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

wy ASSpSSliullyJ JOuI ODGulch
servant,
ALEXANDER w. RANDALL,
Postmaster General.
To the President.
FROM SECRETARY BROWNING.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTRRIOR,l
WAsHISGTOM, ID. e., Feb. 8. 1858
l am in receipt of yours Of yester
day, calling my attention to a cor
respondence between yourself ant
General Grant, published in the
Chronicle, and especially to that
part Of said correspondence which
refers to the conversation between
the President and Gen, Grant, at
the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday,
the l4th of January, and requesting
me to state what was said in that
conversation.
In reply | submit the following
statements: At the Cabinet meet
ing, Tuesday, Jan. II, 1868, Gen,
eral Grant appeared and took his
accustomed seat at the Board. -
When he had been reached, in the
order of business, the President
asked him, as usual, il he had any
thing to present In reply, the
General, referring to a note which
he had that morning addressed to
the President, inclosing a copy Of
the resolution Of the Senate refus-
ing to concur in the reasons for the
suspension Of Mr.. Stanton, pro.
ceeded. to say that he regarded his
duties as Secretary Of War ad in
terim terminated by that resolution,
and that he could notlawfully exer-
else such duties for a moment af.
ter the adoption Of the resolution
that the resolution reached him last
night, and that this morning he
had gone to the War Department,
entered the Secretary's room, bolt,
ed one door on the inside, locked
the other on the outside, delivered
the key to the Adjutant General,
and proceeded to the headquarters
ofth@Army, and addressed the note
above mentioned to the President,
informing him he was no longer
Secretary Of War dd interim.
The President expressed great
surprise at the course which Gencr-
al Grant had thought proper to pur-
sue, and, addressing himself to the
General, proceeded to say, in sub.
stance, that he had anticipated such
action of the Senate, and being
very desirous Of having the Tenure
Of Office Bill tested, and his right
TO suspend or remove member Of
the Cabinet decided by the judicial
tribunals Of the country he had
some time ago, and shortly after,
Gen. Grants appointment as Secre.
tQEy OF War dd interim, asked the
General what his action would be
in the event that the Senate should
refuse to concur in the suspension
of Mr.. Stanton, and that the Gencr.
al had then agreed either to remain
at the head Of the War Department
until decision could be obtained
from the Court, or resign the office
into the hands Of the President be-
fore the case was acted upon by the
Senate, 80 as 10 place the President
in the same situation he occupied at
the time Of General Grants ap-
pointment.
Tho President further said that
the conversation was resumed on
the preceding Saturday, at which
time he asked the General what he
intended TO do If the Senate should
undertake to reinstate Mr.. Stanton,
In reply to which the General refer
red TO their former conversation
upon the same subject, and said
"You understand my position, and
my conduct will be cOnformable to
that understanding, that he the
General then expressed a repug
nance to being made a party to
judicial proceeding, saying he would
expose himself 10 fine and imprls
Onment; that, continuing 10 dis
charge the duties of Secretary of
War al Interim, after the Senate
should have refused TO concur IN
the suspension Of Mr. Stanton,
would be a violation of the Tenure
nf.OAlce Bill" In reply to this the
informed General Grant
hat be had not suspended Mr.
Stanton under tho Tenure-of Office
BIZ, bat by virtue Of the power
conferred on him by the Constitu /
ion and as 10 the huc and impris- Z