Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-03-04
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
Washington, February 81, 1868.

"SIR: BY virtue of power and authorl-
ty vested i'll me as President by the Con-
stitution and laws OF the United States,
you are hereby removed from office as Sec
retary of the Department of War, and your
functions as such will terminate upon the
receipt of this communication
"You will transfer to Brevet Major
General Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant Gen
eral of the army, who has this day been
authorized and empowered to act as Sccre-
tsry of War nd interim, all records, books,
papers, and other public property now in
your custody and charge.
Respectfully yours,
"ANDREw JOHNSON, President.
=" To Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton, Washing
ton, d. G."
1t appears that General Thomas, on re-
ceiving his appointment, proceeded at once
to the discharge of his duties. He went to
the room lately occupied by Mr. Edwin NJ.
Stanton, and exhibited to him his own let
ter of appointment, and the order dismiss
ing Mr.. Sta Gton from office. Mr.. Stanton
upon reading these documents, asked for
time to remove his private papers, which
was courteously granted him by General
Thomas.
In the course of the morning the PreSl-
dent sent a written message to the Senate,
informing that body that under the Con-
stitution and laws of the United States, he
had in August last suspended Ed" in NJ.
Stanton as Secretary of War, and had now
by the same authority removed him from
Office, and had appointed General Thomas
to fill the position. The Senate, very soon
after the receipt of this message, laid aside
its regular order of business, viz: Mr..
Trumbull's bill to modify the reconstruc-
ton laws and went into executive session,
to consider the subject of the Presidents
Message. After a very excited debate
which lasted till late hour in the evening,
and many different propositions, some of
them very violent 10 their character, the
following resolution was passed by very
nearly a party vote, being substitute Of
fered by Mr. Wilson for a resolution pro-
posed bv Mr.. Edmunds:
wv hereas, the Senate have received
and considered the communication of tb"
Pre-, idrnt, stating that he had removed Ed
win NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War, and
had designated the Adjutant General of the
army to act as Secretary of War dd inter
i'm therefore
" Resolved Jy the Senate of the United
States, That under the Constitution and
laws of the United States, the President
has not the power to remove the Secretary
n" w. ii J,e;1pota nfhnr Ot1Ipar 4 n
perform the duties of that office"
At the same time that the Senate was
thus engaged in secret conclave-dispnting
the right of the President to select his own
Cabinet-a power never questioned from
the beginning of tae Government, until
this revolutionary faction undertook to
grasp the entire reins of administration
Mr. Stanton was making his appeal to the
House of Representatives, hoping proba-
bly, to evoke the impeachment scheme, al
ready twice buried with the honors of war
The following is Stantons letter to Mr..
Colfax, enclosing a copy of the order by
which he was dismissed from office, just
handed him by General Thomas:
"WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington City, Feb q, '68.
"SlR: General Thomas has just deliv-
cred to me copy of the enclosed order,
which you will please communicate to the
House of Representatives.
"Your obedient servant,
EDWIN M. STANTON,
"Secretary of War.
"Hon Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the
House of Representatives"
On motion of Mr.. Washburn this corre-
spondence was referred to the Reconstruc-
tion Committee.
Mr. Covode offered resolution to the
effect that the President be impeached for
high crimes and misdemeanors. and this,
also, was referred to the same Committee.
Johnson's Last Message to Congress.