The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-27
me uo-. george @. esrhaun Replies t. con.
Rrho0e1d,

that for reasons stated by him tine original
cause Of Stanton's removal. which led to John
sons impeachment, was lost sight of and never
became public"
In reply to this positive and circumstontlal
statemcnt OF Gen. Schoield. l cited a letter
from Gen. Grant to the President, dated Aug. 1.
1867. energetically protesting against Mr.. STAN
toms removal. quoted that portion of the let
ter relating to Mr.. Stanton. and stated that fol-
lowing that was a remonstrance against the
removal of Gen. Sheridan from tho command OF
tho Fifth Military district. then said that, to
show that Gen. Grant did not change his mind
on the subject between Aug. l and the date Of
Mr.. Stanton's suspension on the 18th, 1t was
"only necessary to read Gen. Grants letter to
the President of Aug. II. in which he refers to
his letter Of the LIST as having been written
when first consulted on tho subject Of the
change in tho War Department. and reaf.
firms it."
Gen. Schofeld, in THE SUN of the 23d inst.
replies to my criticism. Following arc the
points of his reply:
First. that Gen. Grants letter of Aug. IT did
not reafiirm his protest Of Aug. /, against STAN
tons removal.
Secondly. that johnson yielded to Grants
objections to the removal by suspcndinR in
stead Of removing him; and,
Thirdly. that his recollection of the events is
more accurate than my reading Of the public
records. and that his recollection may have
boon inaccurate as to a date, but not as to any
substantial fact"
As to the first point. I have to say that Gen.
Grants letter of Aug. 1 was q remonstrance
against the removal of either Secretary Stanton
or Gen. Sheridan. The letter of Aug. II related
to the removal of Gen. Sheridan only, Mr.. Stan.
ton having already been suspended. In this
last letter Con. Grant said: ~ beg to refer to a
latter marked 'privnta' which I ~rota IN tho
President when first consulted on the subject of
the change in the War Department. 1t bears
upon the subject OF this removal. and / had
hoped would have prevented it." Gen. Grants
letter OF Aug. l, which he thus requested the
President to consult before acting on Gen.
Sheridan's removal. contained the following:
In conclusion allow me to say a. q friend desiring
peace and quiet, the welfare Of the whole country
North and South. tina, 1t is. In my opinion. more than
the loyal people OF this country q mean those who
supported the Government during the great rebellion)
will quietly submit TO. TO see the very men. of all
Others whom they have expressed confidence in. re.
moved.
Stanton and Sheridan. being the only persons
alluded TO in this letter, must necessarily have
been the very men Of all others whose re-
moval. Gen. Grant thought. would be SO disturb
ing to the peace and quiet of the whole country.
They were the men whose removal, he thought,
the loyal people OF the country would not quiet.
ly submit to. These burning words were a part
OF Gen. Grants protest against the removal Of
Stanton and Sheridan. When, therefore. Gen.
Grant. on the 18th of August, referred the Pres.
ident TO his previous letter OF Aug. l, he re-
affirmed not only Its separate protest against
Shcridan's removal, but also that portion of the
letter in which the protest was applied to them
jointly !. lGi and inseparasly; This rsst1rmanee was
protest he was renewing against the removal OF
Gen. Sheridan. My statement was not that Gen.
Grant. in his sccoad letter, rcafiirmedh his protest
OF Aug. l against Stanton's removal. but that he
reGrfrmcG the letter which contained that
AS 10 the second point that Johnson yielded
to Grants objections to the rem val of Stanton,
Schotield cites as his authority for this state
ment Gen Grant : letter TO Johnson dated Feb.
s. siira isssi in At NG page $ss. "IHf' tho Ss of ReG SIIl
more carefully read this letter he will find that
Grants objections ts to the suspension were just
support OF this ! quote from the letter the fol.
lowing language:
Aug. !, 1857, against the removal of Mr.. Stanton. You
must have known that my greatest objection 10 his
would he appointed In his stead who would. by oppo.
sti%n to the laws relating to the restoration OF the
eminent. emonrrass the army In the performance OF
it Was to prevent such an ap SppoiD n aeese that mas a nsi
copied the once OF Secretary Of Wal ud int rim, and
stanton by my Withholding Il from aim M oppo mt:
tion to law. or. not doing so myself. surrenterins it
to one who would. rs the statement and assumptions
in your communication Plainly indicate was sought.
Language could not be framed to moro clearly
eNpTei1s or Cen ,bs Grsna: .,S eSG ~ ct Se'esstion to the re-
toms suspension. instead OF his removal. was
fSs o tbhsreio5s, 81 " yisld Hn by the President to
As TO the third point. that my reading OF the
public records has been less accurate than his
recollection OF the events. and that while his
recollection may have been inaccurate as TO
date Il has not been SO as to any substantial
the records has been entirely accurate. Gen.
Grant did; in his letter of Aug. II. reaffirm his
dent johnson had not in tho meantime yielded
to Gen: Grants objections to his course toward
be an interesting contribution to history il GEN.
Schoteld could recall any circumstance which
would TX IN his mind at what time Gen. Grant
ton that he threatened to leave the head Of
the army unless he could accomplish it. II Ger.
on the Conduct OF the War. Gen. Grant said:
oe so rT h as b sas h ssSrst ,nist Of War w and myself are con.
thrown any 9bstacles in the way, of supplies | have
paign TO me. and never inquired what i was going to
do: He has always seemed satisfied with what i aid
Gen. Schoheld asserts in his article TINT after
President Lincoln's death Secretary Stanton
began soon after tho end OF hostile Operations
had formerly been claimed as belonging to the
War Department. which had been suspended by
'So'uNhA w. TN InlB, he SAWS. lfan
Grant was deeply offended" Upon this point
Gen. Grant himself says in his memoirs:
po Uwan Snd 10 ca hs natural ~ al disposition to assume all
thing to do with. he Secretary stanton) bodily tool
command OF the armies, and while Issuing mo- ordera
on the subject. prohiDitei any order from mo coins
OUT OF ne ACKNOWLEDGEMENT once until he had an.
proved II, This was done by directing the Adiutant.
General to holn any orders that came from ma to DO
issued through the AdJutant-General's ONCE until he
had examined them and given his approval.
o says that upon a written remonstranoe
from him the Secretary restored him 10 his
srmy.n but that he soon lapsed again and took
1t viii DO observed that what Gen. Grant
characterized as taking Command of the
armies. was limited to the requirement that
the u nerals orders should not 20 out OF The
acknowledgements office until he had approved
ihem: he expressly states that Mr.. stanton
Gen; Grant had, in 1868. placed himself on
record 40 considering himself bound by tho
orders OF the Secretary OF War issued under
sse ia law ana customs y Of the department. so long
by the President. This will ha fnuna ~ ~