The Placer herald., 1868-02-22
LAT EST BY TELEGRAPH.
WAsH1NeToN. February lltb.


The President to-day transmitted bis re-
ply to Grants letter Of the Sd instant, in
closing the statement Of five members Of the
Cabinet, present on the occasion Of Grants
con versation with the President on January
l4tb. The Prssident's letter is quite long
and pretty bitter against Grant. 1t says
Grant admits that from the time he accepted
the War Office ad interim he intended to cir
cumvent the President. II was to carry out
that intent that be accepted the appointment.
and not in obedience to the orders Of bis
superior, as has heretofore been supposed.
The President says: AT the time you a..
sumed the duties of the Office you knew that
it was the Presidents purpose to prevent
Stanton from assuming the Office Of Secre
tavy OF War. and you intended 10 defeat that
purpose. You accepted the otfice, not in the
in, crest Of the President, but Of Stanton. II
the purpose so entertained by you had been
ntfned 10 yourself-i, when accepting the
office, YOU had done 90 with mental reser
walton to Illustrate the President, it would
have been deception. To the eyes Of some
persons, such a course .is allowable. but you
cannot stand firm upon that questionable
ground. The history OF your connection
with this transaction, as written by your
sell. places you iu prsdicament. and
shows that you not on y concealed your de
sign from the President, bu; induced him TO
suppose you would carry out his purpose to
keep Stanton out Of office by retaining it
O urself after an attempted restoration by the
Senate, and thus require Stanton to establish
his right by judicial decision" The Pres
dent proceeds to quote Grants language, ad
mittipg that be agreed 10 hold TO the office
until the Court adjudicated upon the matter,
or to surrender it 10 the President before
Stanton was reinstated. He essays: "At the
date OF this conversation you did not intend
to bold the Office with the purpose offorcing
Stanton into Court, but YOU did hold 1t them
and had accepted it, to prevent that course;
in other words you ead to the President
This is the proper course; and said to
yourseIf-'I have accepted this Office and
now hold it to defeat this course.'" The
President goes on to auimadvert upon Grants
direct refusa Ito obey the only order directing
him not to recognize orders issued by Stan.
ton. He quotes Stauto"'s letter Of the Alb
instant, admitting that he had received no
orders from the President. nor held any
communication with the Executive. H.
adds: ut thus seems that Mr.. Stanton now
discharges the duties OF 'be War Department
without any reference to the President with
out using his name. My order to yon bad
only reference to orders assumed 10 be issued
BY the President. The President orders you
not to obey any order purporing to be made
by direction Of the President until you have
referred it to him for approval. You reply
you have received the Presidents order, and
will not obey it, but will obey any order pur
porting 10 be given by fis direction. it it
comes from the War Department You will
obey 20 direct order Of the President. but
will obey his indirect order. If, as you say,
there has been a practice 10 the War De-
partment 10 issue orders in tho name Of tho
President without his direction, the Pres.
dent does not know it. The present order
you have requested and received will change
the practice" The President concludes by
reproaching Grant for insubordination.
The letters appended are from the Secre
taries OF State, of the Interior, the Navy and
the Treasury, and the Postmaster General
sustaining the Presidents statement Of the
conversation with Grant in the Cabinet
meeting on January l4th.
Grants reply to the President is brief. 1t
relates only to the Charge of insubordination.
That is, he now admits that be did deIb
erately lie, after the President had proven
him liar by nearly the whole Cabiuet.-ED.