The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-12

position to preserve harmony, and not intended
for publication. 1t seems to me that
the publication of that letter is cal
culated to place the General in a wrong
light before the public, taken in connection
with what correspondents have said before evil
IDENTIFY getting their inspiration from the White
House AS General Sherman afterward wrote q
semi-oficial note to the President, furnishing me
a copy, and still later purely official letter sent
through me, which place him in his true posi-
ton, and which have not been published, though
called for by the House, take the liberty of
sending you these letters to give you an oppor
tunity of consulting General Sherman as to
what action to take upon them. In all
matters where | not personally
interested would not hesitate to advise General
Sherman how would acr in his place But in
this instance, after the correspondence have
had with Mr.. johnson, 1 may not see General
Sherman's interest in the same light others see
It, or that would see it in it such cores
pondence had occurred, l am clear in this how
ever: The correspondence here ipclosed to you
should not he made public except by the Presi-
dent, or with the full sanction of General Sher
man. Probably the letter of the 31st of Jan
uary, marked confidential, should not be given
out at ALL
johnson was deferred by Shermans protesta-
tions, by the refusal of the Senate to confirm the
brevet. and by the fear that he would damage
himself if he insisted further. Doubtless, too,
he suspected that Sherman would not prove very
serviceable, il forced so much against his will
into the uncoveted position. On the 18th of
February. therefore, the President informed
Sherman that he would not be ordered
to Washington. Two days afterward, with
out consulting the Senate, johnson removed
Stanton and appointed Lorenzo Thomas, the
Acknowledgement of the army-Secretary of
NO. Cd ;ota 6ar1 o1,,&so
was offered in the House of Representatives
that Andrew johnson. President of the United
States, be impeached for high crimes and mis-
demeanors. On the oath of February the reso-
luton was adopted. ADAM BADEAU.
Points suggested by General Sherman in
answer to the Presidents letter to General
Grant, of Jan. 81, 1886.
Acknowledge receipt formally.
Regret that matters of Importance should
have transpired verbally when the memory of
mere words in general conversation is inter
preted according to the bias of readers. Will
take care in future it shall be avoided.
Knew that the President on Saturday, Sunday
and Monday possessed all the knowledge of the
action of the Senate and its legal effects that you
did, and as the responsibility rested with him,
you presumed he would adopt his own course.
A resignation was never limited at as necessa-
~, as the law itself terminated the tenure of
the Secretary of War ad interim.
Know your own motive and wishes to secure
as much harmony of action as possible, and to
avoid as far as could be the controversy unhap-
PLY existing between President and Congress,
but conscious Of rectitude, forbear to question
motives of others.
Question of Mr.. Stanton is one of pure legality.
His sitting in that particular Office does not make
him Secretary of War. If he Is not Secretary of
War, why does the Secretary of the Treasury
pay his drafts such?
The controversy as 1t stood then and as it
stands now, is not one which the Commander-in-
chief should settle, but it is for the courts the
President by an order" W.T.. 5.