That morning the National Intelligencer published an article accusing General Grant of acting in bad faith to the President, and of having prevaricated in making his personal explanation to the Cabinet, so that General Grant at first felt unwilling to go, but we went.  The President received us promptly and kindly.  Being seated, General Grant said, “Mr. President, whoever gave the facts for the article of the Intelligencer of this morning has made some serious mistakes.”  The President:  “General Grant, let me interrupt you just there.  I have not seen the Intelligencer of this morning, and have no knowledge of the contents of any article therein” General Grant then went on:  “Well, the idea is given there that I have not kept faith with you.  Now, Mr. President, I remember, when you spoke to me on this subject last summer, I did say that, like the case of the Baltimore police commissioners, I did suppose Mr. Stanton could not regain his office except by a process through the courts.”  To this the President assented, saying he “remembered the reference to the case of the Baltimore commissioners,” when General Grant resumed:  “I said if I changed my opinion I would give you notice, and put things as they were before my appointment as Secretary of War ad interim.”

We then entered into a general friendly conversation, both parties professing to be satisfied, the President claiming that he had always been most friendly to General Grant, and the latter insisting that he had taken the office, not for honor or profit, but in the general interests of the army.

As we withdrew, at the very door, General Grant said, “Mr. President, you should make some order that we of the army are not bound to obey the orders of Mr. Stanton as Secretary of War,” which the President intimated he would do.

No such “orders” were ever made; many conferences were held, and the following letters are selected out of a great mass to show the general feeling at the time: 

1321 K street, Washington, January 28,1868, Saturday.

To the President: 

I neglected this morning to say that I had agreed to go down to Annapolis to spend Sunday with Admiral Porter.  General Grant also has to leave for Richmond on Monday morning at 6 A.M.

At a conversation with the General after our interview, wherein I offered to go with him on Monday morning to Mr. Stanton, and to say that it was our joint opinion be should resign, it was found impossible by reason of his (General Grant) going to Richmond and my going to Annapolis.  The General proposed this course:  He will call on you to-morrow, and offer to go to Mr. Stanton to say, for the good of the Army and of the country, he ought to resign.  This on Sunday.  On Monday I will again call on you, and, if you think it necessary, I will do the same, viz., go to Mr. Stanton and tell him he should resign.

If he will not, then it will be time to contrive ulterior measures.  In the mean time it so happens that no necessity exists for precipitating matters.  Yours truly, W. T. Sherman, Lieutenant-General.