.
/ President ?"
The Prcsident--"No, sir; not precise
". a general policy was agreed upon
some time ago, and the removal TO-DAY
is III accordance herewith / hat,
just received copy Of the resolution
adopted by 'h@ Senate tonight in exc
cutive session" The President her,
; read ;he resolution printed elsewhere
Correspondent -"What will the Sen
ate do. Mr.. President, under that .reso
luton, if you still insist upon havins
General Thomas ACT as Secretary st
War at interim ?"
The President -"I don, sec tina,
they can do anything. The resolnlio,
itself is the end Of tho matter, so far a:
, the Senate is concerned. unless tho
House presents articles ofin.pcachmen,
and the Senate undertakes to try The
executive and resolves ,scIl iuto higl
court OF impeachment"
Corrcspondpn,--"Do you think Con.
gress really will attempt impeachment,
Mr. President 2"
The Presidrnt-"I don't know, III
deed nor do care. I, would mike
very little difference TO me"
Your correspondent here asked what
the President woul DO in the event OF
the passage Of Mr.. + lmnnd's bill OF
suspension, to which tie. President
answered, substantially, "Sir. | would
not obey the law if they attempted to
snsptnd ND. the !iw' is clearly uIhic:on.
sfitntional. There is a pint against
IL which yoh! gentlemen Of the press
seem to lave altogether overlooked. =
The bill Of Senator, ElninA; to sui-
pend pending iial won1d undoubtedly
be an eG' most E1cf0 law az FIR asn MO c,e,