The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-02-20
From the Newark Daily Advertiser.
The Grant7Johnson Correspondence.

The Grant-JOhns0n Correspondence.
The lawyer and the soldier have met
| in conflict, and the entire correspondence
between the two appears. in the newspa
pers. Without the space to give the whole
of this interesting aud characteristic cor
respondence, we arc compelled to furnish
AN abstract, which we endeavor to make
entirely truthful.
On the 25th of January Gen. Grant
wrote to the President lengthy letter
| requesting the latter to give him written
instead OF verbal Instructions, in reference
| 20 the obedience that he (Gen. Grant
should accord TO orders received from
Mr. Stanton as Secretary Of War 1t is
conccnded, on both sides. that the Pre-
sident had taken the extreme position of
| directing Gen. Grant to take 10 notice OF
any orders received by him irom Secre
tary Stanton. General Grant says with
soidierly frankness, that he is no lawyer
lie at first supposed that the President
was entirely master OF the situation, so
tar as the organization of his Ca6ient was
concerned. A subsequent perusal OF the
| Tenure oi Office act convinced him to the
contrary. The President. however, con
tended that Gen Grant was appointed
under the constitution, and that he was
therefore absolved from obedience to the
law. Gen Grant declined to make him
self an Interpreter of the law, or 10 allow
the President to interpret it for him.
just here, Il singular question Of fact
arises. The President claims, asserts and
reasseris, that Gen. Graut, in some pri
vate interviews, PROMISED that in any
event that Mr.. Stanton should be sus
taiHed by the Senate, he would either re
sign the Office OF Secretary of War in time
to permit the appointment OF a successor.
or would remain at its head, awaiting Il
decision Of the question by judicial pro
ceedings. The question of veracity here
in volved may the sipplified by the state
mcnt that Gen. Grant does not deny that
in his first interviews. last summer. with
the President on this subject, he suppos
ed that the latter was entirely his supc
riGr officer, his master, and that be con
ceded many things which he withdrew af
ter reading aud studying the law. The
President holds that Gen Graut never,
at any time, intimatcd that be had chang
ed his mind.
Upon this point the difference is irre
conciiable. The facts, as CONCEDED by
both parties, are that on Saturday, the
llth of January. Gen Grant visited the
President to consult with him on the &C
ticn he should take, were Secretary Stan
ton reinsiaiei by the Senate Grant says
that at that interview he distinctly in
formed the President that in ease OF Mr
Stanton's reinstatement he should surren-
der the Office. The President says tha,
the matter was at that time left unsettled
and that Gen. Grant appointed another
interview for the succeeding Monday.
Grant says that no such appointment was
made. bat that on the Saturday in question
the President was fully informed Of his |
intended actiou.
Which shall we believe, the shrewd |
lawyer, learned in the laws of evidence |
or the plain, blunt soldier, who says to
his superior officer "You lie? Ia his
hnal letter to the President, reviewing
the previous correspondence, Geo. Graut
says, in hold and emphatic words: The
course you have understood | agreed to
pursue, was in violation Of law, and that
orders from you VI lille the course
| will pursue. and which never dou bted
you fully understood, was in accordance
with law, and not iu disobedience to am
orders of my Superior And now, Mr.
President, when my honor as a soldier
md integrity as man have been SO vio-
ently assailcd, pardon mc for saying that
can but regard this whole matter, from
to end, AS an attempt to involve
ne in the resistance of law, for which
you hcsita'ed TO assume the responsible
ty, in order thus to destroy ny character
jeiDre The country. | am in measure
confirmed ia this conclusion by your re
cent orders directing ne to disobey or
iers from the Secretary of War, my su
,erior, aud your subordinate without
iaylng countermsndcd his authority, |
IN 10 disobey.
Our own impression, derived from a
.arefui persual of this correspondence, is
hat Gen. Grant in the very difficult posi-
ipn in which he has been placed has act
ID with 4 true, soldierly honor, that has
defeated aud disgrsced the legal tactics
II the President. Inc lstfer is a man ac
us,ou.ed to political intrigue. He is an
ager aspirant for The canIuiacy OF the
emocracy 10 the next Presidential can
li.n. Gen Grant was his IN ,st form
able opponent and he is end 'yprin. to
ut him out OF the way by involving him
a labyriuth OF diplomatic quiooies =
'ut the real question in the whole matter
as to whom VIC should believe We
- only answer tbss if GRAFT les DOW