STANTON, Edwin M. (1814-1869), Secretary of War . Autograph letter signed ("Edwin M. Stanton"), to Edwards Pierrepont, Washington, D. C., 14 January 1868, 1 o'clock p.m. 1 page, 4to, War Department stationery . FINE.
STANTON, Edwin M. (1814-1869), Secretary of War . Autograph letter signed ("Edwin M. Stanton"), to Edwards Pierrepont, Washington, D. C., 14 January 1868, 1 o'clock p.m. 1 page, 4to, War Department stationery . FINE. "I...TOOK POSSESSION": STANTON LOCKS HIMSELF INTO HIS OFFICE AND DEFIES ANDREW JOHNSON A dramatic letter from a critical moment in the crisis between Andrew Johnson and the Congressional Republicans. Late on the night of 13 January, the Senate voted to keep Stanton in office, rejecting Johnson's request to fire him under the Tenure in Office Act. "I write to you from my desk in the War Department. The Senate vote was more decided than I had expected...Bayard, Buckalew, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle & Patterson, Johnson's son in law, were the only negatives. Fessenden is said to have made a great speech. I came to the office at half past ten o'clock this morning. General Grant has removed his own papers and left the key with the Adjutant General to be given to me. I sent for him and took possession. What Johnson's next move will be I do not know but I may be removed any how & the sooner the better." The reference to Grant touches on a particularly dramatic aspect of the affair. Johnson had thought his offer to name Grant as Stanton's replacement would make the dismissal more palatable to Senate Republicans. But in the event the Senate decided to keep Stanton, he extracted from Grant a promise to retain control of the office, and under no circumstance to relinquish it to Stanton. Over the course of Sunday 12 January and Monday 13 January, Grant became increasingly uneasy about Johnson's instructions. He risked exposing himself to a $10,000 fine for violating the Tenure in Office Act. As soon as Grant got word early on then 14th of the Senate vote, he dropped his keys off with the Adjutant General and sent a messenger to inform Johnson of his actions. A bitter public dispute erupted over the next few weeks between Johnson and Grant about just what had been promised to whom. Meanwhile Stanton--keys in hand--bolted his inner office door and locked the hallway door shut. Furniture and other articles were added to a defiant if somewhat theatrical hallway barricade. The skirmishing between White House and Capitol Hill had become a full-blown war. [ With :] STANTON. Document signed ("Edwin M. Stanton"), TEXT IN THE HAND OF UNION GENERAL DAVID HUNTER, Washington 28 October 1862. A pass for four women to travel to St. Augustine, Florida. ENDORSED AND SIGNED BY HUNTER on the Address leaf: "With the kind regards &c, Very Sincerely your friend D. Hunter, Maj. Gen." -- [STANTON]. Secretarial transcript, unsigned, of telegram from Stanton to New York Governor Horatio Seymour, Washington, 5 July 1864. 2 pp., 4to . A request for 12,000 men to repel the Confederate invasion of Maryland and attacks on Martinsburgh and Harper's Ferry. Together 3 items . (3)
STANTON, Edwin M. (1814-1869), Secretary of War . Autograph letter signed ("Edwin M. Stanton"), to Edwards Pierrepont, Washington, D. C., 14 January 1868, 1 o'clock p.m. 1 page, 4to, War Department stationery . FINE.
STANTON, Edwin M. (1814-1869), Secretary of War . Autograph letter signed ("Edwin M. Stanton"), to Edwards Pierrepont, Washington, D. C., 14 January 1868, 1 o'clock p.m. 1 page, 4to, War Department stationery . FINE. "I...TOOK POSSESSION": STANTON LOCKS HIMSELF INTO HIS OFFICE AND DEFIES ANDREW JOHNSON A dramatic letter from a critical moment in the crisis between Andrew Johnson and the Congressional Republicans. Late on the night of 13 January, the Senate voted to keep Stanton in office, rejecting Johnson's request to fire him under the Tenure in Office Act. "I write to you from my desk in the War Department. The Senate vote was more decided than I had expected...Bayard, Buckalew, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle & Patterson, Johnson's son in law, were the only negatives. Fessenden is said to have made a great speech. I came to the office at half past ten o'clock this morning. General Grant has removed his own papers and left the key with the Adjutant General to be given to me. I sent for him and took possession. What Johnson's next move will be I do not know but I may be removed any how & the sooner the better." The reference to Grant touches on a particularly dramatic aspect of the affair. Johnson had thought his offer to name Grant as Stanton's replacement would make the dismissal more palatable to Senate Republicans. But in the event the Senate decided to keep Stanton, he extracted from Grant a promise to retain control of the office, and under no circumstance to relinquish it to Stanton. Over the course of Sunday 12 January and Monday 13 January, Grant became increasingly uneasy about Johnson's instructions. He risked exposing himself to a $10,000 fine for violating the Tenure in Office Act. As soon as Grant got word early on then 14th of the Senate vote, he dropped his keys off with the Adjutant General and sent a messenger to inform Johnson of his actions. A bitter public dispute erupted over the next few weeks between Johnson and Grant about just what had been promised to whom. Meanwhile Stanton--keys in hand--bolted his inner office door and locked the hallway door shut. Furniture and other articles were added to a defiant if somewhat theatrical hallway barricade. The skirmishing between White House and Capitol Hill had become a full-blown war. [ With :] STANTON. Document signed ("Edwin M. Stanton"), TEXT IN THE HAND OF UNION GENERAL DAVID HUNTER, Washington 28 October 1862. A pass for four women to travel to St. Augustine, Florida. ENDORSED AND SIGNED BY HUNTER on the Address leaf: "With the kind regards &c, Very Sincerely your friend D. Hunter, Maj. Gen." -- [STANTON]. Secretarial transcript, unsigned, of telegram from Stanton to New York Governor Horatio Seymour, Washington, 5 July 1864. 2 pp., 4to . A request for 12,000 men to repel the Confederate invasion of Maryland and attacks on Martinsburgh and Harper's Ferry. Together 3 items . (3)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
