Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-02-14
By Telegraph.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF UNIrED1
STATES. Washington, d. c.,
lAnN

STATES. aSnlilgtOll, ~. -,
Feb. 3. lS6S,
10 His Efcellcacy Aa,lre,o Johnson, Pest
dent Of The intel S:ases.
SIR:--l have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your communication Of the
3lst ult.. in answer to NINE of the 2Sth ult.
After careful reading and comp trison OF
ii with the article ia the National lntelli-
xencer of the 18th u.s.. and the article over
the initials of',J Il. So in tile n. \. World
of the 29tll ult., p;lrporting to be DaSed
upon Your statement and that OF the ihem-
beers of the cabinet therein named, L hia
it only TO be a reiteration, only somewhat
more in detail, of the ma.,y and gross mis-
representations contained in those articles,
AMI which my statement of the facts set
forth IN my letter of tn. 2Sti ult.. was IN
tended to correct, and here reassert the
correctness of my statement in that letter,
anything in your reply to it to the contra
~ notwithstanding.
comics my surprise that the cabinet
officers referred to siioud SO greatly mis-
apprehend the facts in the matter of ad-
missions alleged to have been made by me
at the cabinet meeting on the 4th ult.. As
to suffer their names to be made the basis
of the charges i'll the newspaper article
referred to, or agree to the accuracy. rs
YOU affirm they do, of Your account OF
what occurred at that meeting. on know
that we parted on Saturday, the llth uit.,
without any promise OIL my part. either ex-
pressed or implied. to the effect that l
would hold on to the office OF Secretary OF
War ad interim against the ACTON Ol tnc
Senate. or declinng TO do 50 myse!t.wolid
surrender it to yon before such action WIS
had. or that would see you again at any
fixed time on the subject. The p'r.ofn-
an,e of the promises alleged to have been
made by me would have Involved resist
ance OF the law and all Inconsistency with
the whole history of my connection with
the suspension of Mr. Stanton. From our
conversation and my written protest OF
August lst, 1861, against the removal OF
Mr.. Stanton, You must have Known t1at
INV greatest objection to his removal was
the fear that some Que would be appointed
In his stead who would, by opposition to
the laws relating to the restoration OF the
southern States to their proper relation to
the government, enlbarrass the army IN the
performance of the duties especially ial-
posed upon it by the laws, and that it was
t, prevent such an appointm snt that ac-
cepted ths appointment of Secretary of
War ad interim, and not for the purpose Of
enabling you TO get rid of Mr.. Stanton by
my withholding it from him i'll opposition
TO the law. or. not doing so myself, surrci-
der 1t to one who. as the statement and as
sumption in your communication plainly
indicate, was sought. and 1t was to avoid
this danger as well as to relieve you from
the personal embarrassment in which Mr..
Sranton's reins. asemcnt would place you
that urged the appointment Of Gov. Cox
believing that it would be agreeable to you
aud also to Mr.. Stanton. sd i>iiei; as was
that it was the good of the country ana not
the Office that the latter desired.
On the 18th ult., in tho presence OF Gen.
Sherman, l stated to you that | thought
Mr.. Stanton would resign. but did not say
would advise him to do so. On the 18th.
did agree with Gen. Sherman to go and
advise him to that course, anu on the 18th.
ult. had an interview alone with Mr..
Stanton which led me to the conclusion
that any advice to him OF this kind would
be useless. and 50 Informed General Sher-
man. Before l consented to advise Mr..
Stanton to resign understood from hun
III conversation OH the subject immcd-
ately after his reinstatement. that it was
lis opinion that the act of Congress. enti.
tied an act temporarily to supply va"an-
cies in the executive department in certain
cases. approved Feb goth, 1868, WAS re-
pcaled by subsequent legislation. which
materially influenced my action. Previous
1868 was still in force, anG notwithstanding
my action, a fuller examination of the law
leaves a question in my mind whether 1t IL
or is not repealed. This being the case. |
could not now advise his 'ignation. lest
the same danger l apprelended from his
first removal might follow.
The course you have understood agreed
to pursue was in vocation of law, ana tina
without orders from You, whil,, the course
did pursue, and which never doubted
You fully understood, was in accordance
with law. and not in disobcdicnce to any
orders of my superior.
And now, Mr.. President. when my hon
or as soldier and integrity rs Il man have
been so violently assailed, pardon me for
saying that can but regard the whole
matter from begnnin. TO end as an at
tempt to involv me in the resistance of a
law. for which yon hesitated to assume
the responsibility in orders, and thus to
destroy my character before the country.
! am in u measure confirm d in this .on-
clusiOn by your recent order directing ME
tn disobey orders from the Secretary OF
War, my superior and your subordinate.
without having oounternianded the authors
~ am to disobey.
With the assnr ,nee. Mr.. President, that
nothing less Than Il vintlicalon of my per-
sonal honor an, character could have in
duced this correspondence Oh my part.
have the honor 10 he, very respectfully,
Your Obe,lient servant.
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