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had verbally instructed him to disregard Stanton's authority.
On the 24th of January Grant formally requested that the President would put into writing these verbal directions.
This was not done, and Grant was placed in a very embarrassing position.
It was the old device—to make some one else do the unauthorized work and take the responsibility, by which Johnson was to profit without burning his fingers.
At the same time the imputations of bad faith were continued against Grant.
Finally, on the 28th of January, Grant renewed his request for written instructions to disobey Stanton, and in the same letter he categorically denied the assertion of any promise on his part to remain in office after the Senate re-instated Stanton.
This brought matters to a head.
Within two days Sherman was offered the position of Secretary of War.
As soon as it became certain that Grant could not and would not be used, the crafty politician turned to the next in command.
On the 30th of January Sherman had a long interview with Johnson, in which the President proposed either to oust Stanton by force, or to remove him legally by submitting Sherman's name to the Senate as Secretary of War.
But to both these measures Sherman was averse.
On the 31st he wrote a letter to the President, full of wisdom, patriotism, and eloquence, a copy of which he gave to Grant.
In this he said: ‘To bring me to Washington would put three heads to the army —yourself, General Grant, and myself; and we would be more than human if we were not to differ.
In my judgment it would ruin the army, and would be fatal to one, or two, of us.’
‘With my consent,’ he said emphatically, ‘Washington, never.’
The next day the Board of Officers, of which Sherman was president, concluded its labors, and he set out immediately for St. Louis, to avoid, if possible, being caught in the political storm.
Johnson cajoled him, tempted him, and flattered him, but in vain.
Repeatedly the President declared
S. S. Scranton and Co., Hartford, 1887.
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