The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-20
FIRST EDITION
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The President Presldentially Considered
Anew and Great "OOnstItutiOnaP'
PaPty--A Little Fact About
q Little Bill-General
Grant and the
Radicals, Etc.


with gentleman of the Johnsonian school of
politics (whatever that may be) whose rela-
lions with the esident are so intimate that
they not only meet often, but converse freely
upon the political situation and the possible
future. j will not mention his name, since
that would subject him to the charge of being
an apOstate Republican, though it would at the
same time be guarantee OF the reliability of
his conclusions; for he Is capable of judging
Mr.. johnson as closely as any one here.
this-that the Presidents idea and purpose in
the course he was pursuing was the formation
of great constitutional party out of the Demo-
cratic element North and the ex-Rebel element
at the South, with himself as It's 6gure-he
This, he said, Mr.. johnson confidently ex-
poets, and accepts the results of the
California and Maine elections as certain
indications of the ultimate success of his
purpose. He (the President) thinks q reaction
against Congress is certain, and that by keeping
up vigorous show of reverence for the Con-
stitution he will furnish safe shelter for
all who seek to abandon the Republican party,
and give them vantage-ground to fight from
that he does not believe assailable. This
theory, which is unquestionaby well founded
certainly gives an explanation, very charitable
though it be, of the Presidents course, and
likewise accounts for the frequency of the
mouthings about the Constitution. He has
seized upon the declarations of extreme radicals
like Stevens, and points to them as positive
proof that the policy of Congress is the policy
of destruction TO the Constitution. This gives
him handle, which he eagerly uses, and, to
doctrine, issues proclamation which has no
other purpose than to fix the fact in the public
mind that Andrew johnson is the great defender
OF the Constitution. II his name can go down
to posterity coupled with sucl renown, he will
feel amply repaid for all the remorse he may
feel and the reproaches he may suffer as the
President who betrayed his party.
Many people question whether Mr.. johnson
entertains any ambition to be a standard-bearer
in the next Presidential campaign. With a
platform in which professions of loyalty to the
ha fhao f1afT har
cheerlully accept the candidacy. and, as things
stand at present, he is certainly the most promi-
ent candidate for the Democratic nomination.
Another interesting fact connected with Mr..
anton, and also with Judge-Advocate General
DIT, has recently been developed. Those very
Vpeople who see the Intett,gencer of this city
Ge observed the extreme Virulence and acrl.
my with which that sheet has pursued these
fntlemen since Mr.. Stantons removal from
Office. 1t is well known that great many
fraudulent c aims have been stopped in the War
Department by the vigilance of Mr.. Stanton.
Now, 1t so happens that during the trial of the
consprators in 1866, the InteHigerecer published
a very full and excellent report OF the proceed
inge, and called it 'oficial," not because it was
authorized, but because it was furnished by the
accomplished official reporters OF the United
States Senate, Messrs. sutton ar and Murphy
presented their little bill of nineteen thousand
dollars to Mr.. Stanton for printing this report.
The Secretary of War, in his prompt and busi-
ness-like way, Immediately referred 1t to Judge
Acknowledgement Holt, the leading Govern.
ment representative on the trial, to know if
this publication was in pursuance OF any con-
tract made or authorized by him. Judge Holt
returned the paper with the endorsement that
not only was there no contract but, so lar as he
knew the publication of the report was matter
of private enterprise, and that the New YORK
Times or any other paper that had printed a
report of the proceedings, had Just as good a
claim upon the Government as the InteiLLgenceT
had. The claim was filed away among the ar
chiVes, endorsed in Mr.. Stantons vigorous hand,
"Disallowed." The taxpayers will learn, how
ever, with some anxiety that lately the claim
has found its way into the Attorrey-Generaps
Office for an "opinion," where Buckley Is
believed TO be incubatlng upon it.. In the
meantime the IntetigeRcer continues its attacks
upon Messrs. Stanton and Holt, while It waits
for the opinion. Messrs. Sutton and Murphy
Brothers, who made the report, are also waiting
for their pay.
GENERAL GRANT AND THE RADICALS.
The Star of this evening, alluding to certain
political stories about General Grant, says there
is no truth in the current newspaper story that
General Grant was urged by a radical delega.
tion to write letter 10 be published for etec1
In the interest of the radical party at the ap'
preaching elections, and declined so dong
The whole story grew out of the fact that Sena-
tor Thayer, Colonel j. w. Forney and Hon. Mr.
Stuart, OF MARYLAND, accidentally met onS
morning in the War Department, and were al
three admitted together to an audience will
General Grant wherein nothing whatever wa
said upon the subject of any such letter as Il
said to have been asked OF him.
TUE WAR OFFICE.
It has transpired that President johnson, Inn
mediately subsequent to the removal OF Secre
fsry Stanton, rendered the War Office to Gene
raj Mcclellan, and that the offer was promptl.
refused by that gentleman. In this connection
it will be interesting TO know that the enoIts =
obtain the appointment for General Steedmal
have not vet been abandoned. although th
premature publication of Mr.. Greeley's lette
recommending him for the office has blocke'
the game a little as IL was Intended to be use'
only for the purpose of influencing the Senat
when the nomination was sent TO 1t for connr
nation.
ditures of his department with an unsparn
hand. He has recently ordered the members o
his staff to turn in all the public property aroun
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., wagons, etc.-and IN
staff gentlemen, who have always been yer
circumspect and modest In matters OF mllltar
display, are now cut of from Governmen
transportation as effeetually as any private gen
tleman. They can only draw consolation IroI
the fact that the General himself keeps a larg
stock of private horses.
VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT.
Az an indication of the Presidents lates
temper on the situation of reconstruction affairs
witness the following abstracts OF MS views 3
RECENTLY expressed in conversations with certai
ponHcians who called upon him for the purpos
Of urging him to reopen registration In Ia
souihs he informed them that he could not d
a. s,ithont incurring certain risk of impeacl
Tnent. and admitted that the heconstructo
Tsws confer on the District Military Con
manders sole control over registration. ~
onIV mower of interference was the remoyal
commanders when they Iausa W eAsV"'