It was to prevent such an appointment that I accepted the office of Secretary of War ad interim.

You speak of my letter of the 31st ultimo as a reiteration of the 'many and gross misrepresentations' contained in certain newspaper articles.

I will only notice one more statement in your letter of the 3d instant—that the performance of the promises which it is alleged were made by you would have involved you in the resistance of law.

My order to you had only reference to orders 'assumed to be issued by the direction of the President.'

You knew it was the President's purpose to prevent Mr. Stanton from resuming the office of Secretary of War, and you intended to defeat that purpose.

The extraordinary character of your letter of the 3d instant would seem to preclude any reply on my part.

The excuse you make in a subsequent paragraph of that letter of the 28th ultimo, that afterwards you changed your views as to what would be a proper course, has nothing to do with the point now under consideration.

To the Senate of the United States: I transmit herewith a report from the Attorney-General, prepared in compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 30th ultimo, requesting information as to the number of justices of the peace now…

In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 25th of November, 1867, calling for information in relation to the trial and conviction of American citizens in Great Britain and Ireland for the two years last past, I…

I transmit herewith a communication from the Secretary of the Navy, relative to depredations upon and the future care of the reservations of lands for the purpose of supplying timber for the Navy of the United States.

I transmit a report from the Secretary of State, with the accompanying papers on the subject of a transfer of the Peninsula and Bay of Samana to the United States.

I submit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to ratification, the accompanying consular convention between the United States and the Government of His Majesty the King of Italy.

The advice and consent of the Senate to the transfer, upon the terms proposed in the draft of a convention with the Dominican Republic, are requested.

I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, in answer to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 28th of January.

I transmit, for the consideration of the Senate with a view to its ratification, an additional article to the treaty of navigation and commerce with Russia of the 18th of December, 1832, which additional article was concluded and signed…

I transmit a report from the Secretary of State and the documents to which it refers, in relation to the formal transfer of territory from Russia to the United States in accordance with the treaty of the 30th of March last.

As stated in the preamble to the resolution, the bill to which it refers was presented for my approval on the 11th day of December, 1867.

I return herewith their resolution of the 21st instant, calling for information in reference to James A. Seddon, late Secretary of War of the so-called Confederate State.