t　summer；　I　did　say　that；　like　the　case　of　the　Baltimore　police　commissioners；　I　did　suppose　Mr。　Stanton　could　not　regain　his　office　except　by　a　process　through　the　courts。〃　　To　this　the　President　assented；　saying　he　〃remembered　the　reference　to　the　case　of　the　Baltimore　commissioners；〃　when　General　Grant　resumed：　〃I　said　if　I　changed　my　opinion　I　would　give　you　notice；　and　put　things　as　they　were　before　my　appointment　as　Secretary　of　War　ad　interim。〃
  We　then　entered　into　a　general　friendly　conversation；　both　parties　professing　to　be　satisfied；　the　President　claiming　that　he　had　always　been　most　friendly　to　General　Grant；　and　the　latter　insisting　that　he　had　taken　the　office；　not　for　honor　or　profit；　but　in　the　general　interests　of　the　army。
  As　we　withdrew；　at　the　very　door；　General　Grant　said；　〃Mr。　President；　you　should　make　some　order　that　we　of　the　army　are　not　bound　to　obey　the　orders　of　Mr。　Stanton　as　Secretary　of　War；〃　which　the　President　intimated　be　would　do。
  No　such　〃orders〃　were　ever　made；　many　conferences　were　held；　and　the　following　letters　are　selected　out　of　a　great　mass　to　show　the　general　feeling　at　the　time：
  1321　K　STREET；　WASHINGTON；　January　28；1868；　Saturday。
  To　the　President：
  I　neglected　this　morning　to　say　that　I　had　agreed　to　go　down　to　Annapolis　to　spend　Sunday　with　Admiral　Porter。　　General　Grant　also　has　to　leave　for　Richmond　on　Monday　morning　at　6　A。M。
  At　a　conversation　with　the　General　after　our　interview；　wherein　I　offered　to　go　with　him　on　Monday　morning　to　Mr。　Stanton；　and　to　say　that　it　was　our　joint　opinion　be　should　resign；　it　was　found　impossible　by　reason　of　his　（General　Grant）　going　to　Richmond　and　my　going　to　Annapolis。　　The　General　proposed　this　course：　He　will　call　on　you　to…morrow；　and　offer　to　go　to　Mr。　Stanton　to　say；　for　the　good　of　the　Army　and　of　the　country；　he　ought　to　resign。　　This　on　Sunday。　　On　Monday　I　will　again　call　on　you；　and；　if　you　think　it　necessary；　I　will　do　the　same；　viz。；　go　to　Mr。　Stanton　and　tell　him　he　should　resign。
  If　he　will　not；　then　it　will　be　time　to　contrive　ulterior　measures。　In　the　mean　time　it　so　happens　that　no　necessity　exists　for　precipitating　matters。　Yours　truly；　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Lieutenant…General。
  DEAR　GENERAL：　On　the　point　of　starting；　I　have　written　the　above；　and　will　send　a　fair　copy　of　it　to　the　President。　　Please　retain　this；　that　in　case　of　necessity　I　may　have　a　copy。　　The　President　clearly　stated　to　me　that　he　relied　on　us　in　this　category。
  Think　of　the　propriety　of　your　putting　in　writing　what　you　have　to　say　tomorrow；　even　if　you　have　to　put　it　in　the　form　of　a　letter　to　hand　him　in　person；　retaining　a　copy。　　I'm　afraid　that　acting　as　a　go…between　for　three　persons；　I　may　share　the　usual　fate　of　meddlers；　at　last　get　kinks　from　all。　　We　ought　not　to　be　involved　in　politics；　but　for　the　sake　of　the　Army　we　are　justified　in　trying　at　least　to　cut　this　Gordian　knot；　which　they　do　not　appear　to　have　any　practicable　plan　to　do。　　In　haste　as　usual；
  W。　T。　SHERMAN。
  HEADQUARTERS　ARMIES　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES；　January　29；　1888。
  DEAR　SHERMAN：　I　called　on　the　President　and　Mr。　Stanton　to…day；　but　without　any　effect。
  I　soon　found　that　to　recommend　resignation　to　Mr。　Stanton　would　have　no　effect；　unless　it　was　to　incur　further　his　displeasure；　and；　therefore；　did　not　directly　suggest　it　to　him。　　I　explained　to　him；　however；　the　course　I　supposed　he　would　pursue；　and　what　I　expected　to　do　in　that　case；　namely；　to　notify　the　President　of　his　intentions；　and　thus　leave　him　to　violate　the　〃Tenure…of…Office　Bill〃　if　he　chose；　instead　of　having　me　do　it。
  I　would　advise　that　you　say　nothing　to　Mr。　Stanton　on　the　subject　unless　he　asks　your　advice。　　It　will　do　no　good；　and　may　embarrass　you。　　I　did　not　mention　your　name　to　him；　at　least　not　in　connection　with　his　position；　or　what　you　thought　upon　it。
  All　that　Mr。　Johnson　said　was　pacific　and　compromising。　　While　I　think　he　wanted　the　constitutionality　of　the　〃Tenure　Bill〃　tested；　I　think　now　he　would　be　glad　either　to　get　the　vacancy　of　Secretary　of　War；　or　have　the　office　jUst　where　it　was　dUring　suspension。　Yours　truly；
  U。　S。　　GRANT。
  WASHINGTON　D。　C。；　January　27；　1868。
  To　the　President。
  DEAR　SIR：　As　I　promised；　I　saw　Mr。　Ewing　yesterday；　and　after　a　long　conversation　asked　him　to　put　down　his　opinion　in　writing；　which　he　has　done　and　which　I　now　inclose。
