New-York tribune., 1868-04-23

mission OF General OF the army by breyet FAILING IN
tins he established department, Wbch ne called
the department of the Atlantic made the headquarters
OF that department in the City OF Washington ana as
signed GEN Sherman ats command. Gen Sherman
decned this position as he had declined the promotion
rendered by the President as Gen. sherman ana the
cure the support of that officer To hs plans 70 get posses
son OF the War Department. -, e,ou
lie then. occasions, is testified by Gen She
man-on the 27h and Sst Of January y-tendeTeh mn VA
very naturally To Geu sherman to inquire OF the fT ,
dent whether Mr. Stanton would retire voluntarily Ion
the Office and also to ask the President what ne H ~
do. and whether he would resort to force II % M Ss viii
would not yield The President answered; vi nc nc Vii
make no objection; YOU present tnTsssed tne by Gen
Sherman. the President remarked 1hn Sno" pres ra
dent knew Mr. stanton well % entertain any s scn
opinion OF his courage as he gave 20 hS was
this He desired. the rst place 70 ~ ITHSe wa oS Zen en-
Sherman TO accept tue once Si srf tha Mr. stanton
wonId retire willingly from his position trusting that
,h ~ SeeTefary of war Interim, he could be in
duced either upon the suggestion o tbo Ireslueht vi
under me influence Of natural dnenatlon on ms part
=, 1 IA, the accomplishment of anything which he had
nndertkeu TO seize War Department by force The
President very well knew that II Gen sherman accepted
ready the earliest moment To relnqulsh u INTO the
hands OF President and thus he hoped through the
agency Of Sherman 10 secure the possession OF the
Department for one OF his fayorites
During the period from the 18TH of January TO the 2st
of February he made an attempt TO enlist Gen George
II. Thomas in the same unlawful undertaking. Here,
also, he was disappointed Ihus 1t IS seen that from
August last the time when he entered Systematically on
MS tulrDO
retary for the Department of War; he has attempted to
the purpose he had IN view through the personal
influence and services Of the three principal officers OF
the army; and tha he has met with disappointment IN
each case Under these circumstances nothing remained
an open, wiilful. defiant violation OF law; and
IL was necessary for the accomplishment Of
his purpose that he should obtain the sup
port Of one and as his experience had satisfied him
that person Of capacity or respectabty, patriot
sought the assistance and aid of Lorenzo Thomas This
man, you have seen him, is old man, broken man.
any public service whatever in manner credtable TO
the cOuntry but possessing nevertheless, all the quail
tool OF ambitious, inscriptions criminal lie readily
accepted the place which the President Snered M nm
and there declarations which ne made
10 Wkens0n, Burelgh, and Karsner were maze as0 IN
the belief tnat they were % en s ese1t and that the
execution OF his purpose seize the War Department by
to se force there is no donbt from the tes
monv for he has himself confessed substantially the
prosecution who have testified TO that fact.
These statements were made by Thomas on the 2ls OF
February. when he received his letter OF authority 10
writing 10 take possession OF the War department The
agreement between the President ana Ihomas was con
summated on that day with one mlnd they were then
and on subsequent days engaged ana up 10 the
present time they engaged In the attempt TO get pos
session Of the War Department r stanton, as the sen
ate by resolution has declared being the lawful Secre
tary OF War, this proceeding ON their part was an
unlawful proceeding IL had IN view an I nnlaWlu,
purpose; IL was therefore, In contemplation OF
0uently bound by the declarations made by
Thomas in regard to taking possession of the War
of the 2s his purpose force thar on the
morning the Dad his mind had undergone change and
cisey the hour when his mind underwent tins change
but the evidence dscoses that upon his return from the
Supreme Of the District where he had been ar
raigned upon complaint made by Mr. stanton, which,
according 10 the testimony IA O'Clock thereabouts
he had an interview with the President and also
in evidence that at about the same time the President
iesrned that that officer would not obey command of
the President unless passed through Gen. Grant, as re-
The President understood perfectly well that he could
neither obtain from Gen. Grant nor transmit an
order through Gen. Grant for the accomplishment Of
purpose manlfestly unlawful; and inasmuch Gen.
