The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-02-20

, TcucThl lIOube OF representatives on
the 11th, III pursuance Of resolution
adopted tho preceding day calling for
the same and it is most terrible ON
Z General Grant. 1t shows him to have
been untruthful and troachcrous IN his
: dealings with the President-with
having taken tho War office for tho
, purpose OF defeating .llo President in
his effort to get rid Of Stanton, and TO
defeat him in testing the constitution
atty Of tho Civil Tenure bill:
THE PRESIDENT TO GENERAL GRANT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Feb. 10, 1868.
GENERAL: The extraordinary char
aeter of your letter of the Sd instant,
would seem to preclude any reply on
my part, but the manner in which pub,
llcity has been gwen to the correspon-
dence, of which that leJtor forms Il part;
and the grave questions which are IN
volyod, induce me 20 take this mode of
giving as proper sequel to tho com
munications which have passed between
us, the statements OF the Eve members
Of tho Cabinet who were present on
the occasion of our conversation on the
14th ult Copies of letters which they
have addressed to mo upon the subject,
arc accordingly herewith enclosed.
You speak Of my letter Of the 1st
ultlnlv, as roitcrative of the many
and gross misrepresentation contained
in certain newspaper articles, and re.
assert the correctness of tho statements
contained in your communication of
the 28th ulsmo, adding-and here I
give your own words-".Anything of
yours in reply to it to tho contrary
Notwithstanding"
When q controversy upon matters Of
fact reaches the point to which this has
been brought, further assertion or de-
NAL between the immediate parties
should cease, especially when upon
eig.her side it loses the character of
tho respectful discussion which is ro-
quirod by the standing of the parties TO
each other and degcnerates IN tone and
temper. ....
In such n case, if thoro is nothing to
rely upon but the opposing statements,
conclusions must be drawn from those
statements alone, and from whatever
intrinsic probabilities they afford in
favor Of or against either Of tho par
ties. should not shrink from this
controversy, but fortunately it is not
left to this test alone. There wero five
Cabinet officers present at tho CONVEX
sation, tho details of which, in my lot
ter OF tho 2Sth ult, you will allow your |
self to Sly contain many and gross
misrepresentation. These gentlemen |
heard that conversation and have read
my statement; they speak for them
selves, and | leave the proof without a
wold Of comment. 1 deem II proper
before concluding this communication,
TO notice somo Of tho statements con-
tanned in your letter. You say that o
performance of the promises alleged to |
have been made by you TO the Presi,
dent would have involved "a resistance |
10 law and an inconsistency with the |
whole history of my connection with |
the supenslon Of Mr.. Stanton" You
then state that you had fears the presi-
dent would, on tho removal of Mr..
Stanton. appoint some one in his place.
who would ombarrass the army in car
lying out the Reconstruction acts, and
add "It was to prevent such an APP
pointment that accepted the Office of
Secretary OF War ad interim, and not |
for the purpose Of enabling you to get
rid of MIR. Stanton by my Withholding
1t from him IN opposition to tho law,
or not doing so myself, surrendorng 1t
TO one who would"
As the statements and assumptions |
inyour communication plainly indicate
was sought first Of all, you hero admit
that from the very beginning of what
you term tho whole history OF your
connection with Nj. Stanton's suspen-
sion, yon intended to chcumvent the
President. 1t was to carry out that |
intent thatyou accepted the Appointment.
This was in your mind ut the time of
your nccepthnce. 1t was not then IN
obedience TO the order OF your superior
as has heretofore hoen supposed, that
you assumed the duties Of the Office
You knew 1t was tho Presidents pur-
pose to prevent Mr.. Stanton from re-
suming the office of Secretary Of War.
and you intended TO defeat that pur-
pose. You accepted the office, not in |
the interest of the President, but of Mr..
Stanton. 1t tins purpose so entertained |
by you had been confined to yourself
if when accepting the office, yon had
done so with mental reservation To
to frustratc tho Prosident--it would
have been deception in tho ethics Of
somo persons. Each course Is allow
able; but you cannot stand even upon
that questionable ground.
The history of your connection with
this transaction, as written by yourself,
places you in different predlcament,
and shows that you not only concealed
your design from the President, but in
duced him to suppose that you would
carry out his purpose to keep Mr.. Stan
ton out of offioo by retaining it your
self after an attempted restoration, by
the Senate, so as to require Mr.. Stanton