The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-02-18

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your own statement, placed yourself in
possession where, could / have anticipa-
ted your action, would have been COM
PEELED to ask you, jas was compelled
to ask OF your predecessor In the
W ar Departmen a letter of resignation,
or to resort to the more disagreeable ex-
pedient Of suspending you, by the ap-
pointment of successor.
As stated in your letter, the nomina-
tion of Gov. Cox of Ohio, for Secretary
of War, was suggested TO me, This sp-
pointment as Mr.. Stanton's successor.
was urged in your name, and it was said
that his selection would save further
embarrassment. I did not think that,
in the selection lof Cabinet officer, I
should be trammeled by such consider
ations. | was prepared to take the re-
sponsibility Of deciding the question; in
accordance with my ideas Of constitutions
al duties, and having determined upon .
course which / deemed right and proper,
was anxious to learn the steps you would
take should the possession Of the War
be demanded by Mr.. Stanton.
Had your action been in conformity with
the understanding between as, do not
believe that the embarrassment would
have attained its present proportions, or
that the probability Of its repetition
would have been so great. know that,
with a view to any early termination Of Is
state Of affairs SO determental to the pub
lie interests, you voluntarily offered,
both on Monday the 15th insf.,. and on
the succeeding Sunday, to caII upon Mr.
Stanton and urge upon him that the good
Of the service required his resignation
/ confess considered your proposal
as a sort Of reparation for Che failure On
your part to act in accordance with an
understanding more than once repeated,
which had received your full assent, and
under which you could have returned
to me the Office which I had conferred
upon you, thus saving yourself from en-
barfassments and leaving the RESPONSE
bility where it properly belonged, with
the President, who IS. accountable for
the faithful execution Of the law.
/ have not yet been informed By you
whether, as twice propose d yourself, you
had called upon Mr.. Stanton and made
an effort to induce him, voluntarily, to
resign from the War. Department.
You conclude your Communication,
Withsa reference to eur eoByersation at
the meeting of the Cabinet held on the
18th inst. In your account Of what
there occurred, you say that after the
President had given his version Of our
previous conversation, you stated that
Substantially as giyenin your letter, AID
that you in no wise admitted the correct
ness in. his statement, though Ito soften
the evident contradiction my statement
made, 4 said, ailudlng to our first CON-
munleation Oh the subject, the President
might have understood in the way he
said sviz:that1 had promised to resign
if l did not resist reinstatement. I made
no such promise = - ~
NY recollection OF what then trans
Tered IS Numerically the reverse Of your
narratlon, In the presence of the Cab
met asked you first, if in converse
tion which took place shortly safter your
appointment as Secretary of War adj
IaterFas, you did agree to remain at the :
head Of the War Department., and abide
I0v ird .1Ht4egS dings that might fol-
VIZ. Stanton j suspension or shon:d YOU Soss=s
lroyersy to put me IN the same p0s1frun
with reference to the ofice as previous to
yosr appointment, By returning il to me-
in time to anticipate such action by the
Senate. This you admitted.
Seconded then asked you If. at the
time of the conference on the preceding