Thomas then left the Secretary's room and went into his old room, the Adjutant-General's room, to have a copy of the order made. He returned at once with it, and when he handed it to Mr. Stanton, the latter said: "I do not know whether I will obey your instructions, or whether I will resist them." General Thomas had certified the correctness of the copy, and had signed himself Secretary of War _ad interim_. The two then went into General Schriver's room just across the hallway, and there Stanton declared outright that Thomas should not issue orders as {170} Secretary of War, and that if he did he (Stanton) would countermand them, and he then and there directed General Schriver and General Townsend, both of whom were present, to disobey any orders coming from General Thomas as Secretary of War. Mr. Stanton then caused General Townsend to prepare a written order to Thomas, signed by Mr. Stanton as Secretary of War, which was as follows: "Sir: I am informed that you presume to issue orders as Secretary of War _ad interim_. Such conduct and orders are illegal, and you are hereby commanded to abstain from issuing any orders other than in your capacity as Adjutant-General of the army." [Sidenote: Thomas and the President.] General Thomas then went over to the White House to see the President about the matter. He told the President of his conversation with Mr. Stanton, and repeated to him Stanton's replies verbatim. The President simply said to him: "Very well; go and take charge of the office and perform the duties." Thomas did not, however, return to the Secretary's room in the War Office that day, and did not see Mr. Stanton again on that day. [Sidenote: The attitude of the Senate toward the dismissal of Stanton.] While these things were occurring in the executive offices matters were seething at the other end of the avenue. The Senate was deliberating, if we may call such a stormy procedure as took place a deliberation, upon the President's communication. It very quickly passed the following resolution: "Whereas, the Senate have received and considered the communication of the President stating that he had removed Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, and had designated the Adjutant-General of the army to act as Secretary of War _ad interim_: Therefore, Resolved by the Senate of the United States, That under the Constitution and laws of the United States the President has no power to remove {171} the Secretary of War and designate any other officer to perform the duties of that office _ad interim_." A copy of this resolution was sent to the President, another copy to Mr. Stanton, and another to General Thomas. [Sidenote: The movements in the House of Representatives.]