New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-09
STATIONS SUSPENSION.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY
AFFAIRS. go


Secretary of War; made the following report:
On the I2 August last the President suspended from
office the Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton, Secretary Of War 10
was during the of tho Senate, and the renara
ofOee act OF March p 1851 requires the President has
sent TO the Senate message reporting 10 them the
pension with the evidence and for his action In
the case. He designated Gen. u 5. Grant to perfopa
temporarily the duties Of the Office and the General has
since acted IN that capacity That act Section pro yies
that when any officer appointed aforesaid that Is by
and with the advice and consent OF the senae excepting
Judges OF the United States Courts. shall. during
recess of the Senate by evidence sasfactsy
to the resident TO be guilty OF misconduct Ia Office o.
crime or for any reason shall become Incapable legally
other the President may suspend such officer aud desS
nate some suitable person TO perform temporarily the lu
and aa the S shan be acted upon 6 the ssnas
suspension and advise and consent 70 the removal Of
such officer they shah so certify TO the President Sh
ash ce anRp
In such suspension. such officer suspended shall
with resume the functions Of bis Office and the poyeef
the person 50 performing Its duties IL his stead han
snch suspension belong to The psron 80 peromns the
vded, however, that the President in he shall be-
come satisfied that such suspension was made ON nsu
porting such suspension TO the Senate above provided
TO revoke such suspension and rensate sch officer n
| the performance Of the duties Of his Office
From these provisions IL Is entirely plain that Congress
the act referred to intended that removal Of such
OI tue ccHdVcs
nor any suspension from Office Of such officer except
for his misconduct In Office or for some crime, or on
gal disqualification. The act requires that before tho
President can order such suspension be snail have evil
He mns be satisfied by evidence He cannot wthous
evidence and tho evidence must be such tends to
tablsh the existence Of Of those distinctly
enumerated causes, aud not merely that there's dsr-
ence Of opinion between him and the incumbent or y
mere mutual dislike Both by the Constitution but
officers Of the law bound to perform for the people the
duties imposed by the law and The one no more aud -
greater extent than the other. Their dulles may
greatly differ Ia pdbo Importance, but The obligation 10
sible. The first principle Of constitutional government
involves this responsibility and no official however high,
Is above the law or entitled under system TO claim for
himself inlpecrabilty or Immunity: That monarCbcal
principle lnds no pace ia the republican system under
destroy liberty.
atty OF the Tenure-ofOee act Mr. johnson, notwitL-
standing his strenuous opposition 10 and his former
OF the measure, chiefly ON the ground OF making cOstu-
tional warrant has by his proceeding now under cousd
Grafton recognized its binding force He has adopted 10
ing pow created aud existing only by tho act tse
the power OF suspensions and only remains for
sons on which he relies Justify his action 10 this duty
address ourselves careful perisa OF his report
the suspension Of Mr Stanton that ne refused 70 re-
sign when requested and stated as his reply TO the
quest that public considerations OF high Character
which had induced him continue the head OF the De-
partment constrained him not to resign before the
meeting OF Congress. The correspondence Is follows
On the 9th Of Augustine President addressed
sa Public consideration, highest .y
that ysur gnation Secretary o. War Will be accepted
This was saying TO Mr.. Stanton. ia plan language
Your continuance in office is injurious to the highest
interests OF the country" Had Mr. Stanton been guilty
OF official misconduct; had he committed some crime, or
had he become ncapactated disqualified for the per-
ormance Of bis duties as the law TINS note
courtesy but nothing OF the KIND was pretended the
oyerbearng and such as to excite feeling The law pro-
tected Mr.. stanton IN his place lie had exactly the Same
right to 1t as Mr.. johnson had 10 his
ON the day the Secretary sent TO the President
VIC w , 1857
s Your note Sths day ha. been received stating tia. paSe coz.
seeresapy War 1 be accepted Ia reply have the honor to say
ne ccn. az e. % s ss. ne S ;s
The once seereis nseaE cOusss
And hereupon and without any further elc
Intercourse explanation, the President, ON the 18th
of the same month suspended him from his Office TAG
and putting Gen Grant Into the Office. BEFORE the writing
reply OF the date much commented upon In tho
report and which about TO notice Az the close VI
his report the President observes that the change he has
made in the ncumbency of the Office. has introdueed
salutay reforms into the War Department, aud thAs
SAVING Of Millions 10 be
that the report does not intimate as cause Of the sns
pension want OF economy the part u Mr. Stanton
while exercising the office The best vindIoatlon Of Mr.
with which he disbanded paid or and sent 70 their
homes large army Of volunteers AT the close OF hos
in the fact that the opposition OF Mr. johnson to the
construction measures OF Congress has necesstted the
employ Of considerable military force in the Rebel
Ses ss S iGr win ha' @ might s Ss w co
mtee know OF important rerenchment In the Depart
which had not been projected by Mr. Stanton before
Mr. johnson, in his report. principal reason
the suspension eharacterizes this note OF Mr. Stanton
defiance aud something more" 1t was no defiance
What asserted plainly this that those public
sderations which moved Mr. Johnson to desire TO get
fact already made public by Mr.. johnson himself
that in Cabinet council the preceding June Mr. stanton
in the meaning and effect of the Recon
acts Of March and March 49, 1861 which opln
whole country had seen that if these opinions were car
red IN practice Mr. Johnson proposed they should
be- and lie had instructed his subordnates to carry
them out the plain intention OF Congress- In regard 70
TIE OF the Rebel states would be defeated
IONS aud refused TO couneuance artice which had
Congress the exclusion all other business passed az
that meeting third Reconstruction settling aside
the two previous acts As lie had done the two former
bills Mr. johnson had vetoed Thu also. 1t was note
notorious three elaborate vetoes, aided by
his speeches and conversations and OF presses
opposed to everything of the kind, and that he
intended 10 render all such legislation abortive.
end but had strenuously opposed, denounced and en-
deavored to defeat and TO reo the amendment OF
the Constitution known article H. passed June 49, 1885,
intended that time basis OF reconstruction His
whole Of conduct notorously open, violent
antagonsm to the will of the nation, expressed 10y
two Houses OF Congress evincing times disposition
unawed by the Constitution aud his OF Office
seize If possible the rens Of absolute po%er And many
of the wses and most patriotic in the land filled
stanton the other hand favored the faithful execu.
ton OF these acts They were laws OF the land He
would not seek TO defeat their object by any MEANS d.
rect or indirect and he had good believe and
did 6elieye that II he resigned his post Mr. Johnson
son IN accord with HIMSELF In his plans OF obstruction
msn wod y 70 b sne w T suen an appoint
until the end OF the session OF the The
session would probably have expired until the nrss
Monday in December, the commencement OF the next
have remained in office for four mouths during which
time by the Reconstruction acts the ressIatons and