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ne business of the day's session。
On Monday； March 23rd； 1868； the President； by his attorneys； appeared at the bar of the Senate and made answer to the several Articles of Impeachment； as follows：
（Answer to only the 1st； 2nd； 3rd； and 11th Articles； are here given； as the 2nd； 3rd and 11th were the only Articles put to voteall others being abandoned； and as the 1st Article； though never put to vote； contained practically all there was of the impeachment。）
ANSWER TO ARTICLE I。
For answer to the first article he said： That Edwin M。 Stanton was appointed Secretary for the Department of War on the 15th day of January； A。 D。 1862； by Abraham Lincoln； then President of the United States； during the first term of his presidency； and was commissioned； according to the Constitution and laws of the United States； to hold the said office during the pleasure of the President； that the office of Secretary for the Department of War was created by an act of the first Congress in its first session； passed on the 7th day of August； A。D。 1789； and in and by that act it was provided and enacted that the said Secretary for the Department of War shall perform and execute such duties as shall from time to time be enjoined on and intrusted to him by the President of the United States； agreeably to the Constitution； relative to the subjects within the scope of said department； and furthermore； that the Secretary shall conduct the business of the said department in such a manner as the President of the United States shall； from time to time； order and instruct。
And this respondent further answering； says that by force of the act aforesaid and by reason of his appointment aforesaid the said Stanton became the principal officer in one of the executive departments of the government within the true； intent and meaning of the second section of the second article of the Constitution of the United States； and according to the true intent and meaning of that provision of the Constitution of the United States： and； in accordance with the settled and uniform practice of each and every President of the United States； the said Stanton then became； and so long as he should continue to hold the said office of Secretary for the Department of War must continue to be； one of the advisers of the President of the United States； as well as the person intrusted to act for and represent the President in matters enjoined upon him or entrusted to him by the President touching the department aforesaid； and for whose conduct in such capacity； subordinate to the President； the President is； by the Constitution and laws of the United States； made responsible。
And this respondent； further answering； says he succeeded to the office of President of the United States upon； and by reason of； the death of Abraham Lincoln； then President of the United States； on the 13th day of April； 1865； and the said Stanton was then holding the said office of Secretary for the Department of War under and by reason of the appointment and commission aforesaid； and； not having been removed from the said office by this respondent； the said Stanton continued to hold the same under the appointment and commission aforesaid； at the pleasure of the President； until the time hereinafter particularly mentioned： and at no time received any appointment or commission save as above detailed。
And this repondent； further answering； says that on and prior to the 5th day of August； A。 D。 1867； this respondent； the President of the United States。 responsible for the conduct of the Secretary for the Department of War； and having the constitutional right to resort to and rely upon the person holding that office for advice concerning the great and difficult public duties enjoined on the President by the Constitution and laws of the United States； became satisfied that he could not allow the said Stanton to continue to hold the office of Secretary for the Department of War without hazard of the public interest； that the relations between the said Stanton and the President no longer permitted the President to resort to him for advice； or to be； in the judgment of the President； safely responsible for his conduct of the affairs of the Department of War； as by law required； in accordance with the orders and instructions of the President； and thereupon； by force of the Constitution and laws of the United States； which devolve on the President the power and the duty to control the conduct of the business of that executive department of the government； and by reason of the constitutional duty of the President to take care that the laws be faithfully executed； this respondent did necessarily consider and did determine that the said Stanton ought no longer to hold the said office of Secretary for the Department of War。 And this respondent； by virtue of the power and authority vested in him as President of the United States by the Constitution and laws of the United States； to give effect to such his decision and determination； did； on the 5th day of August； A。 D。 1867； address to the said Stanton a note； of which the following is a true copy：
Sir：Public considerations of a high character constrain me to say that your resignation as Secretary of War will be accepted。
To which note the said Stanton made the following reply：
War Department； Washington； August 5； 1867。
Sir：…Your note of this day has been received； stating that public considerations of a high character constrain you 〃to say that my resignation its Secretary of War will be accepted。〃
In reply I have the honor to say that public considerations of a high character； which alone have induced me to continue at the head of this department； constrain me not to resign the office of Secretary of War before the next meeting of Congress。
Very respectfully yours。 Edwin M。 Stanton。
This respondent； as President of the United States； was thereon of opinion that； having regard to the necessary official relations and duties of the Secretary for the Department of War to the President of the United States according to the Constitution and laws of the United States； and having regard to the responsibility of the President for the conduct of the said Secretary； and having regard to the permanent executive authority of the office which the respondent holds under the Constitution and laws of the United States； it was impossible； consistently with the public interests； to allow the said Stanton to continue to hold the said office of Secretary for the Department of War； and it then became the official duty of the respondent； as President of the United States； to consider and decide what act or acts should and might lawfully be done by him； as President of the United States； to cause the said Stanton to surrender the said office。
This respondent was informed and verily believed that it was practically settled by the first Congress of the United States； and had been so considered and uniformly and in great numbers of instances acted on by each Congress and President of the United States； in succession； from President Washington to； and including President Lincoln； and from the first Congress to the thirty…ninth Congress； that the Constitution of the