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ation would have produced armed collision and public disorder； they saw an entire people quietly accepting the verdict of the highest authoritive body of the land； and practically dismissing the subject from thought。 It was a splendid world…wide tribute to the strength and endurance of our system of popular government。
Yet the conclusion must not be deduced that the power of impeachment is not a wise provision of our Constitution； nor in any sense inconsistent with our popular forms。 Conditions may； and are not unlikely to arise； some day； when the exercise of the power to impeach and remove the President may be quite as essential to the preservation of our political system as it threatened to become in this instance destructive of that system。 Should that day ever come； it is to be hoped that the remedy of impeachment； as established by the Constitution； may be as patriotically； as fearlessly； and as unselfishly applied as it was on this occasion rejected。
SUPPLEMENT。
Copy of 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 the 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。
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； in the published correspondence。 The three points specified in that letter； giving your recollection of the conversation； are correctly stated。
Very respectfully； Gideon Welles。
To the President。
Treasury Department； February 6； 1868。
Sir：I have received your note of the 5th instant； calling my attention to the correspondence between youself and General Grant； as published in the Chronicle of yesterday； especially to that part of it which relates to what occurred at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday the 14th ultimo； and requesting me to state what was said in the conversation referred to。
I cannot undertake to state the precise language used； but I have no hesitation in saying that your account of that conversation。 as given in your letter to General Grant under date of the 31st ultimo。 substantially and in all important particulars accords with my recollection of it。
With great respect； your obedient servant。 Hugh McCulloch。 To the President。
Post Office Department Washington； February 6； 1868。
Sir：I am in receipt of your letter of the 5th of February； calling my attention to the correspondence published in the Chronicle between the President and General Grant； 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； with a request that I state what was said in that conversation。 In reply； I have the honor to state that I have read carefully the correspondence in question； and particularly the letter of the President to General Grant； dated January 31； 1868。 The following extract from your letter of the 31st January to General Grant is； according to my recollection； a correct statement of the conversation that took place between the President and General Grant at the Cabinet meeting on the 14th of January last。 In the presence of the Cabinet the President asked General Grant whether； 〃in conversation which took place after his appointment as Secretary of War ad interim； he did not agree either to remain at the head of the War Department and abide any judicial proceedings that might follow the non…concurrence by the Senate in Mr。 Stanton's suspension； or； should he wish not to become involved in such a controversy； to put the President in the same position with respect to the office as he occupied previous to General Grant's appointment by returning it to the President in time to anticipate such action by the Senate。〃 This General Grant admitted。
The President then asked General Grant if； at the conference on the preceding Saturday； he had not； to avoid misunderstanding； requested General Grant to state what he intended to do； and further； if in reply to that inquiry he （General Grant） had not referred to their former conversations； saying that from them the President understood his position； and that his （General Grant's） action would be consistent with the understanding which had been reached。 To these questions General Grant replied in the affirmative。
The President asked General Grant if； at the conclusion of their interview on Saturday； it was not understood that they were to have another conference on Monday； before final action by the Senate in the case of Mr。 Stanton。
General Grant replied that such was the understanding； but that he did not suppose the Senate would act so soon； that on Monday he had been engaged in a conference with General Sherman； and was occupied with 〃many little matters；〃 and asked if General Sherman had not called on that day。
I take this mode of complying with the request contained in the President dent's letter to me； because my attention had been called to the subject before； when the conversation between the President and General Grant was under consideration。
Very respectfully； your obedient servant； Alexander W。 Randall； Postmaster General。 To the President。
Department of the Interior； Washington； D。 C。； February 6； 1868。
Sir：I am in receipt of yours of yesterday； calling my attention to a correspondence between yourself and General Grant； published in the Chronicle newspaper； and especially to that part of said correspondence 〃which refers to the conversation between the President and General Grant at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday； the 14th of January；〃 and requesting me 〃to state what was said in that conversation。〃
In reply； I submit the following statement： At the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday； the 14th of January； 1868； General Grant appeared and took his accustomed seat at the board。 When he had been reached in the order of business the President asked him； as usual； if he had anything to present？
In reply； the General； after referring to a note which he had that morning addressed to the President； inclosing a copy of the resolution of the Senate refusing to concur in the reasons for the suspension of Mr。 Stanton； proceeded to say that he regarded his duties as Secretary of War ad interim terminated by that resolution； and that he could not lawfully exercise such duties for a moment after the adoption of the resolution by the Senate。 That the resolution reached him last night； and that this morning he had gone to the War Department； entered the Sec