Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-12


agent of the President, and which purport
o be by his direction for such orders the
President is responsible, and he should
know and understand what they are before
hey are given. In Mr.. Stanton's letter
Of the Attn instant, which accompanied
The published correspondence with the
President since the 18th Of August
last. he further saws that since he re
sumed the duties oft Office, he continued
to discharge them without any personal or
written communication with the Presi-
dent" and adds that mo orders have been
issued from this department in the name OF
the President with my knowledge, and |
have received no orders from him" Ii
thus seems that Mr.. Stanton now dis
charge. the duties Of the War Department
without any reference to the President and
without using his name. My order only
had reference TO orders assumed TO be
issued by the President 1t would appear
from Mr.. Slanton's letter that you have re-
ceived no such orders from him. In your
note 70 the President, dated 31st ult., in
which Won acknowledge the reception Of
a written order of the 29th Of January, you
say Won "haye been informed by Mr.. Stan
ton that he has not received any order
limiting his authority 10 issue orders TO
the army according to the practice of the
department, and state, while this authority
to the War Department is not counter.
manded, il will be satisfactory evidence
to me that any orders issued from the
War Department, by direction of the Pres
ident, are authorized BY the Executive.
a 10. ia
obey no order from pe War Department
purpOrting TO be made by the direction Of
the President until yOu have referred it
to him for approval. You reply You
have received the Presidents order and
will not obey it, but will obey orders pur-
porting TO be given by his direction. If it
comes from the War Department you will
obey no direct order from the President,
but will obey his indirect order II, az
you say, there has been practice in the
War Department of issuing orders in the
name OF the President, without his di-
rection, does the precse order You have
requested and have received, change
the practice as TO a General in the army
Gould not the President countermand any
such order issued in the name Of the Presi-
dent Does a special act and an order
directly from the President himself not do
the act ? Ia there any doubt which yoI are
to obey? You answer the questions when
Won say TO the President in your letter Of
The Sd inst, The Secretary Of War is my
superior and your subordinate" and yet
Won refuse obedience to your superior
Without further comment on the insubor-
dinate attitude which you have assumed
/ am at a loss 10 known how you can relieve
yourself from orders of the President, who
ia made, by the constitution, Commander
in-Chief of the army and navy, and, there
fore, official superior as well as General of
the army and Secretary of War.
Respectfully, yours,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
To Gen. u. S. Grant, .Comd'ng A. U. s.,
Washington, DC.
This letter of the President was accom-
panied BY letters from the Secretaries of
the Navy, Treasury, Interior and Stale De-
partments, and Post Master General, sup
porting his position.
Accompanying the letter from General
Grant, and since its transmission to the
House, New York communi cation of thi
udttB WAS subhlllltd 10 tut lAoilHt as part OF
the correspondence referred 10 in the reso-
luton of the 10th.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
WAsHINGToN, Feb. II, 1S6S.-I0 HIS
Ercellency, Andreao Johnson President Of
the United States: SIR: have the
honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your communication of the 10th inst,
accompanied by the statements Of FIVE
Cabinet Ministers. Their recollection of
what occurred in the Cabinet meeting,
on the l4th of January, without ad-
hitting anything contained in these state
ments where they differ in anything here
tofore stated by me, | propose to notice
only a portion of your communication
wherein | am charged with insubordina-
ton. l think it will be plain to the
readers of my letter ofthe both of January.
/ did not propose to disobey any legal
order of the President distinctly given, but
only to give an Interpretation of what
would be regarded az satisfactory evil
dence to the Presidents sanction TO orders
by the Secretary OF War.
| will say here what your letter of
the 10th instant contains the first init
nation have had, You did not
accept that Interpretation. Now for the
reasons for not giving that Interpretation.
1t was clear to me before my reply, on
January 30 ! wrote that the person who
was having more public business TO trans
act with the Secretary Of War than any
other Of the Presidents subordinates
was the only one who had been instructed
to disregard the authority Of Mr.. Stanton
there, and his authority derived as agent of
the President. On January %, | received
a letter from the Secretary of War, with
copy herewith directing me to furnish an
escort TO the Public Treasurer, from Rio
Grande TO New Orleans, at the request of
the Secretary Of the Treasury to him. |
also send two other articles, showing the
of Mr.. Stanton az Secretary of
War, and both the Secretary Of the Treas
ury and Postmaster General. In all snch
cases the Secretary of War had to call upon
me to make orders as requested or give in
formation desired, and where his authority
to do 80 is derived. In my view, as agent
Of the President, with the order so clearly
ambiguous az that the President here re-
ferred to. 1t was my duty to inform
The President OF my Interpretation and
abide by that Interpretation until received
other orders disclaiming any intention
now or heretofore, Of disobeying any legal
order Of the President distinctly communi-
,ated.
/ remain, very respectfully, your obedi
mt servant,
L. $. GRANT, General.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
Feb. 8, 1868 The Chronicle Of this
morning contains correspondence be
ween the President and Gen. Grant, re
ported from the War Department in an
wer to resolution of the House. beg
o call your attention 10 that correspond
nee, and especially that part Of it which
-eiers to the conversation between the
President and Gen. Grant at Cabinet
meeting on Tuesday, the 18th Of January,
md to request you to state what was said
n that conversation. Very respectfully,
yours, ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5-SIR Nour note
If this date was handed TO me this evening.
Nv recollection of conversation at g Cab
net meeting on the l4th OF January, cor
-esponds with your statement of it &n
etter of the 3lst nit. In the published
the three points specified
n that letter, gives your recollection Of She
correctly, as stated. Very
GIDEON WELLS
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Feb. b, 1868.
en- I ba,a raceiyad your nota of the