The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-02-19

"HEApouARrERs UNITED STATES ARMY,
t Washington, &C., Feb. 8, 1863
His Excellency Andrew johnson, President of the
United States : s#xrz d z4rg .7S# Sa54z.- .-"r
"tSir--I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
of your communication Of the 3lst ult in answer to
mine of the 26th ult After careful reading and
parson of the article in the National 1ntegencer, of
the 18th ult, with the article over the initials J. B. S.
in the New York World Of the 9th ult purporting to
be based upon your statement, and shat of the men,
bers of the cabinet therein named find it only to be
but reiteraon, somewhat in detail, of the many
and q oss misrepresentation contained in these art
eles and which my statement OF facts set forth IN
letter OF the 2Sth ut intended to correct, and
herein reassert the correctness of my statements in
that letter. anything in your reply to the contrary not
withstanding. ri 3s..r %=+4E =zst.5 + S.gs \
AZ confess my surprise that the cabinet officers re-
ferred to should greatly msapprehend the facts in
the matter of admssio alleged to have been made by
at the cabinet meeting the 18th u as to suffer
their to be made the basis of the charges the
newspaper articles referred to to the accuracy
you Affirm they do, OF your account OF what occur
red at that meeting. 5+"E5@ sE# Wy @"z J-"@'.
'sYou know that parted on the lth ult., without
any promise my part, expressed or implied, that
would hold to the Office of secretary of ad in
term against the action of the Senate declining to
do So would surrende r it to you before such action
was had or that l would see you again at any fixed
time the subject The performance of the promise
alleged to have been made BY me would have involved
resistance of the law and inconsistency with the
whole history Of my connection with the suspension OF
Mr.. Stanton 80
From our conversation and my written protest of
August sbi, against the removal or Mr Stanton,
you must nave known that my greatest objection to his
removal was the fear that would be appointed
his stead who would, by opposition to the laws rela
ting 70 the restoration of the Southern States to their
proper relation to the government enbarrass the army
in the performance OF the duties especially imposed
upon by the laws, and that prevent such an
appointment that accepted the appointment of secre
tarv of ad interim aud not for the purpose of en-
abling you to get rid of Mr. Stanton by Withholding it
from him in opposition to law, or, not doing so myself
surrender to who, as the statement and assump
ton in your communication plainly Indicate was
sought aud it was to avoid this danger well as to
relieve YOU from the personal embarrassment which
Mr. Stantons reinstatement would place you, that
urged disappointment of Coy Cox, believing It would
be agreeable you, aud also to Mr. Stanton satisfied
was. that it the good OF the country and not
the office tie latter desired,
On the l3tE ut., IN the presence OF Gen. Sherman,
sta ed to you that thought Mr.. Stanton would re-
sign but did not say would advise him to do On
the 18th did agree with Gen. Sherman to go and ad
wise him to that course, end the 18th Ihad an
view with Mr. Stanton, which led me to the conclusion
that my advice would be useless, and SO informed Gen.
Sherman. Before consented to advise Mr. Stanton
to resign, understood from him, in conversation on
the subject Immediately his reinstatement that ii
his opinion that the act OF Congress- entitled an
act temporarily 20 supply vacancies the executive
departments IN certain eases. approved February 90
1868, repealed By subsequent legislation which,
latter Influenced my action. Previous to this time Fl
had no doubt that the law of 1858 still in force;
and notwithstanding my action, full examination of
the law leaves question mind whether it is or
i not repealed. This being the could net now
advise bis resignation, les; the same danger aprTe