Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-02-11

10 the conclusion that, if the Senate should re-
fuse TO concur in the suspension Mr. Stanton
would thereby be reinstated, and thai he.
Grant, could not continue thereafter to act as
Secretary OF War al iNteris without subject
ing himself to hne and imprisonment, and hat
he came over on Saturday TO inform the
President of this change in his views, and
did so inform him; that the Presi-
dent replied that he had not suspend
Office bill but under the Con sitution, and had
appointed him (Grant) by virtue of the author
ty derived from the Constitution, &C.; that they
continued TO discuss the matter some time, and
nnally he left without any conclusion having
been reached, expecting to see the President
again on Monday. He then proceeded to ex-
plain why he had not called on the Preside Mt
on Monday, saying that he had had a
long interview with General sherman,
that various little matters had occupied his
time till it was late; and that he did not think
the Senate would act so soon, and asked .did
not Gen. Sherman call on you on Monday" 1
do not know what passed between the Presi-
dent and General Grant on Saturday, except
as I learned it from the conversation between
them at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, and
the foregoing is substantially what then
occurred. The precise words used on the occa-
sion are not Of course given exactly in the order
In which they We're spoken, bat the ideas ex-
pressed, and the facts stated, fai fully pre-
served and presented.
have the honor to be, sir, with great res pect
your obedient servant
The President. o. II. BROWNING.
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT, WARRINGTON
Feb. D, 1S6s.-Sir: am in receipt of your letter
of the 9th of February, calling nv attention TO
the correspondence, published i'm the Ckront-
ele, between the President and General
Grant, and especially to that part of IL
which refers to the conversation between the
President and General Grant at the Cabine,
meeting on Tuesday, the 14th Of January, with
a request that state what was said in tina:
conversation. In reply, i have the honor TO
state that have read carefully the CORES pond
ance in question. and particularly the letter of
the President to General Grant, dated January
81, 1863.
The following exteact from Your letter of the
31st OF January. TO General Grant, is according
to my recollection, a correct statement of the
conversation that took place between the Presi-
dent and General Grant in the Cabinet meeting
on the l4th of Jan uary last:
In the presence of the Cabinet the President
asked General Grant, whether ..in a con versa
tion which took place after his appoint
ment as Secretary Of War od intsrin he
did not :gree either TO remain at the head
of the War Department and abide any radical
proceedings that might follow the non-concu
renee by the Senate in Mr.. Stanton's suspen-
sion, and should he wish not TO become ln-
VOWED IN such controversy, 10 put the Pres-
dent III the position with respect to the Office as
NE occupied previous 10 General Grants ap-
pointment, by returning il to the President in
time to anticipate snch action by the Senate"
This General Grant admitted. The Presi-
dent then asked General Grant if at the con fer
ence on the preceding Saturday he had not to
avoid misunderstanding, requested General
Grant 10 state what he intended TO do: and fur
ther, if, in reply to thai inquiry, he, General
'Iranf, had not referred 10 their former CONVEX
-ations, saying that from them the Presi-
dent understood his position. and that his
General Grant's) action would be consistent
with the understanding which had been achsd.
To these General Grant replied in the affirm
ative. The President asked General Gran, if
AT the conclusion of their interview on Sstur-
day, II YVES not understood thai they were 10
have another conference on Monday, before
final action by the Senare in the case OF Mr..
Stanton.
Gen. Grant replied that such was the under
standing, but that he did not suppose the SEN
ate would ACT soon; hat on Monday he had
been engaged in Il conference with Gen Sh-r.
man, and WAS occupied with many little mat.
ters. :" and asked s.if Gen. Sherman had nor
called on that day"
l take this mode of complying with the r,.-
quest contained in the Presidents letter 10 me,
because Iny attention has been called to the
subject before, when the correspondence b.
tween the President and General Grant was
under consideration.
Very respectfully, your obed'u servant.
ALEX W. RANDALL, Postmaster General
DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON t;h
February. Is6S-SIE: The meeting 10 which
you refer in yOur letter WAS regular Cabinet
meeting. While the members We're assembling
and before the President had entered the Coun-
Gil Chamber, Gen. Grant in coming in, said Ia
me that he was in attendance there, not a. a
member Of the Cabinet, but upon invitation,
and l replied by the inquiry whether there
was change in the War Department Aflrr
the President had taken his seat, business went
on III the usual way, of hearing matters sub.
mitted to the several secretaries When ti,,
time came for the Secretary OF War Genersi
Grant said that he was now there. not as Sec
retary OF War, hut upon the Presidents in
yitation; tha, hr had retired from the War
Department. A Light difference then APP
ptared about the supposed in vitatlon, General
Grant saying that the officer who had borne
his letter 10 the President that morning an
nouncing his retirement from the War Depart
ment. had told HIM that the President desired
10 see him at the Cahinent TO which the Presi-
dent answered that the when General Grants
communication delivered TO him, the
President simply replied. that he supposed,
Gt n. Grant would be very soon AZ the Cabinet
meeting. regarded thecon versa tion thus begun
as an Incidental one. 1t went quite infor-
mally and consisted Of a statement, on your
part OF your views ia regard 40 the understand
ing OF the iennre upon which General Grant
had asserted to hold The War department. ad
Of answer and explanation IL was
respectful and courteous on both sides Being
in ihis conversational form, its details could
only have been preserved by Il verbatim To-
port SO I:r as / know. no such report Wts
made at the time. l can give only the general
effect OF the conversation. Certainly you stated
that although Won had reported the reasons tor
Mr.. Stanton's suspension 10 the S.nate. Won
nevertheless held that b- would not be entitled
10 res ume the Office of Secretary of War, even
II The Senate should disapprove OF his
TO have the question tested by judicial process.
10 be- applied 10 the person who should h. the
incumbent of the department under your d.
signation OF Secretary of War al tateysa. in tn.
place OF Mr.. Stanton. You contended that this
was well understood between yourself and
General Grant; that when he entered ri.
War Department as Secretary al interim he
expressed his concurrence in a belief thai the
que stion ofMr Sianton's restoration wonId b.
Il question for the Courts; that in Il = subsequent
conversation with General Grant YOU had al-
yerted TO the understanding then had. and THAI
General Grant expressed his concurrence
been previously held. General Grant said he
still adhered 10 the same construction OF the
law, hut said il he should change his opinion
lac ~ould give You reasonable notice of it.
80 that You should, in any case. be-
placed in the same position ia regard To
the War Department thar yon were while
Genefal Grant held il od infsrim. I did
no, understand Gen. Grant as Dr. ying, nor As
explicitly admitting these settlements in the
form and full extent TO which YOU made
them. His admission Of them Was rather
did moi understand 1t to be an
evasiye one. He said that, reasoning from
what occurred IN the case Of the police in
Maryland, which he regarded . a parallei
one. he WAS OF opinion. and so assured
you, that IL would be his right and duty
under yoar Instructions, to hold the
Office, alter the Senate should disapproye
of Mr.. Stanton's suspension. until the
question should be decided upon by the
courts; thar he remained until very recently
that opinion, and that on Saturday, before the
tween yourself and him in which the subiec
NJ 0S r1llv discussed. (Sen Crantss ssSSo