South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1868-02-14
THE GRANT-STANToN AFFAIR.

The correspondence between Gen. Grant
and the President, which was communica-
ted TO the House Of Representatives, in au-
swer to It's resolution, has been published
Reading this correspondence in order of
dates, We find that on the 2I;h ult Gen.
Grant applied to the President for written
instructions relative to bis obedience Of Mr..
Stanton's orders. He did not like, in a
matter of SO much consequence, to follow
merely verbal directions. On the 18th ult
Gen Grant addressed fresh letter to the
( President, renewing his request for written
instructions in respect To Mr.. Stanton.
On the 10Th ult. the President took up
Gen. Grants first note, and endorsed there
on his positive order TO Gen. Grant "not
to obey any order from the War Depart
ment, assumed to be issued by direction Of
/ the President, unless such order is known
by the General commanding the armies Of
the United States TO have been authorized
by the Executive"
/ But now, Gen. Grant has an afterihought
He sees Mr.. Stanton, and upon a communi-
cation whether written or verbal matters
not) from that person, proceeds to inform
the President that he Gen. Grant meaus
to believe that orders from the War De-
pariment, pretended to be Issued on author
/ lty from the President, are so authorized,
aud that be will act on such belief, although
the President has expressly informed him
IN writing that such spurious orders are
not, and will not be, issued by his author
/ ity. This extraordinary communication,
( the FIRST of It's kind, and the most discred-
liable, perhaps, ever penned by suborii-
( nate, bears date the 30th ult.
Gen. Grant seems, on the 2Sth ultimo,
to have felt that the prudent silence he
had hitherto pursued on the subject might
is well be exchanged for some sort Of vim
dication. This lie csSaye1 to do, making
an issue with the President Of fact, to wit
that on the Saturday preceding his surren-
der he had not promised to see the Presi-
/ dent on Monday, and inform him what
course he meant to pursue further, that
/ on Tuesday, in the presence of the Cabinet,
he had not admitted this agreement and
bis fragrant breach Of it.
To this defence the President replied on
the 3lst nit calmly and patiently rccit-
Ing the facts avoided or repudiated by Gen
/ Grants letter, which have heretofore been
I fully stated, aud finally clinching the nail
By stating that the four gentlemen Of the
/ Cabinet present at the interview sustained
the President IN his version, and eon;radic-
ted that Of Gen. Grant.
Following this IS a letter Of Gen. Grant,
dated on the 81 inst, containing nothing
specially new, AMI rather aiming to show
VIA; Gen. Grant could, might, or should
have done, than proving tia: be had &C
tually done what hIs honor as a soldier and
duty as q gentleman imperatively required
This last letter was delivered, we learn,
as late as two o'clock Z NJ, on the 81 inst,
at the Executive Mansion. At half pas;
one, or whereabouts, Of the same day, 4 res
olution had been of .red in Congress call
ing upon the Secretary Of War for copies
Of this correspondence. II will be seen,
therefore, that the last letter of Gen Grant
and the resolution were nearly simultane-
Gus the object evidently being to close
the correspondence with the last word for
Gen. Grant, and rush the papers already
copied into Congress, 20 as to foreclose all
opportunity for reply by the PEe.ident.-
Nat Int, III oh