memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第112章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　with　the　Hon。　Reverdy　Johnson；　Senator　from　Maryland；　and　suggested　to　him　that　the　best　way　to　escape　a　conflict　was　for　the　President　to　nominate　some　good　man　as　Secretary　of　War　whose　confirmation　by　the　Senate　would　fall　within　the　provisions　of　the　law；　and　named　General　J。　D。　Cox；　then　Governor　of　Ohio；　whose　term　of　office　was　drawing　to　a　close；　who　would；　I　knew；　be　acceptable　to　General　Grant　and　the　army　generally。　　Mr。　Johnson　was　most　favorably　impressed　with　this　suggestion；　and　promised　to　call　on　the　President　the　next　day　（Sunday）；　which　he　did；　but　President　Johnson　had　made　up　his　mind　to　meet　the　conflict　boldly。　　I　saw　General　Grant　that　afternoon　at　his　house　on　I　Street；　and　told　him　what　I　had　done；　and　so　anxious　was　he　about　it　that　he　came　to　our　room　at　the　War　Department　the　next　morning　（Monday）；　the　13th；　and　asked　me　to　go　in　person　to　the　White　House　to　urge　the　President　to　send　in　the　name　of　General　Cox。　　I　did　so；　saw　the　President；　and　inquired　if　he　had　seen　Mr。　Reverdy　Johnson　the　day　before　about　General　Cox。　　He　answered　that　he　had；　and　thought　well　of　General　Cox；　but　would　say　no　further。

Tuesday；　January　14；　1868；　came；　and　with　it　Mr。　Stanton。　　He　resumed　possession　of　his　former　office；　came　into　that　where　General　Sheridan；　General　Augur；　and　I　were　at　work；　and　greeted　us　very　cordially。　　He　said　he　wanted　to　see　me　when　at　leisure；　and　at　half…past　10　A。M。　　I　went　into　his　office　and　found　him　and　General　Grant　together。　　Supposing　they　had　some　special　matters　of　business；　I　withdrew；　with　the　remark　that　I　was　close　at　hand；　and　could　come　in　at　any　moment。　　In　the　afternoon　I　went　again　into　Mr。　Stanton's　office；　and　we　had　a　long　and　most　friendly　conversation；　but　not　one　word　was　spoken　about　the　〃tenure…of…office〃　matter。　　I　then　crossed　over　Seventeenth　Street　to　the　headquarters　of　the　army；　where　I　found　General　Grant；　who　expressed　himself　as　by　no　means　pleased　with　the　manner　in　which　Mr。　Stanton　had　regained　his　office；　saying　that　he　had　sent　a　messenger　for　him　that　morning　as　of　old；　with　word　that　〃he　wanted　to　see　him。〃　　We　then　arranged　to　meet　at　his　office　the　next　morning　at　halfpast　nine；　and　go　together　to　see　the　President。

That　morning　the　National　Intelligencer　published　an　article　accusing　General　Grant　of　acting　in　bad　faith　to　the　President；　and　of　having　prevaricated　in　making　his　personal　explanation　to　the　Cabinet；　so　that　General　Grant　at　first　felt　unwilling　to　go；　but　we　went。　　The　President　received　us　promptly　and　kindly。　　Being　seated；　General　Grant　said；　〃Mr。　President；　whoever　gave　the　facts　for　the　article　of　the　Intelligencer　of　this　morning　has　made　some　serious　mistakes。〃　　The　President：　〃General　Grant；　let　me　interrupt　you　just　there。　　I　have　not　seen　the　Intelligencer　of　this　morning；　and　have　no　knowledge　of　the　contents　of　any　article　therein〃　General　Grant　then　went　on：　〃Well；　the　idea　is　given　there　that　I　have　not　kept　faith　with　you。　　Now；　Mr。　President；　I　remember；　when　you　spoke　to　me　on　this　subject　last　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　fulf