The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-30
Central Grant In CiviI life.

From the ". y Independent.
General Grant 1--WE regret to say) appears to
have become cat's-paw of the President.
IT, instead of winning seat in the Cabinet,
he had lost battle in the field, although he
might thereby have damaged his country
more, he would have damaged his reputation
less than he has now done. In view of his
eminent services (Which all the world ap-
plauds), and in view of his practical common
sense (Which he possesses in an eminent
degree), the Republican party has sought,
with the friendliest feelings, to find some valid
excuse for his present attitude towards the
President and the nation; but it still seeks in
vain. Not to judge of his motives (Which are
unquestionably upright), he has astonished
| the Republican party by apparently cOunte-
nancing the treacherous policy of the Presi-
| dent at moment when no good Republican
could be found to support it.
To give the new Secretary of War the benefit
| of the most favorable supposition, we presume
that he does not mean by his recent action to
signify his approval of the Presidents nefa-
rious plans. But why does he make himself
accessory to these nefarious plans A military
officer is bound to obey the military orders of
his military superior; but no man, whether in
military or civil life, is compelled to be a
Cabinet minister against his own free will 1t
Is not through enforced obedience as soldier,
but through voluntary acquiescence as a
civilian, that General Grant has taken a seat
at the council board of Andrew Johnson. 1t
would have been supreme folly in the Presi-
dent to order General Grant to become what
the official documents style him-"Secretary
of War ad interim" The President had no
more right to order him to such a duty than
to order him to be Professor in Yale College,
or to be the Attorney General, If General
Grant had not chosen to accept the proffered
portfolio, his simple refusal of it would have
put an end to the ingenious, and now success
ful attempt to cover the Presidents evil deeds
with General Grants good name. The people
| know that ''the Secretary Gd interim" was inst
as free to decline as to accept They would
have applauded his declnation; they regret
his acceptance.
Once General Grant consented to accompany
the President on tour of billngsgate from
one end of the country to the other. Now he
q ! consents to accompany the President, not in a
succession OF foul words, but of fouler acts
The 1rst two OF these acts, the removal of Mr.
, Stanton and of General Sheridan, apparently
2 reflect upon General Grant something more
than the sufficient discredit which he borrows
from and shares with the President With
the exception of Abraham Lincoln and Gen.
4 eral Sherman, it is well known that the two
q greatest friends and supporters of General
t Grant, and to whom therefore he ought To he
4 bound by the close ties of personal Gratitude
3 have been Secretary Stanton and Genera
+ Sheridan. Without the goodwill and co5pe-
: ration Of these two men General Grant migbt
g not have become the possessor of his world
: wide reputation, but have remained To this
t day majOr-general of the army. In tbs
9 campaign before Richmond Stanton wa,
, General Grants right arm; Sheridan was nj,
= left. If any two living men ought TO he oh
= iects OF General Grants gratitude and affec
ton, they are the two men whom be hos con
! sented to disgrace.
!. OF course, we gladly believe that he did No
y desire to strike blow at either. On the con
It trary, we eagerly credit the statement that h,
o "advised" against the suspension of the one
i and protested against the relief of the other
J. But why should the first general of the army
}, general bearing reputation which n no
}, for his own sake, yet for the nation q sbonl,
Q be kept untarnished of any unchivaIrous o
Df unknightly activity should he consent \
10 take purely civil Office against the nubli
It protest OF its rightful occupant. that oecnnan
20 being at the same time his benefaotora and lone
10 tried friendl And why should his first Az
~ in an office not justly his own. be- the settin
al OF stigma upon great soldier who helpe
a his chief to many yiotoryP Moreover
IS must be borne in mind that the removs
" of Mr.. Stanton is not to be viewed simpl
a. in the light Of an ordinary removal of
le Cabinet minister, whose plaoe Pres
al dent desires to fill with some other mar
ty > Congress passed the Tenure of OHca hi