The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-01-03

quently, when Congress meets, Mr.
Stanten is ready to resign. Whatever
cogeney these considerations" may
have had upon Mr.. Stanton, whatever
right he may have had to entertain such
considerations, whatever propriety there
might be in the expression of them to
Others, one thing is certain-it was OFF,
cial misconduct to say the least of it, to
parade them before his superior officer.
Upon the receipt Of this extraordinary
note | only delayed the order of suspen
sion long enough to make the necessary
arrangements to fill the office. If this
were the only cause for his suspens sion
it would be ample. Necessarily it must
end our most important official rela-
tions, for ! cannot imagine degree of
effrontery which would cmbolden the
head of Department to take his seat
at the council table in the Executive
mansion after such an act. Nor can
imagine President so forgetful of the
proper respect and dignity which be-
long to his Office as to submit to such
intrusion. | will not do Mr.. Stanton
the wrong to suppose that he enter
toined onv ideo of ofrarin,, IN oc, os oro
of the Constitutional advisers after thai
note was written. There was an inter
val of q week between that date and
the order Of suspension, during which
TWO cabinet meetings were held. Mr..
stanton did not present himself at eli
ther, nor was he expected. On the 18th
OF August Mr.. stanton was notified of
his suspension and that Gen. Grant had
been authorized to take charge of the
department.. In his answer to this no.
tliication, OF the same date, Mr.. Stan
ton expresses himself as follows:
" Under a sense of public duty | am
Soili G Lti,uu W ucny your risiii, u'iHer thg
Stotoe u,ithort thn nJ,,icn onh 'I oomto,,t it
of the Senate, to suspend me from Of
flee as Secretary Of War, or theexercise
OF any or an functions pertaining to the
s"nt 70 % comnol mo euI tn tr.nlSo niGu VI con
person the records. books. papers and
public property in my custody as Sec
retary. But inasmucn as the General
I''',,'.'iS Statan hu o,,e ur,,lies vi 'lg oniieo
and hos notifiod nIn that ba hos acoont
ed the appointment, | have no alterna-
tive but to submit, under protest, to su-
perior iorcc'
1t Will not escape attention that in
his note OF August q, Mr.. Stanton stated
that ne nad been constrained to contin-
ue III the Once, even before he was re-
quested to resign, by CONSCIENTIOUS OF
high public character. In this note of
August IL new and different sense of
public duty compels him to deny the
Presidents right to suspend. him from
ONCE without theconsent OF the Senate
Inc last Is the pubic duty OF resisting
an act contrary to law, ana he charges
the PRESIDENT win VIOLATION OF the Ia"
III ordering MS suspension. Mr.. stan
ton refers generally To the "Cohstitutioi
ana laws OF the ohited State5,' ana
says 'iia'a sehae Vi pupiicuuty uiuer
.,'ese coiiipeis MN 10 uehy the rl9ht o
the PRESIDENT 10 suspend MN from OF
ilce' AS 10 ms sense Oh uu'y uhuer .n'
constitution, '"W WIZ DE cohaluereu IL
tie sequel AS 10 ms sense OF u"'y uh
uer lne laws Vi inc hi'eu states, ut
certainty cannot reier 10 'he law Whlci
cre"'eS .''e war pcP"r'hieh'' lor .la
eAPre99iy colierS upon the rresi"en
me uhi'l'li'eu fisht u remove th'
iieau ol t''e department me oiiiy oth
or Ia" pearihg upon inc question Is tn'
ieilure-ol-oiiice ''c'' pesseu pS congress
over 'nc iIeoiuei'''"i Neto' h"rch =
ioo" Inns 10 'ie III" MNich' uiloer
sense Oh Fupiic uuty, Mr. o'a'i'o'i VOL
uhteers 10 delehu. lhere Is no proVlS
ION III ''i' iu"'"iiio'i 'o'iil'ei9 any o''ioo'
coming "lthih i's p'o'is'o'is W te'na''
III ONCE IT ioroi's re'''oE''S liol res's
nations MI Stanton WIS periectiS Tree
10 resign at any moment, el'iier upon
HIS own hlo'io'i' ot III compliance WIN
request Ut al o'''ol. II was niut'e'
OF choice OF TASTE lllere was ho'hlhs
compulsory Ill 'he ha'uro o' leSal opii'
ga'loh' NOT u"ea ho put MS aclioh up
Oh tiiaI Imperative srouiio' ne saS'
he acts u"uer SENSE OF pupilc uu
W. not OF regal oollgalioi, competing
nm 10 hold on, ana leaving MN h'
choice' Inc puDllc dulS Whlch u upoi
MN arises from the respect "hich IN
owes 10 the constitution ana lie laws
violated IN ms own case lie i'' there
iore, coInpelied pS thi' sense Oh pupIi
uuty 10 Nlhnlc"le Nloia'eu IL" anu u
s.ahu rs itS cha'iip'on. Inns was ho
the hraI occasion Ill Wl'i'h mr. stanton
III diseharSe OF pupiic uu'S' was can
GU upon 10 cohsluer lno p'"''H.o''' ="
that law. mat tenure oi VIZ
nee Ia" u'u hot pass "l'''o"' "ot'oc
lake oliler ac's, IL WAS st'' W 'he rc9
lueht lor approval AS III my ou9'oi'
l suphllt'el l.a 'o'is'"o'"''o', " III!
Capihet lor 'ile't ADVICE upon 'he ques