You will at once transfer to General Ulysses S. Grant, who has this day
been authorized and empowered to act as Secretary of War _ad interim_,
all records, books, papers, and other public property now in your
custody and charge.
To which said order the said Stanton made the following reply:
WAR DEPARTMENT,
_Washington City, August 12, 1867_.
The PRESIDENT.
SIR: Your note of this date has been received, informing me that by
virtue of the powers vested in you as President by the Constitution
and laws of the United States I am suspended from office as Secretary
of War, and will cease to exercise any and all functions pertaining to
the same; and also directing me at once to transfer to General Ulysses
S. Grant, who has this day been authorized and empowered to act as
Secretary of War _ad interim_, all records, books, papers, and other
public property now in my custody and charge.
Under a sense of public duty, I am compelled to deny your right under
the Constitution and laws of the United States, without the advice and
consent of the Senate and without legal cause, to suspend me from office
as Secretary of War, or the exercise of any or all functions pertaining
to the same, or without such advice and consent to compel me to transfer
to any person the records, books, papers, and public property in my
custody as Secretary.
Pages:
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
1018
1019
1020
1021
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035