Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-02-06
CONGRESSIONAL.

tIn Otutttt fouu hoot sa' N'~'~
tween Pennsylvania and Maryland; ais
bill to protect persons making dis
closures as parties or testifying a
witnesses The bill was then consid
cred, declaring forfeited certain land
granted to aid in constructing certain
railroads. An amendment excepting
the Nashville and Decatur road, the bill
passed Sc to 70.
The bill authorizing the employment
Of counsel to defend Meade, etc, passed
ll5 to 35.
GEN. GRANTS REPLY TO THE PRESIDENT
LETTER.
HEApo'Rs ARMY OF THE UxrrsD STLrRs.l
WASHINGTON. February 8. 1868.
His Excellency Andrew johnson. President o
tho United States;
Sir: have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt OF your communication OF the
3lst ult., and, after careful reading and
comparison of it with on article of the
25th ult over the initials j. B. s., in the
New York World, purporting to be based
upon your statement, aud of members Of
the Cabinet named, / find it to be reit-
Grafton only-somewhat more in detail
ofihe many gross misrepresentation con-
tanned in these articles, and which my
statement of facts, as set forth in my let
ter of the oath ult, was intended to cor
rect, and herein, reassert the correct.
ness of my statement in that letter, any
thing in yours in reply to the contrary
notwithstanding. | confess my surprise
that the Cabinet officers so referred to so
greatly Inexperienced the facts. The
assertions alleged to have been made by
me at the Cabinet meeting on the oath
ult, asking them to suffer their names
to be made the basis of the charges in the
newspaper article referred to, agreed to
the accuracy you affirm, they do account
of what occurred at that meeting. You
know we parted on the Oath ult, without
any promise on my part, expressed or
implied, to the effect that l would hold on
to the office of Secretary of War ad in
terim, against the action of the Senate,
or declining to do so, would surrender to
you before such action was had, or that
/ would see you again at any fixed time
on the subject. The performance of the
promise alleged to have been made by me
would have involved resistance of the
law and an inconsistency with the whole
history of my connection with the sus-
pension of Mr.. Stanton. From our con-
and my written protest of
August LIST, 1867, against the removal of
Mr.. Stanton, you must have known that
my greatest objection to his removal was
the fear that some one would be APP
pointed in his stead who would
be opposed to the laws relating
to the restoration Of the Southern
States to their proper relations in the
Government, and would also embarrass
The army in the performance of its du-
lies, and especially those imposed upon
it by the reconstruction laws. And that
il was to prevent such an appoint
meut of Secretary Of War ad int
rim, and not for the purpose of en-
.bling you to get rid of Mr. Stanton
" Withholding from him, in opposition
o the law, or not doing so myself, to
Iurrender to one who, as the statement
md assumption in your communication
plainly indicate, waseought; and it was
o avoid this danger, as well as to relieve |
you from the personal embarrassment |
which Mr.. Stanton reinstatement would
,lace you, that l urged the appointment |
# Governor Cox, believing that it would |
,e agreeable to you, and also to Mr.. |
stanton, satisfied, as ] was, that it was
or the good of the country, and not the
flee, that the latter should be discen-
inued. On the 18th ultimo, in the
presence of General Sherman, stated |
o you that | thought Mr.. Stanton would |
esign, but did not say that | would |
.dyise bin to do SO. On the 18th
did agree with Gen. Sherman to go and
dvise him to that course, and on the 10Th |
had an interview alone with Mr.. Stan
on, which led me to the conclusion that |
nv advice would be useless, and so | in
ormed Gen. Sherman. Before ! con-
ented to advise Mr.. Stanton to resign, /
him, in conversation on the
iubject Immediately after his reinstate-
nent, that it was his opinion that the
yet entitled ian act temporarily to
Iupply vacancies in the Executive
Department, in certain cases, approved
February 10th, 1868, was repealed by
subsequent legislation, which materially
influenced my action, as previous to
his time / had no doubt that the law Of
1863 was still in force, and, notwithstand-
ing my action, an examination OF the
law leaves it a question in my mind
whether or not it is repealed. This being
the case. / could not now advise his
resignation, lest the danger ! appre-
hended on his first removahmight follow.
The course that you would have it I'M
derstood that ] agreed to pursue, was in
violation Of law and orders from you,
while the course / did pursue, and which
/ never doubted but what you fully I'M
derstood, was in accordance with the Law,
-. =. l..akol;oona If any ordar NJ