New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-12

| chan Ces, but DO not "'ui' No.., w
| plans till YOU choose TO do So. 81, tho
II was hard TO drive Sherman out OF the
army or compel him to oppose. his lIlenoL.99
force these men into such POSITIONS Wn1 ~, n sn,
| done what they had for the country-;li lor
| the sake If enabling Johnson to triumph oNcr
| The will of the people who had won IN the
war-JOhnson too, who was only ny ,A cht t;,,
or bv assassination in his place. INC stfal,
between Grant and Sherman was tcrnpie 'no
feeling pitiable. D.;aon+ uas nc
omobatic ne that to Grant. He declared
ar 7 could see nv way clear to MAINTAIN ID!
family would not hesitate moment TO cslsn
my present commission and seek some pusln ',SS
wherein | could be free from 'hssc uhn nIp';,
complications that seem to be closing about
me- He implorcd a revocation ol thc 0ruGr'
and continued "By being, placed IN WASH
ington | will be universally construed a.
rival TO the General in, Chic1 pos'1on GILL ia
aging 10 me in the highest degree. Our reia,
tons have always been most contdCntla, ana
friendly, and if unhappily any cloud OF dIiicr-
encc should arise between us, my sense OF per
sonal dignity and duty would leave me- no
alternative but resignation. shall proceed 10
arrange for ii AS rapidly as possible, so uh;tt
when the time does. come, as 1t surely VIII u
this plan is carried into effect, may act
promptly" He ended by pronounclng the
blow one Of the hardest | have sustained In
life somewhat checlcrcd by adycN''y.
The feeling and conduct OF sherman at TINS
crisis can not be fully appreciated without re-
mcmlcring thai he did not approve the course
Of Congress in MANY respects. and would GER
tainly have preferred a more lenlent policy TO-
ward the South But questions like these were
now far in the background, and the devices OF
Johnson were such rs Sherman never could
have Indorscd There were indeed many hon
Orablc and loyal men who believed maj inc
course originally indicated by the President
would have deem more fortunate for the country
and at this distance of time all can see instances
in which Congress might have acted with
greater wisdom but the crooked arts and IN
iQuitous Vaccinations of the obstinate, cunning,
malicious man at the head of the Government
can recommend themselves neither to patriots
nor men of honor at the North or South, Dem
ocrats or Republicans They cost the country
dear. The shot Of Booth did more harm to the
South than to the illustriOus martyr who re-
ccved It, or to the unhappy maniac by whose
hand Lincoln fell.
Grant as well as Sherman was tortured by
the petty craft of him whom Fate had thrust
into position where he could tyrannize over
greater natures than his own. Grant now ap-
pealed to Sherman to write ont his recollections
of the interview at which he had been present,
with the President. in order to counterbalance
the assertions of JohnsOn's Cabinet Ministers.
On the 18th of February again. Grant wrote to
his friend, calling for his support in the attacks
upon his honor:
Your letter TO the President which you informed
me by telegraph on Friday last had been mailed
through me- has not yet come to hand. 1t may
come to-day The course you have pursued has
given immense satisfaction so far as | have heard
any expression of opinion The dispatch You sent
10 Senator Sherman has not been published, but it
is understood to be the ground Of his action in the
Senate You see 10y the papers Mr. j. has been ex-
pressing surprise at your action. saying that his
course understood between you before you
left, and that you did not seem 10 dsapprOve it.
OF course l do not expect to make any use of the
letters which You have written. in my own vim
dieatsCn but thought your letter ,h to the
matiOn of people who do not know
you as well as DO, and might possibly suppose
from the fact that you had been in Washington and
in direct communication with the President. that
you had consented to aid him in his plans to offer
Inc an intigntty would be very glad to have You
here If the public was not losing by bringing you
away from where You are, and if not for the annoy
ing position it would place you in. have heard
friends that he Intended to have you and me knock
our heads together. Your intmaton that you
would resign under any circumstances has called
out expression that you should not be placed in
a position to make 1t necessary, even If 1t took
legislation to prevent the contingency. This of
course is an individual expression of opinion. But
| would say under no circumstances tender even u
contingent resignation. You do not owe Mr.. John
son anything. and he is not entitled to such sacri
flee from yOU. Please present my kndest regards
10 Mrs. Sherman and the children.
The scrupulOus care with which in all this
crisis Grant regarded Sherman's wishes, and
strove to do nothing to commit him further
than he chose, is shown in the following letter
of the 22d of February to Senator Sherman
The National IntcHgencr of this morning CON
talns private note which General sherman sent
TO the President whilst lie was in Washington
dictated by the purest Kindness and disposition to
preserve harmony. and Lot Intended for publica-
ton. 1t seems to Inc that the publication of that
letter IS calculated to place the General in wrong
light before the public, taken in connection with
what correspondents have said before. e, ideutly
getting their inspiration from the White House.
As General Sherman alterward wrote seml-oiicial
note to the President, furnishing me copy, and
still later purely official letter sent through me-
which place him III his true position, ard which
have not been published, though called for by the
" House" take the liberty of sending you these
letters to give yon the opportunity OF consulting
General Sherman as to what action to take upon
them In all matters where | am not personally
interested would not hesitate to advise General
Sherman how would act in his place. BIZ in this
instance after the correspondence have had with
Mr. johnson, l may not see General shernans
interest in the same light Others see il, or that
would see 1t in, if no such correspondence had
occurred. l am clear i'll this however: the cor
respoDdence here enclosed to you should not lie
made public, exceDt by the President or with the
ui sanction OF General Sherman. Probably the
letter OF the 3lst of January marked confidential,
should not be given out at ALL
Johnson was deferred by Sherman's protesta-
tons, by the refusal Of the Senate to confirm
the brevet and by the fear that he would
damage himself IL he ins:-tcd further. Doubt
less, too, he suspected that Sherman would not
prnyc very .serviceable, If forced so much
against his wllllnto the uncOveted position. On
the 10Th of February, therefore. the President
informed Sherman that he would not be ordered
to Washington. Two days afterward, without
consulting the Senate, Johnson removed
Stanton and appointed Lorenzo Thomas, the
Adjutant- General Of the Army, Secretary Of
War ad interim. The same day resolution
was offered in the House of Representatives
that Andrew johnson, President of the United
States be impeached for high crimes AMI
misdemeanOrs. On the Oath of February the
resolution was adopted. ADAM BADEAU.
pnints suqOestod nv General Shertn in onswor
to tho Presidents letter to General Grant OF
January 81. 1880.
Acknowledge receipt formally.
Regret that matters Of Importance skould have
transpired verbally when the memory of mere
words in general conversation Is interpreted
according to the bias OF hearers VIII take care in