1]) you take occasion to allude to recent publications in
reference to the circumstances connected with the vacation by yourself
of the office of Secretary of War _ad interim_, and with the view of
correcting statements which you term "gross misrepresentations" give
at length your own recollection of the facts under which, without the
sanction of the President, from whom you had received and accepted the
appointment, you yielded the Department of War to the present incumbent.

As stated in your communication, some time after you had assumed the
duties of Secretary of War _ad interim_ we interchanged views respecting
the course that should be pursued in the event of nonconcurrence by the
Senate in the suspension from office of Mr. Stanton. I sought that
interview, calling myself at the War Department. My sole object in then
bringing the subject to your attention was to ascertain definitely
what would be your own action should such an attempt be made for his
restoration to the War Department. That object was accomplished, for
the interview terminated with the distinct understanding that if upon
reflection you should prefer not to become a party to the controversy or
should conclude that it would be your duty to surrender the Department
to Mr. Stanton upon action in his favor by the Senate you were to return
the office to me prior to a decision by the Senate, in order that if I
desired to do so I might designate someone to succeed you. It must have
been apparent to you that had not this understanding been reached it was
my purpose to relieve you from the further discharge of the duties of
Secretary of War _ad interim_ and to appoint some other person in that
capacity.

Other conversations upon this subject ensued, all of them having on my
part the same object and leading to the same conclusion as the first.
It is not necessary, however, to refer to any of them excepting that of
Saturday, the 11th instant, mentioned in your communication. As it was
then known that the Senate had proceeded to consider the case of Mr.
Stanton, I was anxious to learn your determination. After a protracted
interview, during which the provisions of the tenure-of-office bill were
freely discussed, you said that, as had been agreed upon in our first
conference, you would either return the office to my possession in time
to enable me to appoint a successor before final action by the Senate
upon Mr. Stanton's suspension, or would remain as its head,