The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-02-13
Established 1926.

admitted that my recital of them
was entirely accurate. Sincerely
anxious, however, to be correct in
my statements. | have TO dsy read
this narrative Of what occurred on
the l4tn inst. TO tho members of
the Cabinet who were then present.
They, without exception, agree in
its accuracy.
ut is only necessary to add that
on Wednesday morning. tho 18th.
You called on me in company with
Lieutenant General Sherman. AT
ter some preliminary conversation
you remarked that an article in the
National InteIligeUccr Of thai date
did you much injustice. lrcplied
that l had not read the Intelligen.
Ger OF that morning You first told
mcit was yonr intention 70 urge Mr..
Stanton 10 resign lila office. After
you had Withdrawn, / carefully
read the article of which you spoke,
and found its statement Of the an.
derst tanding between us WAS sub.
slantially correct. On the l7lh [
cansed il to be read to four or five
members Of the Cabinet Who were
present at our conference on the
l4th. and they concurred In the
general accuracy Of the statements
respecting our conversation on
that occasion.
In reply TO your communica-
ton, | have deemed it proper. TO
prevent further misunderstanding.
to make this simple recital of facts,
Very respectfully yours,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
General U. S. Grant, command.
ing
GRANT TO THE PRESIDENT.
"HEADoUARTERs u. S. ARMY. J
WAsnINGToN, D. c., Feb. 3, 1868. I
"His Exceilcncy, Andrew Johnson,
President Of the United States.
"SlR-I have the honor to &C.
knowledge the receipt of your
communication OF the 3lst ult., in
answer to rGine Of the 28lh uIt. All.
ter a careful reading and compari.
son Of the article in the National
lnlelligencer of the 18th ult., with
the article over the initia1 B. s.,
in the New York World OF the 9Th
uIt.. pnrporting to be based upon
your statement, and that OF the
members of the Cabinet therein
named, find it only to be but
rcitcration, somewhat more in de.
tail, of the many and gross misrep.
rcsentatiOns contained in these ar.
ticles, and which my statement Of
facts, set forth in my letter OF the
oath ult., was intended to correct,
and herein | rensscrt the correct.
ness of my statements Ill that let
ter, any thing in your reply 10 the
contrary Notwithstanding.
II confess my surprise that the
Cabinet officers referred 10 should
so greatly misarprehend tho facts,
in tho matter Of admission alleged
to have been made by Inc al the
Cabinet meeting on the l4th ult.
as TO suffer their names to be made
the basis Of the charges in the news
paper articles referred TO, or agree
to tho accuracy, as you affirm they
do, of your account of what oc.
CARED at that meeting.
You know that We parted, on
the lltb ult., without any promise
on my part, expressed or implied,
that | would hold on to the office
of Secretary Of War ad interim
against the action of the Senate, or,
declining to do 50, would surrender
it 10 you before such action was
had, or that | would see you again
Al any fixed time on the subject :
The performance of tho promises
alleged to have been made By me
would have involved u resistance
of tho law, and an Inconsistency
with the whole history of my con
nection with the suspension Of Mr..
Stanton.
From our conversation and my
written protest Of August |, 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
appointed in his stead who would,
BY opposition TO tho laws relating
70 the restoration of the Southern
States to their proper relation TO
the Government, embarrass tho
army in the performance of the
duties especially imposed upon
it by the laws, and that it was to
prevent such an appointment that
| accepted the appointment Of Sec
retary of War ad iaterim, and not
for the purpose of enabling you to
get rid ofMr. Stanton by withhold
ing it from him in opposition to law,
or, not doing SO myself, surrender
TO one VINO, as the statement aud
assumption in your communication
plainly indicates, was sought; and
it was 10 avoid this danger as wei!
as to relieve you from the personal
embarrassment in which Mr.. Stan
tons reinstatement would place
you, that l urged tho appointment
of Governor Cox, believing it would
be agreeable to you, and also TO
Mr.. Stanton, satisfied rs was,
that it was the good Of the country
and not the Office tho latter desir-
ed.
"Ou the 18th ult in the presence
of General Sherman, | stated TO
you thatI thought Mr.. Stanton
wonld resign, but did not cay
would advise him to do 80. On
the 18th, did agree with General
Sherman to 20 and advise him TO