Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-02-28


painting to stand by the stars and stripes
Have no fear. All will be we'll. Liberty
and order will again triumph.
i. j. OGLEsBT, Governor.
From the New York Herald.
The Presidents Views On the Situation.
| WASHINGTON, February q, 1868 The re-
moval of Secretary Stanton to-day has Ia
ken ngtOn-perhaps the whole cOun-
| try-by surprise. 1t is regarded as per
feet Presidential coup detut, frightens the
timid, astounds the Radicals, rejoices the
Democrats and electlifes all classes The
condition of affairs here, indeed, strikes
one as somewhat portentous of disorder
and revolution, but think it safe to pre-
dict that the country Will not go to pieces
over the matter, and that few days will
develop the fact that no serious peril exists
As l am writing tonight all sort of wild ru-
mors are aAOat, such as that Mr.. Thomas
has been arrested by order of Stanton, that
Grant is to be removed tomorrow, and that
Hancock has been summoned here to take
command of the new Department of Wash
ington. Discredit al! these stories from what
ever quarter they come, and be assured
that they are circulated by spectators to
affect the gold market. Instead of Thomas
being under arrest, the truth is that he is
now at p grand masquerade enjoying him
self most heartily. The President, of course,
is an object of great interest tonight
Crowds of people called to talk with him,
but he was not at his Office, being engaged
in discharging the agreeable duties of host
to number of distinguished diplomats and
officials.
Your correspondent, however, had al in
tervieW with his EXcellency tonight after
the state dinner, and found him not stricken
with fear or trembling but smiling and
radiant, in better humor and spirits than
for many months The President received
your correspondent after the usual hour for
visitors, and granted him half an hours
interview After the customary salutations
your correspondent remarked that the
country was somewhat taken by surprise by
the removal of Stanton and the appoint
ment of Thomas as Secretary al interim.
The President smiled and inquired,
" Well, what do the people say? [ sup
pose they are surprised but [ have only
done what [ had determined upon long
ago"
Correspondent-The removal, then, isl
not in pursuance of a recent determination
on your part, Mr.. President ?"
The President-''NOt at all, sir. The
people seem to have mistaken my course
altogether in this matter. [ never had but
one ACCOMMODATION on LlE SuDJtcI, DllU
have acted carefully, prudently and mod
erateIy Perhaps l have been too slow
about removing Mr.. Stanton, but not be-
cause feared the bugbear of impeachment,
or that / dreaded anything that Congress
might do. Nothing thai body could at
tempt or carry out would intimidatc or sur
prise me. / know they are capable of
doing anything. / delayed final action
solely to let the country see and under
stand the position of MIR. Stanton. We
first intimated to him that we would like
him to withdraw from our privy council.
He did not take the hint. We then re-
quested him to resign. He refused. We
then suspended him, under the constitu-
tional power which we have to suspend or
remove member of our Cabinet. The
act OF suspension was also not in conflict
with the Tcnurc-of- Office bill, though we
did not, therefore, recognize its constitu-
As q matter of courtesy we sent
reasons for our action to tho Senate.
That body pretended not to consider those
reasons sufficient, and assumed to reinstate
MIR. Stanton in office. Well, we still
waited, hoping Mr.. Stanton would see the
of resigning himself General
Sherman and General Grant offered to go
to Stanton and advise him to reaign-I
Here is a letter which Indicates what they
=
The President here allowed your cor