The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-01-03
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAgIIISGIpS Auunkt lg isl

WASHINGTON, August f. 1867
SIR: BY virtue of the power and al.
thority vested in me as President, by
the Constitution and the Laws of the I'm
ted States, you are hereby suspended
from Office ns Secretary of War, and will
cease to exercise any and all function,
pertaining to the same.
You will at once transfer to Gen. L,
5. Grant, who has this day been author
lied and empowered to act as Secretary
of War dd interim, all records, books,
papers, and other public property now
in your custody and charge.
Hon. EDwIN NJ. STANTON, Secretary of War.
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsBINGToN, ID. c., Aug. II, 1867.
SIR: Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton having
been this day suspended as Secretary
of War, you are hereby authorized and
empowered to act as Secretary of War
al interim, and will mt once enter upon
the discharge of the duties of the Office.
The Secretary of War has been in
structed to transfer to you all the rec
ords, books, papers, and other public
property now in his custody and charge.
Gen. L. $. GRANT, Washington, DC.
The following communication was
received from Mr. Stanton
WAN DEPARTMENT,
WAsHINGrOS CITY, Aug l2, 1867.
SIR: Your note of this date has been
received informing me that by virtue
of the powers and authority vested in
you as President, by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, | am
suspended from office as Secretary of
War, and will cease to exercise any and
all functions pertaining to the same
and also directing me to at once to
transfer to Gen. L. S. Grant, who has
this day been authorized and cmpow-
cred to act as Secretary of War dd in
terin1, all records, books, papers, and
other public property now in my custo-
dy and charge.
Under sense Of public duty am
compelled to deny your right under the
Constitution and laws of the United
States, without the advice and consent
of the Senate, and without legal cause,
to suspend me from office as Secretary
of War, or the exercise of any or all
functions pertaining to the same, or
without such advice and consent to
compel me to transfer to any person the
records, books, papers, and public prop
erty in my custody rs Secretary.
But, inasmuch rs the General COM
manding the armies of the United
States has been appointed al interim,
and has notified me that he has accept
ed the appointment, have no alterna-
tive but to submit, under protest to SUI
perior force.
TO the President.
The suspension has not been revoked
and the business of the War Depart
ment is conducted by the Secretary ao
interim. Prior to the date of this sus
pension had come to the conclusion
that the time had arrived when it wa
proper Mr.. Stanton should retire from
my Cabinet. The mutual confidence
and general accord which should eXi5
in such relation had ceased. l sup
posed that Mr.. Stanton was well ad
vised, that his continuance in the Cabi
net was contrary to my wishes, for
had repeatedly given him so to under
stand by every mode short of an ex
press request that he should resign
Having waited full time for the volun
tary action of Mr.. Stanton, and see
ing no manifestation on his part of al
intention TO resign, | addressed him the
following note on the 5th of August:
SIR: Public considerations of higl
character constrain me to say that your
resignation As Secretary of War will be
accepted.
TO this note received the following
reply;
WAR DEPARTMENT, WAsnISGros, Aus ), o.
SIR: Your note of this day has been
received, stating that public considera
tions of high character cOnstrain you
to .ay that my resignation as Secretary
of War will be accepted.
In reply, have the honor to say that
public considerations of high charac'
ter, which alone have induced me tC
continue at the head of this Department
cOnstrain me not to resign the Office Of
Secretary of War before the next meet
ing of Congress.
The rely of Mr.. Stanton was not
merely q dcclination of compliance
with the request for his resignation il
was defiance, and something more
Mr.. Stanton does not content himself
with assuming that public considera
tions bearing upon his continuance il
Office form ms fully a rule of action fol
himself as for the President, and that
upon so delicate a question rs the lit
ness of an officer for continuance in hi
office, the officer is as competent and a!
impartial to decide as his superior, whC
is responsible for his conduct but HI
goes further, and plainly intimates wha
he means by "publiC considerations of;
high character" and this is nothin.
hn To- or Il In II
perioF. He says that these public con
siderations have "alone induced me t
continue at the head of this Depart
ment," and that they "constrain M
not to resign the Office OF Secretary o
War before the next meeting Of Con
gress."
The language is very significant. Mr.
Stanton holds the position unwillingly
He is ready to leave when ii is safe t
leave, and as the danger which he ap
prchsnds from his removal then vii
not exist when Congress is here, he
constrained to remain during the inter
i'm. What, then, is that danger whic
r can only be Rvcrtcd by the presence q
/ Mr.. stanton OF of Congress? Mr., stan
ton does not say that "public consider
ations Of Il high character" constrai
him to hold on TO the Office indefinitely
lie does not say that no one other thar
himself can at any time be found t
take his place and perform his dutiei
b ON the contrary, he expresses desir
! tn lanUn thp office nt the earliest me
ment consistent with these high publ
considerations. He says in effect thp
while Congress is away he must rcmail
but that when Congress Is here he ca
go. In other words, he has lost conf
dence in the President. lie is unwi
ling to leave the War Department
his hands, or in the hands of any or
the President may appoint or designat
! -, - .lntinl { hn rasiuns III