The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-02-14
JoIISsoN's REPLY no GEN. GRINr.
4 Lying De.."yoo~e rs. % Bra-e soldier.
Grant has him q. righ, Grasp.

Grant has him is Tight Grasp.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Feb. II, 1868.
GENERAL 1.-The extraordinary character Of
your letter of the Sd inst, wouh seem To pre-
clulle any reply ON my part, but the manner in
which publicity has been given TO the CORES
pondence Of which thu, letter forms part, and
the grave questions which are involved, induce
me To take this mole Of giving as u proper 81
quel 10 the communications which have passed.
between Us the statements Of the five membcrs
Of the Cabinet, who were present ON the occasion
Of our conversation ON the nth ultimo. Copies
Of the letters which they have allresscl TO me
upon the subject, arc accordingly herewith Gu
closed.
You speak Of my letter OF the Slst ultimo as
reiteration Of the many anil gross misrcprcscn-
tations contained in certain newspaper articles,
AMI rcsssert the corrvctness Of the statement in
your communication Of the 18th ult., adding
and here give your worls-"anythingi in yours
in reply To IL to the contrary, notwithstanding. ="
When controversy uron matters offsct reaches
the point to which this has been brought. further
assertion or denial between the immediate par
ties should cease, especially when upon either
side il lcscs the character Of the respectful dis
c,ission which Is requircl by the relation in
which the parties stand to each other, and de
generates in tone and temper. In such q case.
II there is nothing to rely upon but the opposing
statements, conclusions must lie drawn from
those statements alone, and from whatever in
trinsic probabilities they offer in favor or against
either Of the parties. should not shrink from
this controversy, but fortunately il Is not LEFT to
this test alone. There were Ave Cabinet officers
present at the conversation, the details Of which
= N.ss -.fs 49, l..rt
You allow yourself to say II contains many
and gross INTERPRETATIONS These gentlemen
heard that conversation and have read my state
ment. They speak for themselves, and l leave
the proof without word Of comment.
| deem il proper before concluding this CON-
munication, to notice some OF the statements con-
t,incl in your letter. You say that perfor-
nance Of the premises alleged to have been made
10y you to the President would have involved
resistance to law anil an Inconsistency with the
whole history Of YOUR connection with the
pension Of Mr.. Stanton. You then state that
YOU h,l fears that the President would. by the
removal Of Mr. Stanton, appoint some one in his
place who woull embarrt-s the army In carry
Inc out the Reconstruction act, and aid, at was
u prevent such an appointment that accepted
the Office Of Secretary Of War ad Interim, and
not for the purpose Of enabling you to get rid Of
Mr.. Stanton by my holding II from him in opPo-
siton to the law. or not doing 50 myself, sur
rcnlering Il TO one who would, ~ the statement
nnl assumptions IN your communication plainly
Indicate. 10 sought first Of ALL"
You here admit that from the very beginning
OF what you term the "whole history" Of your
connection with MIR. Stlnton's suspensioh, you
intended to circumyent the President. IL was
to carry out tia, intent that you accepted the
appointment. This MS in your mini Mt the
time Of your acceptance. II was not, then, in
Obedience to the orler Of your superior, ~ has
heretofore been supposed, that you assumed the
duties Of the office. You knew il WAS the Prcsi-
dents purpose TO prevent Mr.. Stanton from re
suming the Office OF SECRETARY Of War, and You
intended 10 defeat that purprc. You accepted
the occ not in the interest Of the President hut
Of Mr.. Stanton. IL the purpose 80 entertained
by you hai been eoninci TO yourself, IL when
accepting the Office you hal done ~ with men,
tal reservation TO Illustrate the President Il would
have been tscit DECEPTION.
% I'm the esteem OF some persons such course Is
allowable but YOU cannot stand even upon that
questionable ground. The history Of your con-
ncction with this transaction. rs written by
yourself, places you in n different prSlicament
and shows that YOU not only conccllcl your de-
sicn from the President, bu, induced him To
suppose that you would carry out his purpose tn
Keep Mr.. Stanton out Of office by retaining il
Yourself after an attempted restoration by the
Senate, 30 rs to rcquirc Mr.. Stanton to establish
his rights by q judicial decision.
now give that part Of this history rs written
by yourself in your letter Of the 18th ultimo;
..s..ms time aitsr assumed the duties Of Secre-
tary ol War, al isfsrns the President askcsi ms my
IN
pursue, la case the Senate shouid not concur Ina
tho suspension, to "btsn possession ofthis otiice
My reply Was In substance, that Mt. stanton
would have To appea tu the courts To rcnsiate
him. illustrating ny opinion ny citing tho grvand
] had taken In tho case VI tho BAlSimore fOlice
Commissioners"
Now ut that time, as you admit in your letter
of the al inst, you he'll the oaicc for tho very
object OF defeating an appeal TO the courts. In
that letter you say that in accepting the Office
one motive was To prevent the President from
appointing some other pcr>on Who woull retain
POSSESSION. and thus make JUDICIAL proceedings
necessary. You know the rrc~klsnt was un-
willing TO trust the office with any one, Who
would not by holling il compel Mr.. Stanton TO
rr-ort 30 the courts. You perfectly understood
that In. this interview, some time after you ae-
ceptci the oficc. the President, not content with
your silence. dcsircl an expression Of your views
and YOU answered him that Mr.. Stanton would
have 10 appeal to the courts. II the president
had reposel confidence (beforc he knew your
yicws) and that confidence had been violated. !,
might have been said he made mistake. But
aviolaiion Of confidence reposed aher that con-
versation was no mistake Of his nor Of yours.
Il u the f,ct only that needs be stated, that At
the date Of the conversation you did not intend
10 hold the Office with the purpose of forcing Mr..
Stanton into court, but dI not hold Il then anil
hsi accepted Il to prevent that course nom BE-
ing carried out. In other woris you sAid TO the
President, "thst Is the proper course" and YOU
said TO yourself. al have accepted this ONCE and
now hold Il TO defeat that course"
The excuse you make in q subsequent para
graph Of that letter Of the 18th ul,,. that aner-
wards you changed Jour views - to What would
b proper eourss. hss nothing. TO DO With the
point under consideration. The point 10 that
before you changed your views you hsd secretly
determined to do the very thing which at last
YOU did, TO surrender the Office 10 Mr.. Stanton.
You may have ehanrci your views as to claw,
.-x.,,Iv Al MA .k..-. ~..,- v,cvwu A.