s
Secretary of War, you are hereby authorized and empowered to act as
Secretary of War _ad interim_, and will at once enter upon the discharge
of the duties of the office.

The Secretary of War has been instructed to transfer to you all the
records, books, papers, and other public property now in his custody and
charge.

The following communication was received from Mr. Stanton:

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 and authority 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 any 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.

But inasmuch as the General Commanding the armies of the United States
has been appointed _ad interim_, and has notified me that he has
accepted the appointment, I have no alternative but to submit, under
protest, to superior force.

The suspension has not been revoked, and the business of the War
Department is conducted by the Secretary _ad interim_.

Prior to the date of this suspension I had come to the conclusion that
the time had arrived when it was proper Mr. Stanton should retire from
my Cabinet. The mutual confidence and general accord which should exist
in such a relation had ceased. I supposed that Mr. Stanton was well
advised that his continuance in the Cabinet was contrary to my wishes,
for I had repeatedly given him so to understand by every mode short of
an express request that he should resign. Having waited full time for
the voluntary action of Mr. Stanton, and seeing no manifestation on his
part of an intent