The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-08

been reached. To these questions you also re-
piled in the affirmative. .
Tbird-I then asked IL at the conclusion OF
our interview on Saturday, ii was understood that
we were TO have another conference on Monday.
before final action by the Senate in the case OF
Mr. Stanton. You replied that such was the un-
Outstanding. but that you did not suppose the
Senate would act so soon; that on Monday you
had been engaged in q conference with General
Sherman, and we're occupied with many little
matters, and asked if General Sherman had not
called on that day. What relevancy General
SheTman's visit to me on Monday had with the
purpose for which you were to have called, am
az loss to perceive, he certainly did not inform
me whether you had determined to retain the
Office or TO afford me opportunity to appoint
successor in advance Of any attempted reinstate-
ment of Mr.. Stanton.
This account of what pa ssed between US at the
cabinet meeting, On the l4th inst, widely differs
from that contained in your communication, for Il
shows that. instead of having stated our CONVEX
sstion, given in the letter which has made this
reply necessary, you admitted that my recital OF
them was entirely accurate. Sincerely anxious,
however, to be correct in my statements, have
to-day read this narrative of what occurred on
the l4th inst. to the members Of the cabinet who
were then present They, without exception,
agree in its accuracy.
{" 1t is only necessary to add, thatIon Wedues-
day morning, the 18th, you called on me in COM
pany with Lieutenant General Sherman. After
some PRELIMINARY conversation you remarked Lnat
an article in the National lntelgencer OF that
date did you much injustice. replied that had
not read the Intelligencer OF that morning. You
first told me 1t was your intention to urge Mr..
Stanton 20 resign his Office. After you had with
drawn, carefully read the article OF which you
spoke, and found its statement Of the understand.
ing between us was substantially correct. On the
18th csused it TO be read to four or five men,
bers Of the cabinet who were present at our COZ
ference on the l4th, and they cOncnrred in the
general accuracy of the statements respecting
our conversation on that 0c aston.
In r.PIy 90 your communication, l nave
deemed it proper, TO prevent further misunder-
standing, TO make this simple recital of facts.
Very respectfully yours, ANDREW JOHNSON.
General U. s. Grant commanding"
GRANT TO TIE PRESIDENT.
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES ARMY,
Washington, ID. g., Feb 3, 1868. I
"Hs E-ceency Andrew Johnson President o. the United
htAtes:
" iSir-I have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt Of your communication of the 3lst ult., in
answer 10 mine Of the 2sth ut. After a careful
reading and comparison of the article in the Ma
tIona Intelligencer of the 18th ult, with the srt
Gle over the initials J. b. g., in the New York
World Of the 9th ult., purporting to be based
upon your statement, and that Of he members Of
the cabinet therein named, find il only to be bat
a relteration, somewhat more ia detail, of the
many and gross misrepresentation contained 10
these articles, and which my statement of facts,
set forth in my letter of the 2Sth ult., was
intended to correct, and herein | resssert the
correctness of my statements in that letter, any
thing in your reply to the contrary notwith'
standing.
Z" confess my surprise that the cabinet officers
referred TO should greatly misapprehend the
facts in the matter of admission alleged 10 have
been made by me at the cabinet meeting on the
l4th uit, as to suffer their names TO be made the
basis of the charges in the newspaper articles re-
ferred TO, or agree TO the accuracy as you affirm
they do, Of your account of what occurred at that
meeting.
"You know that we parted, on the 18th utimo,
without any promise on my part, expressed or i'm.
Piled that would hold on TO the office of secretary
Of war Gd interim against the action of the SEN
ate or. declining do would surrender it to you
before such action was had, or that would see
you sgsin at any fixed time on the subject. The
performance OF the promises alleged 10 have
been made by me would have involved resist
ance of the law, and an inconsistency with the
whole history Of my connection with the susper-
sion Of Mr.. Stanton.
Prom our conversation and my written protest
of August /, 1857, against the removal of Mr.
Stanton, you must have known that my greatest
objection to his removal was the fear that some
one would be appointed in his stead who would,
by opposition 10 the laws re stiDg to the restora-
ton OF the Southern States TO their proper relation
TO the government embarrass the army in the
performance Of the duties especially imposed upon
il by the laws and that it was TO prevent such an
appointment that accepted the appointment of
secretary OF war al ttertnl, and not for the pur-
pose Of enabling you to get rid Of Mr.. Stanton by
Withholding il from him in opposition TO law, or,
not doing 90 myself surrender 10 one who as the
statement and assumption in your communication
plainly indicates, was sought: and it was to avoid
this danger well as to relieve you from the per.
sOnal embarrassment in which Mr.. Stsnton's rein
statement would place you, that urged the sp-
pontment of Governor Cox, believing IL would be
agreeable TO you, end also 20 Mr.. Stanton satisfied
as | was, that it was the good of the country and
not the Office the latter desired.
ION the 18th ult., in the presence OF Gen.
| foFa I'D 70 M hat NJ
ton would resign, but did not say | would advise
him to do so. On the 18th did agree with Gen.
sherman to go and advise him to that course, and
on the 18th had an interview with Mr.. Stanton
which led me TO the conclusion that my advice
would he useless, and so informed Gen. Sherman.
Before | consented to advise Mr.. Stanton to re
sign, understood from him. in conversation upon
the subject immediately on his reinstatement, that
IL was his opinion that the act of Congress- en-
titled an act temporarily to supply vacancies in
the executive departments in certain cases. ap-
proved February 20, 1868, was repealed by sub.
sequent legislation, which latter influenced ms
action. Previous TO this time had no doubt that
the law of 1868 was still in force; and notWith.
standing my action, a full examination OF the law
leaves question in my mind whether it is or is
not repealed. This being the case | could not
now advise his resignation, lest the same danger |
spprehended on the first removal might follow.
The course you understood agreed to pursue
was in violation OF law and orders from you;
while the course did pursue, and which never
uOuDltu you lully uhueT-IOOu, was IN accordance
with law and not in disObedience to any orders of
my superior.
And now, Mr.. President, when my honor az
soldier and integrity as msn have been 50 vio-
lently asssiled, pardon me for saying that ] can
but regard this whole matter, from beginning to
end, as an attempt to involve me in the resistance
Of the law, for which you hesitsted to assume the
responsibility, In order thus to destroy my char.
seter before the country. | am in a measure con-
frmed in this conclusion by your recent orders di.
recting me to disobey orders from the secretary
OF war, my superior and your subordinate, with.
out having countermanded his authority to issue
the orders am TO obey.
with assurance, Mr.. President. that nothing
less than vindieation Of my personal honor aud
character could have induced this correspondence
on my part. have the honor to be, very respect
fully, your obedientserVant.
~. S. GRANT, General"
A New York letter Of the 2sth says: The past
week has been a hard one in mercantile circles.
Seven failures are reported, viz Bacon, Green,
Woody Burtis, cloths; Cox Smith, cloths;
Hastings x Seymour. paper; Lathrop, CaSy h
Bprtis fancy goods j. Neidlnger glassware: W