  I　am　now　at　work　on　these　Army　Regulations；　and　in　the　course　of　preparation　have　laid　down　the　Constitution　and　laws　now　in　force；　clearer　than　I　find　them　elsewhere；　and　beg　leave　herewith　to　inclose　you　three　pages　of　printed　matter　for　your　perusal。　　My　opinion　is；　if　you　will　adopt　these　rules　and　make　them　an　executive　order　to　General　Grant；　they　will　so　clearly　define　the　duties　of　all　concerned　that　no　conflict　can　arise。　　I　hope　to　get　through　this　task　in　the　course　of　this　week；　and　want　very　much　to　go　to　St。　Louis。　　For　eleven　years　I　have　been　tossed　about　so　much　that　I　really　do　want　to　rest；　study；　and　make　the　acquaintance　of　my　family。　　I　do　not　think；　since　1857；　I　have　averaged　thirty　days　out　of　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　at　home。
  Neat　summer　also；　in　fulfillment　of　our　promise　to　the　Sioux；　I　must　go　to　Fort　Phil　Kearney　early　in　the　spring；　so　that；　unless　I　can　spend　the　next　two　months　at　home；　I　might　as　well　break　up　my　house　at　St。　Louis；　and　give　up　all　prospect　of　taking　care　of　my　family。
  For　these　reasons　especially　I　shall　soon　ask　leave　to　go　to　St。　Louis；　to　resume　my　proper　and　legitimate　command。　　With　great　respect；
  W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Lieutenant…General。
  ＇Inclosure＇
  WASHINGTON；　D。　C。；　January　25；　1868。
  MY　DEAR　GENERAL：　I　am　quite　clear　in　the　opinion　that　it　is　not　expedient　for　the　President　to　take　any　action　now　in　the　case　of　Stanton。　　So　far　as　he　and　his　interests　are　concerned；　things　are　in　the　best　possible　condition。　　Stanton　is　in　the　Department；　got　his　secretary；　but　the　secretary　of　the　Senate；　who　have　taken　upon　themselves　his　sins；　and　who　place　him　there　under　a　large　salary　to　annoy　and　obstruct　the　operations　of　the　Executive。　　This　the　people　well　enough　understand；　and　he　is　a　stench　in　the　nostrils　of　their　own　party。
  I　thought　the　nomination　of　Cox　at　the　proper　juncture　would　have　been　wise　as　a　peace…offering；　but　perhaps　it　would　have　let　off　the　Senate　too　easily　from　the　effect　of　their　arbitrary　act。　　Now　the　dislodging　of　Stanton　and　filling　the　office　even　temporarily　without　the　consent　of　the　Senate　would　raise　a　question　as　to　the　legality　of　the　President's　acts；　and　he　would　belong　to　the　attacked　instead　of　the　attacking　party。　　If　the　war　between　Congress　and　the　President　is　to　go　on；　as　I　suppose　it　is；　Stanton　should　be　ignored　by　the　President；　left　to　perform　his　clerical　duties　which　the　law　requires　him　to　perform；　and　let　the　party　bear　the　odium　which　is　already　upon　them　for　placing　him　where　he　is。　　So　much　for　the　President。
  As　to　yourself；　I　wish　you　as　far　as　possible　to　keep　clear　of　political　complications。　　I　do　not　think　the　President　will　require　you　to　do　an　act　of　doubtful　legality。　　Certainly　he　will　not　without　sanction　of　the　opinion　of　his　Attorney…General；　and　you　should　have　time；　in　a　questionable　case；　to　consult　with　me　before　called　upon　to　act。　　The　office　of　Secretary　of　War　is　a　civil　office；　as　completely　so　as　that　of　Secretary　of　State；　and　you　as　a　military　officer　cannot；　I　think；　be　required　to　assume　or　exercise　it。　This　may；　if　necessary；　be　a　subject　for　further　consideration。　　Such；　how　ever；　will　not；　I　think；　be　the　case。　The　appeal　is　to　the　people；　and　it　is　better　for　the　President　to　persist　in　the　course　he　has　for　some　time　pursuedlet　the　aggressions　all　come　from　the　other　side；　and　I　think　there　is　no　doubt　he　will　do　so。　　Affectionately；　　　T。　EWING。
  ToLieutenant…General　SHERMAN。
  LIBRARY　ROOM；　WAR　DEPAETMERT；　WASHINGTON；　D。　C。；　January　31；　1868。
  To　the　President：
  Since　our　interview　of　yesterday　I　have　given　the　subject　of　our　conversation　all　my　thoughts；　and　I　beg　you　will　pardon　my　reducing　the　same　to　writing。
  My　personal　preferences；　as　expressed；　were　to　be　allowed　to　return　to　St。　Louis　to　resume　my　present　command；　because　my　command　was　important；　large；　suited　to　my　rank　and　inclination；　and　because　my　family　was　well　provided　for　there　in　house；　facilities；　schools；　living；　and　agreeable　society；　while；　on　the　other　band；　Washington　was　for　many　（to　me）　good　reasons　highly　objectionable；　especially　because　it　is　the　political　capital　of　the　country；　and　focus　of　intrigue；　gossip；　and　slander。　　Your　personal　preferences　were；　as　expressed；　to　make　a　new　department　East　adequate　to　my　rank；　with　headquarters　at　Washington；　and　assign　me　to　its　command；　to　remove　my　family　here；　and　to　avail　myself　of　its　schools；　etc。；　to　remove　Mr。　Stanton　from　his　office　as　Secretary　of　War；　and　have　me　to　discharge　the　duties。
  To　effect　this　removal　two　modes　were　indicated：　to　simply　cause　him　to　quit　the　War…Office　Building；　and　notify　the　Treasury　Department　and　the　Army　Staff　Departments　no　longer　to　respect　him　as　Secretary　of　War；　or　to　remove　him　and　submit　my　name　to　the　Senate　for　confirmation。
  Permit　me　to　discuss