The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-08

n THE PRESIDENT AND GRANT-HOW THE CORREs
ID poNDENcE WAS REcEUED-NTEREsT1Na soEN
10 IN THE HousE-sTANToN AND THE M'ABDL
n oAsE-THE PRESIDENT AND THE CoNsTTTu
T1oN-THE ALABAMA o1AIMs--REcoNsTRUc
IL TIoN.
y The Washington correspondent Of the Balti
|. more Sun, under date Of the 4th instant
s writes:
J. Siuce the reinstatement Of Mr.. Stanton, th,
n Presidelt has perslstently refused to hold on,
u official communication with him, and of thli
l. he complains bitterly to his friends in Con
= gress. and, III compliance with his ropeate 20
: hctations, tho Military Committees of the two
: measure winch will restore to the War Minister
: portion at least Of tne absolute power which
II he has for years vie ded.
Q Tho interesting anI exciting feature of con.
: grcssional proceedings to-day was tt presen.
u tatlun to the HOUSE of the correspondence be.
t tween General Grant and President Johnson in
q regard 10 the reinstatement OF Mr.. Stanton,
s and the retiring Of General Grant from the
4 war Office, as has been alleged, 10 violation oil
O. his express agreement with the President.
e This correspondence was called for by reso-
luton Of the House yesterday. and the Secre-
tary of Wur was requested to furnish it. Why
he should have been called upon to do SO, when
he was not Interested as correspondent, is q
question Tor thuse in the full secret to deter
? mine.
AS soon as tho Speaker presented it to the
} House aI other business was suspended the
' further consideration OF the pending bill was
, POSTPONED. pnd the reading OF the letters was
ordered. Taat some rich developments were
expected Wis indicated before word was rea.,,
by the unusual quiet into which the members
at once etired. The buzz of conversation
] was instptly hushed, and amid silence no.
ticeableon account OF its rarity the clerk COM
= mence, the, Introductory letter OF Secretary
Stantel, in which be. said he had had no COM
munjatiUn either through or with the Pres-
!, dent since his reinstatement by the Senate.
4 Tha ion4Wed the spicy correspondence be-
. Lwen the President and the Genera-in-Chef
} wen Grants letters were read the republicans
i niled and rubbed their hands with satisfied
+ .lr. Mr. Tnad. Stevens sat in Mr. Van Wyck's
|, seat, near the clerk, and he and MIR. l.. B.
! Washburne, as the sentences OF the General-in-
Chiet were read, indicated that they felt, if
they did not say "Now, you have him foul "
But then came the Presidents version of the
same matter, and the mention by him Of the
names OF Cabinet officers as witnesses in his
behalf and as authority for his statements
created sensation.
Aztec one Of Geueral Grants letters had been
read there was slight manifestation OF ap-
pause, which was promptly checked by the |
speaker; and when tho lcttor Of the President |
followed, aud the Republicans looked O little |
blanA, Mr.. Lldridge, from his seat, tainted |
them with the remark, ''Why don't you laugh
now e General Grant, however, had the last |
soy, for his reply to the Presidents last COM
munioaton was dated only yesterday the day
upon which the resolution OF Inquiry was offei-
ed, and tho question naturally arises whether
the whole thing was not got up as it was for
the purpose OF giving General Grants views
last to the country and before the President
could have all opportunity to reply After The
reading the corresL ondonce was referred to
the Committee OIL Reconstruction.
The issue Is now plniniy mado up between
The President and the Gencral-in-Chief, and
there is direct question OF veracity between
correct and that his opponent is mistaken.
The ISSUE IL direct and plain. General Grant
says positively that he did not say and do
What the President ID equally positive in say
ing lie Grant, did say and do aud the ques-
ton to be determined is who gives the correct
While General Grant relies entirely upon his {
own assertions, the President backs his with
proof, and gives the Cabinet oficers who, he ,
says, Will testify TO the correctness of what he
states. 1t ls expected that some further rich
Developments and spicy correspondence will
follow this matter, ]
The Washington correspondent Of the Balti-
more Gazette, under date Of the 4th instant,
writes: I
The astuteness Of Mr.. Stanton was thought =.
20 bo plainly observable III the new phase the
SlcArdlo case has assumed at the Instance of 8
ais special attorneys, Messrs. Trumbull and r
dughes. Raising the question ol jurisdiction, t
n an Independent form, was doubtless the =
most cunning way OF disposiDg OF the cause
lpon technical points. But, after oil, it is
nou9ht q very grea. blunder has been commit q
ed. The question comes up on motion to f
lsmi:s the case for want OF jurisdi lotion. A o
majority OF the Court is necessary to sustain
hls moti0n-if the Court Shall be equally =
llvded the motion fails. Accomplished spe-
ial pleadccs affirm, Oh tho other hand, that if
plea to Tho jurisdiction had been entered b
no question coming up under demurrer,
our ldges would have been sufficient to SUD-
ain tho views OF the War Department.. This
esteemed very important matter as things
oW stand. tt
The Washington correspondent of the New
ork Post, under date Of tho Sd inst, writes o'
In reply aquestion by your correspondent, =,
5 70 what course ho would take in case the a
enatc rolused 10 take any action on the noml- st
alton made Ill place OF Mr.. Rollins, end laid it
u the table, tue President said he should prob
bly, then b. compelled to make q direct re- =
loval OF Rollins, altl ouGh this would be in
OF the fenure-of-office law, and o,
ould undoubtedly cause new agitation OF o.
10 impeachment question. Vo
4AO oliSt tuO WuUu Q0 WAS -,
thei compelled to ignore the constitution it. th
'lf or Oh aot OF Congress clearly unconstitu- rel
onal and it was not his purpose to hesitate, sp
Though impeachment be threatened. -
In regard to the statements made as COM "'
* from him, Oh the settlement OF the Ala ut
lma claim. at once, or forcing Great Brllian an
Ito war, the Presidont sail they were un- life
lthurized; and until he saw what authority cn
r. Thornton, the nov English minister, was IT.
.sted with by his government on this ques- s'A
on, it would be impolitic in him (the Presi- dr'
,ntj to make such statements, involving as Ad
ey did questions OF the highest and grayest MI
lportance. The new minister would be pre- w
nted to him OH Tuesday, he said, and after -
IS was done his policy could be more clearly
Id.
The President denounced bitterly the new hel
bill now before Congress- but In
tn sarcastic smile said it would be only in In
ect taking the power now in the hands of sof
Q military despots, excepting General Han w.. ~.
ck, who had provei himself true to tho con- nes
tntion, and placing It in tho hands of one but
lltary despot, who could rule the nation gre
th more severity than any sovereign in all the
rope. vo,