The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-02-21


the resolution adopted the day before
EXECUTIVE MANsfoS.
February 10, ls6s.
GENERAL: The extraordinary charac-
ter of your letter of the 81 instant would
seem to preclude any reply on my part.
But the manner in which publicity has
been given to the correspondence of
which that letter formed part, and the
grave questions which are involved, in
duce me to take this mode of giving, as
a proper sequel to the communications
which have passed between us, the state
ment of the five members of the Cabi-
net who were present on the occasion
Of our conversation of the 14th ult.
Copies of the letters which they have
addressed to me upon the subject are
accordingly herewith enclosed.
You speak ofmy letter of the 3lst ult.
as reiteration of the many and gross
Misrepresentation contained in certain
newspaper articles, and reassert the cor
rectness of the statements contained in
your communication of the 2Sth ultimo,
adding,and here give your own words,
anything in yours in reply to il to the
contrary Notwithstanding" Whenevera
controversy upon matters of fact reaches
the point to which this has been brought,
further assertion or denial between the
immediate parties should cease, es-
pecially where upon either side it loses
the character of the respectful discus
sion which is required by the relation in
which the parties stand to each other,
and degenerates in tone and temper. In
such a case. if there is nothing to rely
upon but the opposing statements, con-
clusions must be drawn from these state
ments alone, and from whatever intrin-
sic probabilities they afford in favor of
or against either of the parties. should
not shrink from this test in the contro-
versy; but, fortunately, it is not left to
this test alone. There were five Cabinet
officers present at the conversation, the
details Of which, in my letter of the 2Sth
ult., you allow yourself to say, contains
many and gross misrepresentation
| These gentlemen heard that converse.
ton, and have read my statement. They
speak for themselves, and leave the
proof without n word of comment.
deem it proper, before concluding
this communication to notice some of
the statements contained in your letter.
You say that the performance Of the
promises alleged to have been made by
| 70 hp Il hn niy,t. al
a resistance to law and an inconsistency
with the whole history of my connection
with the suspension of Mr.. Stanton. You
then state that you had fears that the
President would, on the removal of Mr.
Stanton appoint some one in his place
who would embarrass the army in car
rying out the reconstruction acts, and
said: "It was to prevent such an appoint
ment that accepted the Office of Secre
taty of War dd interim, and not for the
purpose enabling you to get rid of Mr.
Stanton, by my Withholding it from him
in opposition to law, or,not doing so my.
self, Surrenderng it to one who would,
as the statements and assumptions in
your communication plainly indicate
was sought"
First of all, you were advised that,
from the very beginning of what you
term the whole history Of your connec-
tion with Mr.. Stanton's suspension, you
intended to circumvent the President.
1t was to carry out that intent that you
accepted the appointment. 1t was in
your mind at the time of your accep-
tance. 1t was not, then in obedience to
the order of your superior, as has here
tofore been supposed, that you assumed
the duties of the office. Youknew it was
the Presidents purpose to prevent Mr..
Stanton from resuming the Office of Sec
retary of War, and you intended to de.
feat that purpose. You accepted the of.
flee not in the interest of the President,
but of Mr.. Stanton.
Ifthis purpose, so entertain ed by you,
had been confined to yourself; If, when
accepting the Office, you had done so
with mental reservation to Illustrate
the President, it would have beena tacit
/
such course is allowable, but you can
not stand even upon that questionable
| ground. The history of your connection
with this transaction, las written by your
self, places you in difficult predica-
ment, and shows that you not only con-
cealed your design from the President,
but induced HIM to suppose that you
would carry out his purpose to keep Mr.
Stanton out of foftice by retaining it your
self,after an attempted restoration by the
Senate, so as to require Mr.. Stanton tt
establish his right by judicial decision
now give that part of this history Il.
written by yourselfin you letter Of thu
2Sth ult: "Some time after | assumed
the duties Secretary of War dd interim
the President asked me my views as tC
the course Mr.. Stanton would have to
pursue in case the Senate should moi
concur in his suspension, to obtain pos
session of his office. My reply was il
substance-That Mr.. Stanton woult
have to appeal to the courts to re.instatt
him, illustrating my position by citing
the ground had taken in the case o
the Baltimore police commissioners"
Now, at this time, rs you admit il
your letter of the 3d inst you held tn
Office for the very object of defeating III
appeal to the courts. In that letter yol
say that, in accepting the Office, one mo
tive was to prevent the President from
appointing some otherperson who woul,
retain possession and thus make Judi
clal proceedings necessary. You KIN oN
the President was unwilling to trust tn
office with any one who would not, b.
holding it, conpel Mr., Stanton to resor
to the courts. You perfectly understoo
, that in this interview, some time afte
you accepted the office, the President