The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-02-12
to the law. but you. certainly did not

TO the law. but you certainly did not
you had marked ont for yourself
from the beginning" TheP President
argues at some length the legality of
his order to Grant to disregard Stan
tons orders, making the point that
Grant will not obey his direct orders,
::,uS viii obey his Indirect orders, the
President concludes: 'sWithout fur
ther comment upon the insubordi-
nate attitude which you have as
sumed, [ am at q loss to know how
you can relieve yourself from obedi-
ence to the orders of the President,
who is made by the Constitution the
Commander-in-Chief Of the army
and navy, and is therefore the official
superior as we'll of the General of the
Army as of the Secretary OF War
The following is the Presidents
letter to the Secretaries present at
the '14th Of January conversation
.'This mornings Chronicle contains
the correspondence between the Pre-
sident and Gen. Grant, reported
from the War Department, in answer
TO q acall from the House, which calls
attention to the correspondence-and
especially that part relating to the
conversations between Grant and the
President, and requests statement
of what was said on that OCCASION"
Secretary Welles says: "My recol-
lection of the conversation CORES
ponds with your statement of it, in
your letter of the 31st JANUARY. The
three points specified in that letter.
giving your recollection of the con-
versation, are correctly stated"
Secretary McCulloch says: "I can
not undertake to state the precise
language used, but I have no hesita-
tion in saying that your account of
that conversation, rs given in your
letter to Gen. Grant of the 31st, sub
stantially and in all important parti-
culars accords with my recollection
of it."
Secretary Randall says: II have
read carefully the correspondence in
question, and particularly the letter
of the President to Gen. Grant of the
31st. The following extract from
that letter is, according to my recol-
lection, correct statement of the
conversation that took place betw cen
the President and Gen. Grant, at the
Cabinet meeting on the 14th of Janu-
ary." Randall then quotes the Pre-
sident's version.
Stewards letter is quito long, Civ
ing detailed account of his recolIec-
ton of what occurred, quoting the
substance of what occurred. Seward
says: 81 did not understand Grant rs
denying nor as explicitly admitting
these statements in the form and full
extent to which you made them. His
admission of them was rather indi-
rect and circumventive. + did not
understand it to be All evasive one. "
Stewards letter caused shouts of alter
nate derision and incredulity from
the Republicans as his cautious mar
rativs proceeded.
Secretary Browning's letter is also
quite long, and mainly arepetition.
Grant has already written reply,
opening as follows: 81 have tile
honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your communication of the 10th inst, ,
accompanied by statements Of five
Cabinet officers of their recollection
of what occurred in Cabinet meeting
on the 14th of January. Without
admitting anything contained in
these statements, where they differ
from anything heretofore stated by
me, 1 propose to notice only that
)rtion of your communication
wherein I am charged with insubor-
dination." Grant then proceeds to
argue the point at some length.