Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-02-13
WAR DEPARTMENT,
February 4, 1868.

document:
AR DEPARTMENT,
February 4, 1868.
SIR: In answer to the resolution of
the HcNse of Representatives of the
Sd, transmit herewith copies fur
hished- me by Gen. Grant of the cor
respondence between him and the
President relating to the Secretary
OF War, which he reports to he all
the correspondence he had with the
President on the subject l have
bad no correspondence with the
President since the 18th of August
last, After the action of the Senate
on his alleged reason for my suspen-
sion from the office of Secretary of
War, have resumed the duties of
that Office, as required by the act Of
Congress, and have continued to dis
charge 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 l have received no
orders from him. The correspon-
dence sent herewith embraces all the
correspondence known to me on the
subject referred to In the resolution
of the House of Representatives
/ have the honor to be, sir, with
great respect, your obedient servant,
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
Secretary, of War.
To Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Speaker
Of the House Of Representatives.
GEN. GRANT TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
HEAD'QRs ARMY OF THE q. S.,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 1864
To his EreeNency, Andrew Johnson,
President Of tie United States.
SIN. On the 24th inst, / request
ed yOu to give me in writing the in
structions which you had previously
given me verbally, not to obey any
order from Hon. f. Nj. Stanten, Sec
retary of War, unless knew it came
from yourself To this written re-
quest | received message that has
left doubt in my mind of your inten-
ton. To prevent any possible mis-
understanding, therefore, 1 renew
the request that you will give ME
written instructions, and until they
are received will suspend action on
your verbal ones. l am compelled
to ask these instructions in writing
in consequence of the many gross
misrepresentation affecting my per-
sonal honor circulated through the
press for the last fortnight, purport,
ing to come from the President, of a
conversation which occurred either
with the President privately in his
office, or In a Cabinet meeting
What is written admits of ne misan-
derstanding. In view of the mis-
representation referred to, it will be
well to state the facts in the case.
Seme time after l assumed the du-
ties of Secretary of War od interim,
the President asked my views as to
the course Mr. Stanton would have
to pursue, in case the Senate should
not concur in his suspension, to OBJ
tain possession of his office. Myre
ply was in substance that Mr.. STAN
ton would have to apPeal to the
Courts to reinstate him, illustrating
my position by citing the grounds l
had taken in the case of the Balti-
more Police Commissioners. In that
case did not doubt the technical
right OF Gov Swan to remove the
old Commissioners and appoint their
successors. AS the old Commission
ers refused to give up, however.
contended that no resource was left
but to appeal to the Courts. Find
ing that the President vas desirous
of keeping Mr.. Stanton out Of Office,
whether sustained in the suspension
or not, l stated | had not looked
particularly into the Tenure Of Office
bill, but that what l had stated
was on general principles, and if l
should change my mind in that par
tIcular case, would inform him of the
fact.
Subsequently,, on reading the
Tenure of Office bill closely, found
l could net, without violation of law,
refuse to vacate the Office Of Secreta-
ry of War the moment Mr.. Stanton |
was reinstated by the Senate, even
though the President ordered me to
retain 1t, which he never did. TAX
ing this view of the subject, and
learning on Saturday, the 11th inst,
that the Senate had taken up the sub
ject of Mr. Stanton's suspension, af-
ter some conversation with Lieut..
Gen. Sherman and some members of
my staff, in which / stated that the
law left me no discretion as to my
action, sheuld Mr.. Stanton be REIN |
stated, and l intended to inform the
President went tc the President
for the sole purpose of making this
decision known, and did make it, SO
known. In this l fulfilled the prom
ise made in our last preceding con-
versation en- the subject.
The President, however, instead
Of accepting my view of the require
ments of the Tenure Of Office bill,
centended that he had suspended Mr..