Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-02-11

and he 1uriher Gays that since he resumed
fhe duties Of the once he has continued 70 dis
ebaree them, "without any personal or writ
addf, sNo orders have been issued from this
Dt partment in the name of the President, with
ny hnewlsdge, and have received no orders
fr00 him" -.... #....--.
1t thus seems that Mr. Stanton now dis.
charges the duties of the War Department
without any reference TO the President and
without using his name.
Ny order to you had only reference to orders
''ass umed to be issued by direction of the Presi.
dent" It would appear from Mr.. Stanton's
letter that you have received nc such orders
from him. However, in your note to the Pres.
ident Of the Seth ultimo, in which You acknowl.
edge the receipt of the within order of the 29th
you say that you have been informed by Mr.
Stanton that he has not recei we'd any order lin
iting his authority to issue orders to the army.
according TO the practice Of the Department
and state that "while this authority to the War
Department is not countermanded, II will b.
satisfactory evidence 70 me that any orders
issued from the War Department by direction
OF the President, are authorized by the Ex-
ecutiye."
The President issues an order to you to obey
no order from the War Department purporting
to be made 'by the direction Of the President >
until You have referred it TO him for his ap-
proval You reply that you have received the
Presidents order and will not obey it, but will
reciion fit comes from the War Department. You
will not obey the direct order of the President,
but will obey his indirect order. If, as you
say, there has been a practice in the War De-
partment to issue orders in the name
OF the President without his direction,
does not the precise order you
have requested, and have received, change the
practice as TO the General Of the army! Conld
not the President countermand any such CON-
mands issued TO You from the War Department
II you should receive an order from the De-
partment, issued in the name of the President,
10 do special act, and an order from the
President directly, not to do the act, is
there doubt which You ought to obey
You answer the question when yon say to
the President i'm your letter Of the 3D. instant,
the Secretary of War is s.my superior and your
subordinate" and yet you refuse obedience 10
the superior out of Difference to the subo rdinate
without further comment upon the subordi-
nate attitude you have assumed, am at "A loss
to know how you can relieve yourself from
obedience to the orders of the President, who is
made by the Constitution commander in = ch ief
of the army and navy, and is therefore the offi-
cial superior, as well Of the General Of the
yours. ANDREW Johnson
General U. s. GRANT, Commanding Armies Of
the United States, Washington, ID. e..
Copy Of a letter addressed to each OF the
members OF the Cabinet present at the CONVEX
satiOn between the President and Gen. Grant
on the 18th of January, 1865:
EXKCUTIvE MANSION, WARRINGTON. ID. C.,
Feb. ), 1e6s.-.Sir: The "Car0nicic'' Of this
morning contains 9 correspondence betwee Ell
from the War Department, IN answer to q re5o-
luton Of the House of Representatives. l beg
to call your attention To that correspondence.
and especially to that part of it which refers to
the conversation between the President and
General Grant AT the Cabinet meeting on the
14th of January. and TO request yOn to state
what was said in that conversation.
Very respectfully, yours,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
WAsBINeToN, ID. c., Feb. 5. lsss.-Sir: Your
mote OF this date was handed to me this eye-
ming. My recollection of the conversation at
the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the l4th of
January corresponds with your statement OF ii
in the letter Of the 3Ist ult.. in the published
correspondence. The three points specified in
that letter, giving your recollection of the con-
fully. GIDEON WELLEs.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Feb 6. 1S6S.-!>.r:
1 have received your note of the 9TH instant,
calling my attention TO the correspondence be-
tween yourself and Gen. Grant, published in
the CkrcaicIe Of yesterday, especially to that
part OF il which relates to what occurred at
cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Iith uIt..
and requesting me 10 stale what was said i'm the
conversation referred 10.
i cannot undertake 10 state the precise Ian
guage used. but have no hesitation in saying
that your account of the con versation-as given
IN your letter TO General Grant of the 3lst llt-
substantially and in all important particulars
accords with my recollection of it.
win great respect, your OBJ servant,
To The fyes6ieaf HUGH MCCULLoCB.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, WASHING
TON, d. c., Feb 6, 1a;-.-Sir am i'm receipt of
yours OF yesterday, calling my attention to a
correspondence between yourself and General
Grant. published IN the Chroptcl newspaper,
and especially 10 that part Of said correspon-
dence (which refers to the conversation be.
tween the President and General Grant At the
Cabinet meeting on Tuesday the 18th of Janu-
ary,' and requesting me ''to state what was
said in that connection"
In reply submit the following statement
At the Cabinet meeting Tuesday, The 14th
January, 1865, Gen. Grant appeared and took
his accustomed seat at the board. When he had
been reached in the order of business, the Pres
ident a. ked him a. usual il he had anything TO
present. In reply the General, after referring
to note which he had that morn ming addressed
to the President enclosing copy of the
resolution OF the Senate refusing to
IN of Mn s the
say that he regarded his duties as Secretary OF
War dd 'nteJim terminated by that resolution,
and that he could not lawfully exercise such
duties for mement after the adoption of the
resolution by the Senate. That the resolution
reached him last night, and that this morning he
had gone 10 the War Department; entered the
Secretary's room; OOlted one door the
side; locked the other on the outside;
delivered the key to the Adjutant General, and
proceeded TO the Headquarters OF the Army and
addressed the note above mentioned TO thu Pres
no longer Secretary VI War cd Interim. The
President expressed great surprise Al the
course which Geasral Grant had thought
proper 10 pursue, and. addressing himself
TO the General, proceeded TO say, in sub
STANCE. that he had anticipated such
action Oh the part II The Senate, and, being very
desirous 10 have the constitutionality of The
Tenure of Office bill tested and his right TO re.
move member OF the Cabinet decided by
the Judicial tribunals OF the country, he
had some time ago, and shortly after Gen
riai Grants appointment as Secretary OF
WM od interim, asked the General what
his action would be in the event that the Sen.
al. should refuse 10 concur in the suspension
OF MIR. stanton. and that the General had then
agreed with me TO remain Al the head OF the
War department till decision could be ob-
into thr hands of the President before
The case was acted upon by the Senate
20 AS to place the President in the same
situation he occupied 1T the time OF his (ti irants)
appointment. The President further said that
the conversation was renewed on the pnp-
ceding Saturday, at which time he asked
the General " bar he intended to do if the
Mr.. stanton, IN reply 10 which the General
referred 10 their former conversation upon the
same subject, and said you understand NV
position, and nv conduct will be con formabie
10 that understanding; that he, the General,
then express repugnance 10 being made
party 10 a Judicial proceeding saying that he
" GU Id expose himselfto f1ne and Imprisonment
IieS OF Secretary Of War od interim, after IN
Senate should have refused TO concur
in the suspension OF Mr.. Stanton, would he a
violation OF the tenure.of-ofiice bill That in
reply TO this he, Che, President,) Informed
Gen. Grant that lac had not suspended Mr.