The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-02-27
MORE Or THE GRBNT-JOHN.
son CORRESPONDENCE.

ANN NNhFA NAAAN ~ ftNf"t N+'faff'N W A'AA
the resolution adopted yesterday;
THE PRESIDENT TO oENERAb GRANT.
/ Executive MANSION, Feb 10, 1863,
GENEuiL: Tho extraordinary char.
actcr Of your letter Of the 3D. instant
would seem to preclude any reply on
my part; but the inaincr iu which
publicity has been given to the cor
respondence Of which that letter
forms o part, aud the grave questions
which are involved induce me to
take this method Of giving, as n pro-
per sequel to tho communications
which have passed between US, the
statement of the five members Of tho
/ Cabinet who were present on tho oc.
oasion of our conversation on the
nth ult. Copies Of the letters
which they have addressed to mo on
the subieot arc soeordinly herewith
iucloscd.
You speak Of my lettor Of the 1st
ut rs "a rciicfation of the many aud
gross representations contained in
certain newspaper articles" and re
assert tho correctness Of tho state
monls contained in your oommunica-
ton Of the 2Sth ult., adding--and
here | giyo your own words-"any.
thing of yours in reply to it to the
contrary notwithstand OK Whom a
controversy upon matters Of fact
reached the point to which this has
been brought, further assertion or
denial between the immediate parties
should cease, especially when upon
either side it loses the character Of
respectful discussion, which is re.
quirod by the relation in which the
parties stand to each other, aud de-
generates in tone and temper Ia
such case, there is nothing to
rely upon but tho opposing state
mcnts alone, and from whatever in
triusic probabilities they afford in
layor or against either Of the parties.
| Ishould not shrink from this con
troyorsy. But, fortunately, it is not
left to this test alone. There were
five Cabinet officers present at the
conversation, the details Of which, in
my lettcr of the 2Sth ult, you allow
yourself to say contains many and
gross misrepresentation. These gen.
tlemeu heard that conversation, aud
have read my statement They
speak for themselves, aud | leave tue
| proof without word of comment.
deom it proper before concluding
this communication to notice some
of the statements contained in your
letter. You say that a performance
Of the promises alleged to have been
made for you to tho President would
have Involved resistance to law,
and an Inconsistency with the whole
history of my connection with the
suspension Of Mr.. Stanton"
You then state that you had fears
that tho President would, on the re-
moyal Of Mr.. stanton, appoint some
one in his place who would cmbarrass
tho army in carrying out the Recon.
struction Acts, aud add: "It was to
prevent such an appointment | ac-
ceptod the Office of Secretary of War,
al interim, aud not for tho purpose Of
enabling you to get rid of Mr., Stan.
ton, by my withholding it from him
in opposition to the law, or, not do
ing so myself, surrcnderiug it to Quo
who would. as the statements and as.
sumptions in your communication
| plainly indicate, was sought"
First Of all, you here admit that
from the very beginning of what you
term the whole history of your con
uection with Mr. S,anton's suspcn-
sion you intended to circumvcnt the
President, 1t was to carry out that
iutout that you accepted the appoint
mouG this was in your mlud nt the
time Of your acceptance. 1t was to
carry out that intent that you nc.
ccpted the appointments this was il
your mind at the time Of your accep
tancc Ii was not then in obodiaucC
to the order of your superior as has
heretofore been supposed, that you
assumed the duties of the Office. You
knew it was the Presidents purpose
to prevent Mr., Stmto from rcsuming
tho ollico of tho Secretary of War
and you intended to defeat that pur-
pose. You accepted the office, not in
the in crest of the President, but OF
MIR. Stanton. If this purpose, so en-.
tertained by you, had been confined
to yourself; IT, when accepting the
office, you had done SO with a mental
reservation to frus,ate the President
it would have been a deception. IL
tho ethics Of somo persons oacl
course is allowable; but you can moi
staLd even upon that questonabl,
ground, The history of your connec,
tion with this transaction, MS writer
by yourself, places you in different
prodicamcnt, aud shows that you no,
only concealed your design from the
President but induced him so sup
pose to keep Mr., Stanton ou' o.
Office by retaining it yoursclfarter al
attempted restoration by the Senate
SO as TO require Mr.. Stanton TO cs
/, toblish his right by judicial decision
| now give that part Of this his
tory, as written by yourself, in YOU
, letter of the 2Sth ultimo.
"Somc time after assumed III,
duties OF Secretary eff War al iaicria
tho President asked ms views as I,
the course Mr., Stanton would hay,
TO pursue, in case the Senate shoul,
not concur in his suspension, to OBJ
tain possession of tho office, My re
, ply was in substance that Mr., Stau
ton would have TO appeal to III,
courts to roinstato him, ilustratiu,
my position by cutting tho ground
had taken in tho case of the Balti
more Police Commissioners"
Now, at that time, as you admit il
{ your letter of the Sd instant, you he'll
, the Office for the very object of d.
ieatiug an appeal to the courts. Ii
il . tltat l,tFaw IN g,.s th,N $500 e.