of War is "my superior and your subordinate," and yet you refuse
obedience to the superior out of a deference to the subordinate.

Without further comment upon the insubordinate attitude which you
have assumed, I am at a loss to know how you can relieve yourself
from obedience to the orders of the President, who is made by the
Constitution the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, and is
therefore the official superior as well of the General of the Army
as of the Secretary of War.

Respectfully, yours,

ANDREW JOHNSON.

[Footnote 35: See pp. 618-620.]

[Footnote 36: See pp. 615-618.]

[Footnote 37: See pp. 613-615.]

[Footnote 38: See pp. 613-615.]

[Footnote 39: See pp. 618-620.]

[Footnote 40: See p. 613.]

[Footnote 41: See p. 615.]

[Footnote 42: See pp. 612-613.]

[Footnote 43: See p. 615.]

[Footnote 44: See pp. 618-620.]

[Letter addressed to each of the members of the Cabinet present at the
conversation between the President and General Grant on the 14th of
January, 1868, and answers thereto.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, D.C., February 5, 1868_.

SIR: The Chronicle of this morning contains a correspondence between the
President and General Grant reported from the War Department in answer
to a resolution of the House of Representatives.

I beg to call your attention to that correspondence, and especially to
that part of it which refers to the conversation between the President
and General Grant at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the 14th of
January, and to request you to state what was said in that conversation.

Very respectfully, yours,

ANDREW JOHNSON.

WASHINGTON, D.C., _February 5, 1868_.

The PRESIDENT.

SIR: Your note of this date was handed to me this evening. My
recollection of the conversation at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the
14th of January, corresponds with your statement of it in the letter of
the 31st ultimo[45] in the published correspondence.

The three points specified in that letter, giving your recollection of
the conversation, are correctly stated.

Very respectfully,

GIDEON WELLES.

[Footnote 45: See pp. 615-618.]

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, _February 6, 1868_.

The PRESIDENT.

SIR: I have received your note of the 5th instant, calling my attention
to the correspondence between yourself and General Grant as published in
the Chronicle of yesterday, especially to that part of it which relates
to what occurred at the Cabinet m