Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-02-05
WASHINGTON.

ton In SraDSmttunG 10 tue house Tue cor
respondence between Gen. Grant and the
President in relation to the Secretary Of
War, says he has had no communication
with the President since the 18th Of August
and that since his resumption Of Office no
orders have been issued from the War De-
pastment ia the nsmo Of the President -
The following 10 tho material portion oil
| Gen. Grants first letter to the President
bearing date Jan. IS:
SIR: - Ga the gath inst. requested you
to give me in writing, the instruction which
you had previously given me verbally, moi
to obey any order from L. N. Stanton, Sec
rotary Of War, unless knew it came from
yourself To this written request am COM
pclod to ask these instructions in writing
in consequence Of the many gross misrep-
reservations affecting my personal honor.
circulated through the press for the last
fortnight. purporting to come from the
President in conversations which occurred
either with the President privately in his
Office, or IN cabinet meetings. Ii will bs
we'll to state the facts in the case. Some
tune after assumed the duties OF Secretary
Of War, I'D interim, the President asked my
views ~ to the course Mr.. Stanton would
have to pursue in case tho Senate should
not concur in HE suspension, 70 obtain pos
session Of his Office, Ny reply was in Sub.
stance that Mr.. Stanton would have 70 %.
peal 70 the courts to Tsinstats him. illus
tsating my position BY citing he grosnds
had taken in the Baltimore Police Com
missionsrs.
Subsequently,, ON reading the tsnurs Of
office bill closely, found | could net, with
out violation Of law, refuse TO vacats the
o61cc Of Secretary Of War the memsnt M.
Stanton was rsinstatsd by The Senate, even
though the President ordered me % retain
II, which be never did Taking this view
Of the subject, and learning on Saturday.
the 18th, that the Senate had taken up The
subject Of Mr.. Stanton's suspsnsioa. aftsr
some conversation with Lieut.. Gen. Shsr.
man and meubsrs Of my staff, in which I
stated che Law len me no discretion 40 70
my action should NJ. Stanton be ssinstated.
that intended to inform the Prssidest, /
went to see the President for the ssle pa,
pose Of making my decision ksewn, :,
did make it known. In this Iiulalle1 49, -.
promise made 10 our last peeesdie !, -. ~
vsrsaticn on THE ssbjssl. The p <ss;S.ns
however, instead a aeeepEine W. ,;s- !"
the requirements Of The tsauls Of ofscs lin
eonssnded that hs had uaap~ ,dsd ~ assn
ton under The aathosity = zen nv ~. Ccn
eeitueion. and the sa0A au.he,,sv d,a -,
ptseluds him far req rti.e - - - -. :,
courtesy his RsaaoAs "a, n. ..s,.s.,s =
- ehe Sscate thAs h:vins bsee s.ro;cs.j
usder authesity ,ivsn bv he Oo.s,, =. Il"
ana not under me act Of Congress eouid
ne' - eevssr ed By the act. The lav ~
o'oo'ag on ne, Constitutional or not. until
sss sMde ~ tribunal. Doubt never en-.
tered M mind about the President full,
underst anding my position.
know It had been recommended IA th.
President to send the name Of Gov Cox =
ONO, Tor Secretary of War; and 10 aay,
embarrassment, 4 sincerely hoped he woult
tsvor Zen. Sheridan. Seeing the President
st my request. TO urge this. On sAs 1871
Mr. stanton re-enterrd the ofiicc Of Sccfe
sary Of War. Gen. Comstock, who had
carried my official lettcr announcing Mr.
Stanton's reinstatement by the Senate. and
that was to be Secretary Of War od interim.
aud saw the President open and read INV
communication. II was brought back to
ne tfesn the PRECEDENT with . message that
hs wanted to sss NJ daily ct the Cabinet
Deotinge. Alter bed mads known the fact
that ! was no longer Secretary ef War, cd
Ssesvi1, he continued to treat me q though
] was member Of his Cabinet, when re-
minded and nosinestion already given him
| IVES no longer Secretary Of War I'd inter
sn. The President gave the version IN the
enavsrsation alluded - on THE statemsas.
y w:s asserted 70 both convsfsasiens thas
! mad agreed 70 hold on 70 the oGlcs Of Sec
fssary OF War until displaced By The courts
or rssigo, 90 - - place the President whore
no would have bssn led never accepted
the Once alter hsa,ing the President. though
stated IN our conversation suhetantiailv
- given in this letter. | in NO 49, ~
United the correctness Of the Pre.i.Ien,ss
staesments Of our CONVEX sasiop., thou,h -
soften the evident contradiction az ~
statement, said. alludias to our first 80.
vsrsation on the subject. that The Pres;ds.1
might have pndezssood me the way s. M
THAI bed promised % sesise 4 I
did not resist the reinstatement. I IA.
No such siatenenk
4 hare the honss 70 b.. very rsvpeeefsllv.
Your obedient servant.
> ttse3x u. s. GRANT.
o. tbs 1eth ~ HtVoidsns ssut i1eQPue.
'isns 70 Gee. Grant ID writing neg @ ebev
NJ esdes Issued iron the War pspeef.