sary for
the support of the army.

At the time of my interview with Mr. Stanton, I was not informed fully
as to the events that had transpired in the preceding months, nor can
I say now that everything which had transpired of importance was then
known to Mr. Stanton. The statement that I am now to make was derived
from conversations with General Grant. At a time previous to the
December session of 1866, the President said to General Grant, "I may
wish to send you on a mission to Mexico." General Grant replied, "It
may not be convenient for me to go to Mexico." Little, if anything,
further was said between the President and General Grant. At a
subsequent time General Grant was invited to a Cabinet meeting. At
that meeting Mr. Seward read a paper of instruction to General Grant
as Minister of some degree to Mexico. The contents of the paper did
not impress General Grant very seriously, for in the communication that
he made to me he said that "the instructions came out very near where
they went in." At the end of the reading General Grant said, "You
recollect, Mr. President, I said it would not be convenient for me to
go to Mexico." Upon that a conversation followed, when the President
became heated, and rising from his seat, and striking the table with
some force, he said "Is there an officer of the army who will not
obey my instructions?" General Grant took his hat in his hand, and
said, "I am an officer of the army, but I am a citizen also; and this
is a civil service that you require of me. I decline it." He then
left the meeting. It happened also that previous to this conversation
the President had ordered General Sherman, who was in command at Fort
Leavenworth, to report at Washington. General Sherman obeyed the
order, came to Washington, and had a conference with General Grant
before he reported to the President. In that situation of affairs
General Sherman was sent to Mexico upon the mission which had been
prepared for General Grant.

The suggestion that Mr. Johnson contemplated the re-organization of the
Government by the admission of the States that had been in rebellion,
and by the recognition of Senators and Representatives that might be
assigned from those States, received support from the testimony given
by Major-General William H. Emory, and also from the testimony of
General Grant. In the latter part of the year 1867 and the first part
of the year 1868, General Emory was in command of the