The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-22
THE PROSPECT BEFORE US.

Tho removal Of Mr.. STANTON and Of General
SHERIDAN has given n new impetus to tho
agitation Of the Democrats in the North md Of
The Conservatives or Rcactionary party in the
South. Grcnt hopes arc built upon n very
insecure foundation and they who put their
| trust in this rcaction-this supposed rcvulson
OF feeling at the North-are doomed to dsap-
poinImcnt md to disaster. They will find,
though Too late, TINT the Presidential "bnck-
bone" and the splendid political structure
which is TO rest on this vcricbrnl column, Il,
| nothing more than the bnsclcss fabric Of a
! vision. What reason is there for snpposing
| TINT ANDREW JOHNSON, in 1867, will exercise,
or even attempt to exercise the authority
vested in his Office, according TO tho Coustitu-
| tion, us he intcrprc,s that instrument, il such
exercise Of authority is palpably opposed TO
| the will OF the majority OF tho Northern poo
pie! Had the President been CESAR, u
| CROMWELL, NAPOLEON, or an ANDREW JACK
| Son, tho time for action was two years ago,
when Congress met, and refused to recognize
tho eleven Southern Stntes that Ind been reor-
ganizcd under his direction. Ills ac1uiescnce
then determined the relative status Of the
Executive and the Legislature, as also our
own political condition. There have been
frequent opportunities since for such an nsscr-
tion of the power of tho Executive, had the
President felt inclined, considered hims elf
strong enough, 10 set nsido the Constitution
and cnrry out his WILL the Legislation of Con-
| gress TO tho contrary notwithstanding.
The President hns not dono this lie acted
upsf l,. a., 1,
nnd exercised his constitutional prerogativc of
the veto power. But nothing more. The moment
Congress passed ali Act, by The Constitutional
majority over his veto, Mr.. JOHNSON ut once
ncVuiosced, and proceeded to tho execution
of tho law. This has been his course during
the past two years Has anything trnnspircd
recently, to give us good ground for believing
that the policy Of the President hns undergone
radical change, as is now maintained by tho
| opponents of Congressional Reconstruction ?
We think not.
Mr. JOHNSON has dismissed one Of his chief
clcrks-Mr. STANTON, because, MS he alleges,
the lnic Secretary of War impclcd Recon-
| struction, !. e., Mr.. JOHNSON intcrprets the
Acts of Congress on this subject. GEN SnEuu-
in his place, ostcnsibly for the sumc reason.
Gen. SHERIDAN was guilty some time ago of
criticising the Presidents conduct in language
disrcspeciful. and unbccoming an officer to his
superior. This has perhaps more 10 Ito with
his removal than all The General Orders he
issued in The Fifth Military District; nn,l Mr..
STAsToN in all probability lost his Official head,
because he opposed Gen. SmEnIpAx's removal.
The President, VIC have every reason 10 believe,
Inns taken this step entirely upon his own
responsibility, unsupported by his cabinet.
The order relieving SHERIDAN is tlntcd from
the Executive Mansion" and simply for
wnr'lc,l through the Adjnant Generals Office,
not committing the Secretary of War al interim
| to its approval.
Moreover Paragraph five OF this Order "a.
D. No. II, A. G. o. published in our tele-
graphic columns yesterday, says:
Major-General George H. Thomas will con-
in the Fifth Military District, ut tho limo of
his assuming tho command Of il, unless autbori.
Hea nS the nenerai OF tho Army to annul alter or
This looks very much like corroboration
OF our surinise, that the quarrel between the
President and Gen. SHERIDAN is altogether of
personal character. SHERIDAN il relieved
but his orders remain in force Tho civil off,
GERS he displaced are not reinstnted: md lesl
there should be mistake on tho subject in
the mind OF Gen. THOMAS, who might readily
think, that course opposite from that of his
predecessor would be expected Of him by tho
President he is distinctly informed, not "to
nnnul, alter, or modify any orders ho may
find in force in the Fifth Military District, un-
less authorized by the General of the Army.
IL is clear, then, that tho President has no
intention 10 contravene, in any essential fen
ture the Reconstruction Acts of Congress-. He
may be pleased to exercise his legitimate nu-
thority, and exercise O certain measure of
control over the commanders of the FIVE Mill
tary Districts. Beyond this, wo arc satisfied
he will attempt no Interference. Reconstruc.
tion will go on, must 60 on, 10 a successful con-
ousion. 1t is true this action of the President
may complicnte the matter somewhat, not
directly, but indirectly, In that il encourages
opposition to the Acts of Congress in the South,
altogether unwnrrnnted by the step, as VIC hcvo
seen. This opposition on the part Of tho ultra
iA'""N"hSo VI tho hoouth VIII alIHOsL certainly
produce corresponding increase Of hostility
toward rs among the ultra Radicals of tho
North. And thus the end of this step of Mr..
JoHNsoSs will be, as all TINT have preced oil il,
fraught with harm to US. However good his
motives and intentions, and VIC have never
doubted them, his acts hnYe generally proved
prejudicial to us.
The Military Commanders are armed with
commissions from Congress, and conscious of
being fully endorsed by tho will Of tbe people
Of the North. Conservatives ut tho North and
ultramontanes at the South alike wasto their
breath in further defamation against those
Acts, and against their legitimate results. We
have said all this before, but we feel impelled
to repeat IL again, for II is fact of the utmost
Importance to our people, one they cannot hear
too often. On the ono hand wo have peace and
order in prospect, business and prosperity, a
homogeneous people. and secure govern
mcnt. On the other we have endless agitation,
Wholesale prescriptions, confscation, exile
perhaps; and for government, eilhor anarchy
or dcsro,ism. Between these wo mnst choose
aud they are not tho true friends of the people
of these ten States who counsel further opposi-
.ion TO tho will Of the conqueror, when We arc
at his mercy, and already have harsher meas
ures impending over u.s. in case of tho nom