Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-02-06
States'rlarl,
GRANT AGAINST JOHNSON.

GRANT AGAINST JOHNSON.
Highly Important Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, February 4.
The Speaker laid before the House a
communication from the War Depart
ment, inclosing the following document !:
War DEPARTMENT, Feb. 4, 1868.
StRlIn answer to the resolution of
the House of Representatives Of the Sd,
|Iitransmitt herewith copies furnished me
by Gen. Grant of the correspondence
between him and the President relating
to the Secretary of War, which he re-
ports to be all the correspondence he had
with the President on the subject. have
had no correspondence with the Presi-
dent since. the 18th of August last. Af-
ter the action of the Senate on his al
legged reasons for my suspension from
the Office Of Secretary of War, / have
resumed the duties of that Office, as re-
quired by the act of Congress, and have
continued to discharge them without any
personal or written communication with
the President. No orders have been is
sued from this Department in the name
of the President, with my knowledge,
and have received no orders from him.
The correspondence sent herewith EN-
braces all the correspondence known to
me en- the subject referred to in the res
olution of the House of Representa-
tives. $500 if,.ss.s -ss,. .'5f ....sf,j.4
have the honor to be, sir, with great
respect, your obedient servant, se'.io
= EDWIN. M. STANTON,
4 Hoj.a.1.s Secretary of War.
To Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of
the House of Representatives.
| GEN. GRANT TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
| HEADa'Rs ARMY OF THE U. s.,
| WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 25, 1868.
To His Ezcellency, Andrew johnson,
President Of the United States.
SIR On the. oath instant requested
you to give me, in writing the instruc-
tions which you had previously given
me verbally, not to obey any order from
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War,
unless knew it came fom yourself
To this written request received a
message that has left doubt in my mind
of your intention. To prevent any pos
sible misunderstanding, therefore, 1 re-
new the request that you will give me
written instructions, and until they are
received will suspend action on your
verbal ones.o I am compelled to ask
these instructions in writing in conse.
Iquence of the many gross misrepresenta.
tions affecting my personal honor circu
lated through the press tor the last fort.
night. purporting to come from the Pres.
dent, OF a conversation which occurred
either with the President privately in
his office, or in Cabinet meeting. What
is written admits of no misunderstanding
In view of the misrepresentation referred
to, it will be well to state the facts il
the case: h7s..rgI ss-fa4 ~
1ziaSoms time after I assumed the duties
of Secretary of War .ad interim. the
President asked my views as to the
course Mr. Stanton would have to pur
tsue, in case the Senate should not con
cur in his suspension, to obtain posses.
sion of his office. My reply was in sub
stance that Mr.. Stanton would have tt
appeal to the Courts to reinstate him
illustrating my position by citing the
Egrounds / had taken in the case of tht
Baltimore Police Commissioners. In
that case 1 did not doubt the technica
right of Gov. Swami to remove the old
Commissioners and appoint their sue
eessors. AS the old Commissioners re
fused to give up, however, I contended
that no resource was left but to appea
to the Courts. Finding that the Presi
dent was desirous of keeping Mr.. Stan
tom out of Office, whether sustained ir
the suspension or not, / stated 1 hae
!, not looked particularly into the Tenure
of-ofice bill, but that what / had state,
/ was ongeneral principles, and if shoul'
1 change my mind in this particular case
would inform him Of the fact. ~ S
Subsequently, on reading the Tenure
Of Office bill closely. / found | could not
without violation of law, refuse to va
cate the office of Secretary of War tn
moment Mr.. Stanton was reinstated b
the Senate, even though the Presiden
ordered me to retain it, which he neve
8 did. Taking this view of the, subjec
and learning on Saturday, the 11th inst
that the Senate had taken up the subjec
of Mr.. Stanton's suspension, after som
conversation with Lieut.. Gen. Sherma
and some members of my staff, in whic
stated that the law left me no discrt
tion, as to my action, should Mr.. Stanto
be reinstated, and intended to infori
1.-THE President. went to the Presider
for the sole purpose of making this d.
cision known, and did make it s
known. In this I fulfilled the prom
Use made in our last preceding col
j, versation on the subject. ss2g. 81 i
The President, however, instead
laccepting my view of the requirement
of the Tsnure-of- Office bill, contende
that he had suspended Mr.. Stanton vi
der authority given by the Constitution
and that the same authority did not pr
{ clude him from reporting, as an act
y courtesy. his reasons for the suspensio
s to the Senate. That having been al
Ipointed under authority given by I'll
Constitution, and not under an act
Congress, / could not be governed b
the act. 5
i Istated that the law was binding 9
! line, Constitution or not, until set asic
Iby the proper tribunal. An hour W,
consumed, each reiterating his views q
!! this subject, until, 1t getting late,, IL
President said he would see me agail
/ 1 did not agree to call again on Monda
! nor at any other definite time, nor was
sent forby the President until the folio,
ling Tuesday. .s-'f.izi - ss-'s.