Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-02-20


Stanton that he has not received
any erder limiting his authority TO
issue orders to the army according
to the practice Of the department ,
and state that "while this authority
to the War Department Is not coun-
termanded, it will bo satisfactory
evidence to me that any orders is
sued from the War Department by
direction of the President are au-
thorized by the Executive" The
President issued an order to you
To obey no order from the War
Department, purporting to be made
by the direction Of the President,
until you have referred it to him
for his approval. You reply you
have received the Presidents order
and will not obey it, but will obey
an order purporting to be gwen by
his direction, if it comes from the
War Department. You will obey
no direct order from the President,
but will obey his indirect order
II, as you say, there has been a
practice in the War Department to
issue orders in the name Of the
President, without his direction,
does not the precise order you have
requested and have received change
the practice as to the General Of
the Army? Could not the Presi-
dent countermand any such order,
issued in the name of the President,
to do a special act, by an order di
rectly from the President himself
not to do the act? Is there any
doubt which you are to obey? You
answer the question when you say
to the President, in your letter Of
the Sd instant, "the Secretary Of
War is my superior and your sub
ordinate" and yet you refuse obe-
dience to the superior out of defer
ence to the subordinate.
Without further comment on the
insubordinate attitude which you
have assumed, l am at a loss to
know how you can relieve yourself
from the orders Of the President.
who is made, by the Constitution,
the Commanders in Chief of the ar
my and navy, and is, therefore, the
official superior as well Of the Cen
eral Of the army as of the Secretary
of War.
Respectfully yours,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Gen. L. S. Grant, Commanding Ar
mics of the U. S., Washington.
THE ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.
The letter of the President is ac-
companied byletters from the Sec
retaiies of the Navy, Treasury, In
terror and State, and Postmaster
General, supporting his position:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WAsuINGroN. D. C.,(
February 5, 1868.
SIR-tEe Chronicle of III 8 morn
ing, contains a correspondence be-
tween the President and Gen. Grant,
from the War Department,
in answer to resolution Of the
House of Representatives. ] beg
to call your attention to that CORE
spondence, and especially to that
part of it which refers to the con
versation between the President and
General Grant, at the Cabinet meet
ing on Thursday, the 14th of Janu-
ary, and to request you to state
what was said in that conversation.
Very respectfully, yours,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
FROM SECRETARY WELLEs.
wAsnINirox, Feb g. 1865.
SIK-Your note of this date was
handed to me this evening. My
Of the conversation at
the Cabinet meeting, on Tuesday,
the 14th of January, corresponds
with your statement oft in the let
ter of the 3lst ult., in the published
The three points
specified in that letter, giving your
recollection of the conversation,
are correctly stated.
Very respectfully,
GIDEON WELLEs.