St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-01-10
Secretary Stanton's Defence.
REPORT OF THE SENATE MILITARY COM
MITTEE.

REPORT OF THE SENATE MILITARY COM
MITTEE.
The report of the senate military COM
mittee on Secretary Stanton's case, pre-
pared and written by Mr.. Howard OF
Michigan, amounts to full justification
of the suspended official, and severe CEN
sure on the president for his action. The
document first discusses the tenure of Of
flee act, under which the Suspension was
made, and asserts that the president can
only order the suspension of an officer
upon satisfactory proof of misconduct in
office, crime, mental or physical disablll-
ty, or legal disqualification. He must
be satisfied 10y the evidence, and both Of
ficers are equally bound under the con-
stitution, and responsible to the people,
for the discharge Of their duties. Dis
cussion of the constitutionality Of the
tenure of office act is omitted; the COM
rnittee say that, Notwithstanding his for
mer veto, the president, by his proceed
ings in the case of AIR. Stanton, has re-
cugnized its binding force.
The report then examines in detail the
various reasons submitted by the presl-
dent for the removal of Secretary Stan
ton, beginning with that first alleged, in
su3ordination and defiance of superior
off ccrs The offense was involved i'll
the curt and laconic reply of the secre-
tary to the presidents note, requesting
his resignation, that public considera-
tions Of a high character constrained him
not to resign before the next meeting OF
| Congress-" and the committee say that
the refusal to resign was no otfensc at all.
| That Mr.. Stanton's opinions of public
considerations were as valuable and de-
cisive as Mr.. Johnson's. The commit
tee charge that the real and ultimate mo-
tive OF the president i'll soaking the resig-
nation, was to secure the cooperation OF
some willing tool, whom ne would APP
point to the war Office, and who would
nd him for four months at least, in OBJ
.tructing the congressional plans OF re-
construction, and the defeat OF the con-
stitutional amendment.
The president says in Justification OF
his course, that although Mr.. Stanton
may have had the right to hold these
opinions, lone thing is certain, it was
official misconduct, to say tine least, to
parade them before his superior Officer"
In reply to this, Senator Howard grows
indignant and asks:
| Is this SO Has it come to pass in the
| United States that because public otii-
Ger refuses to resign his place on demand
of the executive, and refuses because, In
his opinion public interests require 1t, he
becomes guilty OF official misconduct AMI
worthy being degraded from his Office
IT 50, then the president, for the time be
ING dressed in little brief authority, is
the final and intallible Judge of what pub
! lie interest requires. Congress and It's
laws are nothing, and however wanton
and wicked he may be, it becomes official
misconduct to differ with him in opinion
and make known to him the difference
| l. Mr.. johnson serious III this most arbl-
trarv assumption Can he no longer
brook to be told that his course is wrongl
Does he regard mere difference OF Opin-
ion Is to the propricty of carrying out
the legislation OF Congress a. official mis-
conduct 1t would seem SO from the po-
sition here taken. Bat we cannot couu-
tentncc a doctrine so absolute and des-
potic. Ii is not merely a step towards
tyranny. but is of itself the essence of
! tyranny.
Mr.. johnson. in the subsequent part
of his report tells us that he il the re
~ponsiblc head OF the administration. and
when the opinions OF heads "t depart
ments are irreconcilably opposed to those
of the president in grave matters OF poll
rv and administration. there is but one
result that can resolve the difficulty, and
that Is the severance OF relations.
History and precedent are quoted to
support the position of the report, and
the example OF Washington, retaining in
his cabinet both Jefferson and Hamilton
w.len violently opposed 10 each OF her on
.ravest matters Of policy and aimiuis-
Iraiion, adduccd against the action OF the
president. The committe, pay high
tribute to Mr. Stanton's ability and re-
cord OF diligence and patriotism during
the war. I'VE recognize in his refusal
to resign no misconduct, no fault but
"a the contrary. we are OF the opinion
that in So doing he consulted both his
duty and the best interests OF the coun-
ty We cannot sympathize with that
spiiit which, without liking upon him 50
much as a plausible charge of miscon-
duct, would cast him down and ruin his
wcll-esrned reputation
The report next takes up the charge
that Mr. Stanton concurrcd in the veto
nf the tenure OF office bill, and the COM
mittec affirm their bsliet in Mr.. Stan
ton's sincerity, and say that some OF the
best lawyers in the country support him
in his opinion. They also cite the con-
duct OF Jefferson, Hamilton AMI NIadi-
son under similar circumstances, and
point ont the confusion which must arise
should each executive officer of the gov
ernmont claim the right to decide the
constitutionality y. the laws passed by
Congress. The charge that Mr.. Stanton
was at one time supporter OF the presi-
dents policy, and is partly responsible
for il, is denied. and the real authorship
OF the ''policy" is credited to Secretary
Seward. On the subject of the New Or
leans riot and massacre, the report is
very full, and exhausts all the available
testimony to show that MIR. johnson re-
garded the re-assembling of the conven-
ton as an instruction and rebellion. and
ITS members insurgents or traitors, and
that he intended that the military should
be used TO ptu it down" Mr.. Stanton is
acquitted OF all blame in the affair, and
had he uof I,aen kent in Ignorance of the