Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-02-27
EXCITING NEWS FROM
WASHINGTON.
THE WAR OFFICE Diff
GUILTY,
OF THE PRES
IDENT DECIDED ON.
LATEST, ALL QUIET.
Especial Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette. ]
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.

lSpeclai Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.
WASHINGTON, Feb. q.
The action taken by the President in
the case of Secretary Stanton seems to
have surprised everybody. The mat
ter vas kept entirely secret at the
White House, and nothing was known
at the capitol previous to the arrival Of
the message upon the subject.
Great excitement ensued' in both
Houses, and the Senate went into ex-
ecutive session almost Immediately, and
at this writing Is P. NJ. there seems
no prospect of adjournment.
The two brevets given Gen. Geo. H.
Thomas excited general laughter, and
the opinion was expressed on all sides
that the old veteran would notify the
President, in a quiet way, that he was
not caught on chaff.
The nomination of Nc Clellan as Min
lister to England caused almost as little
excitement and comment as that OF
Hubble to Ecuador
The point of interest in it all was, OF
course, that affecting Mr.. Stanton
Soon after the Senate had received the
message of the President, Mr.. Stanton
sent to both Houses copies of the letters
and orders served upon him by Adju-
tant General Lorenzo Thomas, whom
the President had appointed Secretary
of War od interim.
Mr.. Stanton declined to turn over
the Office at once, and in very short
time several Senators rode over to the
War Department and advised him to
remain. This Mr. Stanton has decid-
ed to do, and up to this hour has not
left the War Office, and does not in
tend to, until the Senate has taken
some action.
The debate in secret session has
been upon a resolution to return the
message to the President, with state
ment that the Senate insists that, under
the terms of the Tenure of Office law,
he has no authority to remove Secreta-
ry Stanton without consent of the Sen
ate, nor to order Gen. Thomas to take
his place without the concurrence of
the Senate. There is also clause pro-
posed to be added to the resolution,
declaring the whole proceeding to
be gross violation of law, and another
proposition to report the matter official
ly to the House of Representatives, for
their action. This, of course, would
imply impeachment, and so far as can
yet be learned, it has no general sup
port in the Senate.
Mr.. Stanton, at 9 P. NJ, issued an
order as Secretary of War, closing the
tomorrow, in honor of the
day.
1t is expected that Gen. Thomas will
make formal demand tomorrow for
the books and papers of the Office, and
to have the whole turned over to him.
He is in very excited state of mind
this afternoon, and has given two or
three versions of the course he expects
to pursue tomorrow, none of them very
peaceful in their character.
1t is not believed, however, that any
attempt will be made is use force, but
Ihat the real object of the President is
to get the Tenure of Office bill before
the Supreme Court, upon an application
for writ of quo warrento, to make an
swer why Gen. Thomas should not be
permitted to assume the duties of the
office of Secretary of War
To this, Mr.. Stanton pleaded the
terms of the Tenure of Office, the Con-
stitutionality of that act would come at
once before the Court.
There is much talk of impeachment
again, and to morrow bids fair to be a
var,, axoifinor tin,o in tho HouSo