The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-03-03
The Presidents Views on the Situation
From the New York Herald.

\ The removal of Secretary Stanton has take
perhaps the whole country-b
surprise. 1t is regarded as perfect Presider
tial coup Petat. frightens the timid. astounds tn
Radicals, rejoices the Democrats and electrife
all classes. The condition of affairs here, indeed
strikes one as somewhat portentous of disorde
and revolution, but [ think it safe to predict tina
the country will not go to pieces over the matter
and that few days will develop the fact tina
no serious peril exists.
| Your correspondent had an interview witt
his Excellency, and found him not stricken will
fear or trembling, but smiling and radiant. II
better humor and spirits than for many months
The President received your correspondent after
| the usual hour for visitors, and granted him hall
an hours interview. After the customary salu-
tations your correspondent remarked that the
country was somewhat taken by surprise by the
removal of Stanton and the appointment of
Thomas as Secretary od interim.
The President smiled and inquired, s'Well,
what do the people say? suppose they are sur
prised; but l have only done what l had deter
mined upon long ago"
COrrespondent-The removal. then. is not in
pursuance of recent determination on YOUR part
Mr. PRESIDENT"
The Presldent-''Not at all sir. The people
seem to have mistaken my course altogether in
this matter. | never had but one determination
on the subject, but | have acted carefully. pru-
IDENTIFY and moderately. Perhaps | have been
too slow about removing Mr. Stanton, but not be-
cause [ feared the bugbear of impeachment or
that dreaded anything that Congress might do.
Nothing that body could attemp pit or carry out
would intlmidate or surprise me- know they
are capable of doing anything. I DELAYED final
action solely toilet the country see and under
stand the position Of Mr. Stanton We first in
tmated to him that We would like him to with
draw from our privy council. He did not take
the hint. We then requested him to resign.
lie refused. We then suspended him. under
the constitutional power which we have to sus-
pend or remove member of our Cabinet The
act OF suspension was also not in conflict with
the Tenure-ofOhice BILL though We did not. |
therefore, recognize its constitutionality. Asa
matter OF courtesy we sent reasons for our action
to the Senate. That body pretended not to con-
Slder those reasons sufficient, and assumed to re-
hstate Mr. Stanton in cfice Well. we still |
waited, hoping Mr. Stanton would see the pro-
pretty OF resgnlng himself General Sherman
md General Grant offered to 90 to Stanton and
dvse him to resign. Here is letter which
indicates what they proposed =
The President here allowed your correspop-
lent to read the following letter to him from
General Shernan:-
o22 K STREET, WASHINGTON,
Jan 18-Saturday.
L neglected this morning to saw that 7 had
greed to so down to Annapolis to spend Sunday
.th Admiral Porter General Grant has to
ave for Klchmond on Monday morning, at six i
|. VI. AT conversation with the General af
II our interview, wherein | offered to 60 with f
I'M on Monday morning to Mr. Stanton and saw !
lat 1t was our joint opinion he should resign 7
was found impossible by reason of his going to a
richmond and my going to Annapolis. The h
eneral proposed this course He will call on a
'u tomorrow and offer to 90 to Mr. Stanton to S
y for the good Of the service and of the conn t
y he ought to resign. This on Sunday. On
onday VIII again call on you, and if you think y
necessary l will do the same-call on Mr. Stan
and tell him he should On. IF he will
t. then 1t Will be time to contrive Interior mea !
res In the meantime it so happens that no +
cesslty exists for precipitating matters =
Yours truly, W. I. SHERMAN, 1t Gen ot
he President then continued after wa;tinp v
reasonable time he thought proper to order the NJ
noval OF Mr. Stanton and to appoint General fl
tomas Secretary of War al interim. This is W
: whole story u
Corespondent-"Was this step discussed in
laulnet Counsel, Mr. President 90 ..
he President-'No, sir; not precisely A b
neral policy was agreed upon some time AFRO D.
l the renewal to-day is in accordance there Of
n. ! have just received a copy of the reso- II
ION adopted by the Senate tonight in execu- lei
e session. or
Correspondent What will the Senate do, Lie
PRESIDENT, under that resolution, if YOU still rt
st upon having Gen. Thomas act as Secretary M
tntcrin?' D.
he President-'I don't see that thew can do lor
thing. The resolution itself is the end of tlo
ter, so Tar as the Senate is concerned unless ado
House presents articles of impeachment and
Senate undertakes to try the Executive and
ives Itself into a high court of imneach- mn,
IT, Iii po"'H- MT
,,, Ju
you think Congress really
attempt impeachment, Mr. PRESIDENT" mo
he Presdent-''I don't know indeed. nor .Ju,
care. 1t would make very little difference bet
le" NV :;
our correspondent here asked what the Prcsi ven
would Go III the event of the passage of Mr. into
FUNDS bill OF suspension, to which the Presi- +
answered, substantially, Sir, I would mot and
the law if they attempted to SUSPEND ne
law is clearly unconstitutional There is y reac
against 1t which you gentlemen of the press \
to have altogether overlooked The bill of call
t0r Edlnunds to suspend during trial would stoo
ub;edly be an er post .tacto law SO far as nv S
would be concerned. Such law is declared Il
by the very language of the plan
hutton Itself: My offence, We will suppose NJ
!. removal OF Mr. Stanton. That is an ac- impt
i'sheu lac'. ANY law prescribing penalty Cou
Ii" act would be er post .facfo, and there no c
How. therefore, can Con- NJ
legally pass bill OF such a character do a