American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-08-10
SHERIDAN AND REMOVALS

terday said that the President had
expressed a determination to remove
Sheridan, and to appoint either Gen
eral Hancock or General Meade to
the command Of the fifth military
district. The President has been a
long time in coming to this decision,
considering the insolence with which
Sheridan has treated him, and the
mischief done in removing civil Off
GERS and annulling the laws of Louisi-
I ana and Texas.
Had the military bills first pass
ed clearly conferred on district
commanders the power to remove
any or all of the civil officers of the
State governments in the South, the
abuse of that power should have de-
prived any one of the commanders
of his. Office. Surprising Governor
Wells 70 have been as bad a man as
Sheridan represented him to be, he
was nevertheless, the, choice of the
people of Louisiana for governor,
and her laws provided for his .im-
parchment and removal. To depose
the chiefeXecutive officer of a State
is an act which should not be done
by the arbitrary decree of a military
officer, even though he may be EN-
powered so to do, so long as the peo-
pie who are most affected by the ac-
ton of their executive do not choose
to exercise their privilege to remove
him.
The decIaratory reconstruction bill, |
just passed by Congress, does clearly
confer on the district commanders
power to remove civil officers at
pleasure, from the highest to the
lowest, in the States under their
command; but, for the reason we
have given, the removal of Governor
IhrockmortOn, of Texas, even though
he may be incom petent and unfaith-
full i'll the administration of his Office,
would bean act Of despotism which
could not be justified for a moment.
This is a position which can be
easily sustained by the action of the
radical party concerning the propos-
ed impeachment OF the President. ,
Sheridan has not charged against
either Wells or Throckmorton a title
1t the crimes which the Congressman
and press of that party have alleged
he President has committed: and
ret Ihad. Stevens, the day the latest
'eto message was received in Con.
gress, declared the President could
Tot be impeached. Radical Senators ,
md Representatives shrink from the :.
establishment of precedent which
viii teach that the chief executive
fficer OF the nation can be depeseu
kept for reasons Of the grayest i'm .
ortance. The divinity which hedges a
is station was very well portrayed y
y Attorney General Stanbery in his 0
rgument i'll the injunction cases of
'eorgia and Mississippi. The radi-
ais approved Of that argument, and
did something towards opening
leir eyes to the consequences of
riking down the highest officer in III
le nation. The argument of the tn
-torHey general on this subject will mn M
1py aptly to the action Of Sheridan ca
removing the governors Of States. 20
he duties with which they are DIR
larGed are So important that inter.
renee with them can only be, iusti-
I'd by proof that the honor or safety
the State demands it. e..
Sheridan has been busy in making in in
movals because he wished to exer, tai
Sc despotic power. He had no au- til!
GRITTY to make removals under the T..
litary bills first passed and his will will
al should have been taken off for pre-
usurpation Of power. He is now
thorized by the bills to remove
rockmorton; but, if the President
es rot remove Sheridan before i
xas is outraged by the deposition s stu,
her Governor, Mr.. Johnson Will r up,r
nself be responsible for the crime.
Governor Throckmorton is an able
I honest man, and one of singular.
good Judgment. He is not a VIC. A
t partisan, and does not permit next
tlsan feelings to control his official llce
ION. There is no man in the State 'Oi F.,
ter qualified than he to maintain pal.
er and "take care that the laws
Il be faithfully executed" His AZ
ltation is proof against any as. Al
It's that Sheridan can make ~
inst it, and his removal would
a hideous act Of tyranny. If
rdan is to be ousted, it Should
one instantly. He does nothing
and his continuance in | 4
mand is an insult to the people
IN he rules, and defence of his Has
inal administration. Las