The Senate, however, conceived at once that the President was acting under the Tenure-of-Office Act, and after considerable discussion, passed a resolution, on the 13th day of January, 1868, which provided that, "having considered the evidence and reasons given by the President in his report of December 12th, 1867, for the suspension of Edwin M. Stanton from the office of Secretary of War, the Senate does not concur in such suspension." The body then instructed its secretary to send copies of this resolution to the President, General {163} Grant and Mr. Stanton. It is also evident that General Grant supposed the President was acting under the Tenure-of-Office Act both in suspending Stanton, in appointing himself _ad interim_, and in making report of these proceedings to the Senate; for upon receiving his copy of the Senate's resolution from the secretary of the Senate, he immediately left the room of the Secretary of War, locking the door after him and giving the key to the Adjutant-General, and repaired to the official head-quarters of the General of the army. Stanton manifestly regarded the matter in the same way, for upon receiving his copy of the notice of the Senate's action, he went to the room of the Secretary of War, and resumed the duties of Secretary of War without further ceremony. He did not even go to see Grant, but sent word over to the head-quarters of the General of the army summoning Grant to wait upon him in the Secretary's room. [Sidenote: Criticism of the Senate resolution.]