The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-05

Department - not ccunermauded IL will ne satisfactory
evidence TO me that orders issued from the War
pepaf ment py direction OF the President authorized
| have tho honor 10 be. very respectfully, your
ohedens servant u s GRANT. General.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON GENERAL GRANT
EXECUTIVE MANSION. Jan. 81. 1868.
,SssEaAL-l have received your ommuncation OF tho
2sh inst, renewing your request Of The 24,h that
shoulN repeat In written form my verbal instructions
of the lSh inst viz -rha obey no order from the
Hon. Edwin N. Stanton as Secretary Of War unless you
have information that 1t issued by the Presidents
direction" w submitting this request with which
complied the goth inst you occasion 10 aude 10
recent pubcatolS in reference to the
Secretary Of War ad sneim and with the view OF cor
recng the statemenl which you term gross misrepre
sen.aons," give al length your own recollection
President from whom you had received and accepted
the appointment you ded the Department OF War 10
the present incumbent Az stated in your communca-
ton some time after you had assumed the duties as
Secretary OF War ad ins1m, We interchanged
spectng the course that should be pursued IN the
Of Mr.. Stanton sought that Interview. calling my self
at the War Department. My so,o object IN then bring
definitely what wouldSe your own action should such
an attempt be made for his resto ason to the War De-
partment That object was acc ompisned LOT :. the
that II, upon reflection, you SHOULD prefer not
70 become . party to the controversy, or
TO surrender the Department to Mr. stanton
upon ection In his favor by the Senate,
you were 70 return the office to prior 10 decision BY
designate some one to succeed YOU m,sst have been
apparent you that had this understanding been
thor discharge Of dasss as Secretary Var ad ri
and 70 appoint somo other person In that capacity.
se sans she
same concusdA ~ the frst Il 10 not necessary how
ever 70 refer to Of them excepting that OF saturday
the 1lth instant mentonedn your communication. As
then known that the Senate had proceeded IN the
case Of Mr. Stanton was anxious TO learn your deter.
the provisions of the Tenure cf Office bill fully dis
cussed, you said that it had been agreed upon
in our first conference you would either return
the Office to my possession in time to en-
able mo to appoint successor before final
action by the Senate pom Mr. Stantons suspension,
question by judicial proceedings 1t then under
stood that there would further conference Mon
day by which time supposed you would be prepared to
TO fulfil the engagement and on Tuesday notified mo in
writing Of the receipt Of your official notification Of the
action OF the Senate In the case Of Mr. Saon and at
the same time informed me- that according to the
regulating the tenure Of certain civil officers tunc
tons Secretary Dof War ad infim ceased from the
moment OF the receipt Of the notice.
You thus In disregard OF the understanding between
US, vacated the office without having given notice OF
your intention 70 do but just however, to say
that In yorr Communication you claim that you did in
form me Of your purpose and thus fulfilled the promise
the subject The fact ,hat such promise
existed IS evidence Of an arrangement Of the
kind shave mentioned. You had found In our
rs conference that the President DESTROYS OF keep
ing Mr.. Stanton out Of office whether sustained in the
suspension not You knew what reasons had induced
the President ask from you q promise. You also
knew that in your views OF duty did not accord
with his convictions it his purpose ill your
place by another appointment even ignoring the exist
ence OF positive understanding between us. Ihs con-
illusions were plainly deducabie from our various con-
versations II is certain, however, that even under
these circumstances you did not offer TO return the
place to my possession but, according to your own
placed yourself in position where could
nave anticipated your action would nave been com
PEELED 70 ask OF you, as was compelled 70 ask OF your
in the War Department. Letter OF resgna
ION, else 10 resort 10 the more dsagreeabe expedent
u suspending you by the appointment OF successor
As stated in your letter, the nomination. OF |
Governor Cox, OF Ohio, for the oaice OF Secre-
airy OF war was suggested TO me- This APP
continent as Mr.. Stanton's SUCCESSOR was urged IN
'ou name, and iG was SAID that his selection |
would further embarrassment did not think |
hat in the selection OF Cabinet officer should he
by such considerations 1 prepared 10 l
AXE the responsibility Of deciding the question in
ordance with my IDEAS Of constitutional duty, and |
laving determined upon course which deemed right
md proper, anxious learn the steps you would
demanded by Mr.. Stanton Had your action been in
with the understanding between US, do
believe that the embarrassment would have attained
is present proportions that the probability of its
repetition would have been so great.
know that with a view TO an early termination OF
state Of affairs detrimental 10 the pubic interests,
you voluntarily offered, both Monday the 18th inst
and the succeeding Sunday, TO call upon Mr. Stanton
and urge upon him that the good OF the service re-
luired hts resignation. confess that l considered
your proposal as sort OF reparation for the
allure on your part to act in accordance
which thought had received your full assent. and
inder which you could have returned the Office
rom embarrassment leaving respons bilty where
{ properly belonged-with the President who Is
;ountabe for the faithful execution OF the law have
yet been informed by you whsthcr>as twice pro-
posed by yourself you had called upon Mr. stanton aud
made effort to induce him voluntarily resign from
he War Department
You conclude your communication with . reference
conversation at the meeting Of the Cabinet held
IN Tuesday the l4th insl In your account OF what
hen occurred you say that latter the President had
given his version OF our previous conversations you
stated them substantially given in letter. and
hat you no wise admitted the correctness Of his
statement OF them; though 10 soften the evident
radicton my statement gave, SAID, abiding TO our
have understood IN the way he said viz:-Ihat mad
promised 70 resign II he did not resist the rem
statement made no such promise y Ny recollection
what then tanspred Is Numerically the reverse OF
your narration In the presence OF the Cabinet asked
you, FIRST IL IN conversation which took place shortly
after your appointment secretary Of War al Interim
you Did ngree either TO at the head Of
War Department and abide any judicial proceedings
That might follow the Inconvenience by the Senate
Mr. Stantons suspension should you wish not TO be-
come involved IN such controversy, 10 put me in the
position with respect to the Office occupied
prev TO your appointment by returning IL to
me 10 patio by the Senate This you
admitted Second, then asked you ii at the confer
the preceding saturday had NOT 10 AVOID mis-
requested you 10 state you in
tended do; and urthcr, If In reply to that inquiry
you had referred TO my former Conversations say
ny them understood your position and
your action would be consistent with understanding
which had reached 10 these questions you also
replied the Affirmative. THIRD next asked H. al the
conclusion OF interview on Saturday, 1t not
ierstood that we're to have another conference
Monday before final action By the OF
Mr.. Siantonf You replied that such the under
standing. but thai did suppose the Senate would
act SO soon; that on Monday had been engaged in
conference with General sherman and occupied with
many little matters and asked if General Sherman
had not called that day WHAT relevancy General
sherman visit me Monday had with the purpose
Tor which you TO have called loss per-
ceve as he certainly did not inform whethc you
had determined 10 retain possession Of the Office
10 afford opportunity TO appoint successor In
advance OF attempted reinstatement OF Mr. Stanton
This Of what passed between at the Cabinet
meeting on the 14th instant widely differs from that
contained in your communication for II shows that
instead OF having sated creations given 10
the letter." which has made this reply necessary, you
admitted that my recital OF them entirely accurate
sincerely anxious, however TO be in my stas-
ments, have to-day read this alton cf what
Cured on l4th the members Of The Cab rst