The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-30

loyal war minister The Presidents removal
OF Mr.. Stanton was a direct violation Of this
lava defiant challenge to Congress. To this
ofense against Congress, and thereby against
the nation, General Grant has unhappily
become party. 1t cannot be doubted by Mr.,
Stanton's successor that, If Congress had been
in session fortnight ago Gas it ought to have
been), Mr.. Stanton's removal would not have
been permitted; in which case the Secretary
dd interim would not have enjoyed the honor
of civil Office. The Republican party uni
versally desired the retention both of Mr..
Stanton and of General Sheridan. Why then
has General Grant allowed himself to be used
as the instrument Of thwarting the will of the
loyal party of the country
Let us say again (to avoid the least posi-
bility of being misunderstood), that the Re-
publican party is willing to hold General
Grant altogether guiltIess of any factious
spirit in this matter, and altogether purged OF
any former sympathy with the Presidents
policy. We happen to know that General
Grants views are now thoroughly and radi-
cally Republican. In fact, if he were now
more of a conservative and less of a radical
if, for instance, he believed in the ballot only
for the white man, and not for the black; il he
were seeking chiefly to embarrass, rather than
to promote, reconstruction on a radical basis
he might then be able to present to the coun-
try more plausible vindication of his recent
uncalled-for contact with civil affairs than he
can now make.
There is but one explanation of General
Grants course; and that is, not sympathy
with the President, not opposition to radical
ideas not jealousy of Stanton or Sheridan, but
simply inexpertness in political affairs. Gene
raj Grant cOmprehends military, but not a
political situation. He knows how to bear
himself in military, but not in a political
emergency. AS a soldier he never Except,
perhaps, in some too hilarious moment at the
social board) steps down beneath the true
loftipess of his rank; but we do not see how
man of moral firmness and generous sympa-
tbies could have performed General Grants
recent exploits without violently wounding
his own selfrespect. We believe that, if the
truth were known, it would be found chat he
suffered keen pang at the transfer of Sheri-
dan. The fact that radical officer is put in
Sheridan's place, and the fact that Sheridan's
radical measures still remain in force, show
how thoroughly General Grant must have
sympatbized with Sheridans administration
i'll New Orleans.
Now it, before the removal either Of Sheri-
dan or Stanton, General Grant had said to the
President, ''Sir, | am soldier, ready to obey
all military orders which you may as Com
mander-in- Chief give; but will not accept from
your hands civil office, even though it be a
seat in your Cabinet; and, more than all, will
not be a party to the public degradation of
two of my best friends'--if General Grant had
sent to the President such message as this,
couched in whatever terms of mildness and
res pect, the whole nation would have been
kindled to enthusiasm and delight. Fortunate
would it have been for his influence and fame
had he pursued such a course, instead of
adopting a 1eprehensible alternative.
His first step in civil affairs now stands forth
conspicuously as step ill-advised-a step to
be regretted-a step which his best friends, if
they could, would eagerly recall These
| IN ha ahNyo
Turing their great lion into net of entangle-
ment.
The military reputation of General Scott
was not sufficient to make him President
General Grant is a shining light; but his light
| shines at the head of an army, not at the head
of an idea. General Sherman, even at a mo-
ment when he was the peoples idol, set the
people suddenly against him by maladroit
negotiation. Sometimes a military and po-
/ litical capability are combined in the same
person; but the instances are rare. Wash
ington was not only soldier, but states
man; but, before he became the hero of the
war, he had taken the pains to learn states
manship in the House of Burgesses, by the
side Of George Mason and Patrick Henry.
General Grant, on the contrary, has lived his
whole lie outside the realm of political ques
tOns and of civil administration. Until the
breaking out of the Rebellion, he had voted
only once in his life, and voted then for James
Buchanan for President. Even this vote he
gave idly rather than earnestly-not because
he liked Buchanan, but because he disliked
Fremont. General Grant was endowed by
nature with many great qualities, for which
=. his countrymen delight to do him honor; but
genius for political affairs is not one of these
qualities; nor is he likely by entering upon
political lie, to increase, but rather to dilnln-
l5h, his great reputation Polydamas said to
Hector
"All.gifts thou canst not in thyself combine"
We regret to witness the signs and tokens
OF an obvious disposition among some otiiclous
people (perhaps acting without General Grants
completely to dwarf our Hector into polltl-
clan. State craft is not General Grants torte'
Nevertheless, this failing will be gladly for-
gotten, or never remembered, or covered down
out OF sight by multitude of other merits, IL
ne mas the prudence to atone for it by alto-
gether Withdrawing his name as Presidential
candidate.
johnson and Grant The TnevltaDle
Collision.
From The NJ y Times.
The Washington correspondents are done
battle upon the question whether connict
has actually occurred between the President
and General Grant, or not. By some IL Is
alleged that rupture took place between them
IN Cabinet Council, ON Tuesday; by others II
Is declared that the meeting passed Without
difficulty, and that Mr.. Johnson ana tue
General are still good friends. The informant S,l