Grant in the War Office--The President's Message of December 3d, 1867--The President's Special Message Concerning the Suspension of Stanton--The Senate Resolution in Regard to the Suspension of Stanton--Grant's Disobedience toward the President--The Unbearable Situation in which the President now Found Himself--The Dismissal of Stanton from Office--General Thomas Appointed Secretary of War _ad interim_--Stanton's Resistance--Thomas and the President--The Attitude of the Senate toward the Dismissal of Stanton--The Movements in the House of Representatives--The Arrest of General Thomas--Thomas's Second Attempt to Take Possession of the War Office--The House Resolution to Impeach the President--The Withdrawal of Stanton's Complaint against Thomas--The Fear of the Republicans to Test the Tenure-of-Office Act before the Courts--The Managers of Impeachment--The Charges against the President--The President's Answer to the Complaint--The Withdrawal of Mr. Black from the President's Counsel--The Contents of the President's Answer--The Replication of the House to the President's Answer--The Trial--Conduct of the Managers--The Evidence in the Case--The Argument--The Law in the Case--Mr. Stanton's Violation of Law--The Nomination of General Schofield to be Secretary of War--The Vote upon Impeachment--The Truth of the Matter--The Abdication of Stanton--Schofield's Confirmation as Secretary of War and His Acceptance of the Office. During this same period, another act in the drama of Reconstruction was being played, a fit companion piece to what was occurring in the unhappy communities of the South. It was the attempt to dispose of the President, and the presidency, by the impeachment of the President. {158} [Sidenote: Grant in the War Office.] The history of the President's relations to Mr. Stanton, his Secretary of War, has already been given down to the suspension of Mr. Stanton in August of 1867, and the designation of General Grant to succeed him _ad interim_. Grant immediately assumed the duties of the office, and Mr. Stanton then regarded General Grant as a friend of the President in the controversy between himself and the President. [Sidenote: The President's Message of December 3d, 1867.]