Emory had indicated 10 him. IN the most distinct and
emphatic manner, his opinion that the law requiring all
orders 10 pass through the headquarters OF the General
commanding was constitutional, indicating also his
moment the President could have had no hope Of OBJ
tanning possession Of the Department Of War by force
II singular coincidence IN the history OF this case
that at OF about the same time Gen Thomas had an
interview with the President, and came to the con
clusiOn that IL would not be wise 70 resort 10 force
The President has sought 20 show his good intention by
the fact that on the 22d OF th Oh feDrhay ne
the Hon. Thomas Ewing sen as secretary lof uie Dc
partment Ct War. Mr.. Ewing is not an unknown man
He has been member OF the senate ana ie nGaa OF tn
Treasury Department HIS ablltles are nndonotea 0ut
the time OF his nomination he was IN the 18th year OF
the office moment longer than his OF public duty
required. IL the old game OF the President-the
man WI SHG %SS sf s pSstob and throws light upon
part his crime which is set forth in the eleventh
srtioie. ,..,--l,.--.
erpment From the nature OF the compelled
10 deal with minor acts Of crminaty by which he hoped
70 consumme this greatest OF crimes. -. -
In obedience 20 this necessity he appointed Grant hop
Ing TO use aud his influence with the army and fail
ing this TO get possession OF the place ana MI u win
one Of his own satellites. FOiled and disappointed in
this scheme he sought to use nrst & Gen. Sner1aE tnen
sr knowing that neither Of these gentlemen would re-
tain the office for any length Of uae ihers were men IN
tnued IN g. and obeyed the Constitution and the laws
Has he named ANY such person has he suggested any
such persOni His appointments and suggestions OF
appointments have been OF two sorts-honorable men,
who would not continue in the office or dishonor-
able worthless men, who not fit 10 hold the office.
The name Of Gen. Cox Of Ohio was mentioned IN the
dent bid meet with fayori Did he send his name to
the senatel No
have done so with the expectation Of holding u tll
March and with the purpose OF executing the duties
These were purposes wholly inconsistent with the Pre
dents schemes Of usurpato4 But Is It 70 be presumed
the removal Of Stanton and hs letter Of authority to
Lorezo Thomas on the rs r Ot e i & Wsr S
tany not on the afternoon Of the 2st he informs hs
Cabinet that sSp s believed ee TRomss
had deceived misled him On the 22d INST ne hsd als
covered ths stanton helG on Y .e psSs s~u sH"'
What was hIs Decessityf Simply resort 20 MS
0u Poney ne ose sS and also 70 Obtain the sanction Of
the Senate q nomination which would Work the re-
moval Of Mr. Stanton aud thus would triumph his
enemies and obtain cOndOnatOn for his crimes of the
3lst OF February. wellIad scheme, Dut destined 70
fail and furnish evidence Of his own guilty purposes
with the Office in the possession Of Mr Ewing he foresaw
that for the prosecution Of his plans. the place
would always be vacant .
Thus has this artful and criminal man pursued the
great purpose Of his life Consider the other circum
stances On the LIST OF September last Gen. Emory was
appointed the command Of the Department OF Wash
ington Ie has exhibited such sterling honesty and Wig
orons patrOtsm in recent troubles and during the
war that bear reference 70 his previous history
He was born IN Maryland and in the early part OF the
war the public mind Of the North questioned his fidelity
10 the Union His great services and untarnshed record
during the war are q complete defense against all
susoiclop but is II too much TO believe that Mr.
johnson entertained the hope that Cen EMORY might
be mace an instrument OF his ambiuoni NObiy has
Gen Emory undeceived the President and gained add
fional repown Ia the country In Cen Lorenzo Thomas
lie ulio