Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-07-05

the President in regard to the performance
of this duty ? What right has he to re-
cognize- less to assign IS a reason for
protesting against the Presidents orders
the Presidents opinion on the subject be-
fore the law was passed Suppose every
army officer should thus assume the right
to sit in Judgment on the orders he re-
ceiyes, and to hold up the Presidents pri-
vate opinions as a reason for hasitating to
obey his orders =?
'fIn this matter, as in his letters about
the removal of Gov. Welles, Gen. Sheri-
dan shows q great deal more of temper than
is becoming the position he holds The
public will sympathize with his anxiety
lest the law of Congress should be ev4ded,
and the purpose for which it was passed
substantially defeated. But we believed
they would prefer to await the legitimate
and regular action of Congress to correct
the evils, rather than permit individual
officers to reject the authority of their SUI
periors and execute the law according to
their own judgment and wishes. Such an
example, set by General of SO high posi-
ton and popularity as Sheridan, would
be full of danger to the public service.
eve presume General Grant will satisfy
General Sheridan that it is not within his
province as vet to overrule the orders he
may receive through the regular channels
Of the War Department.
The Washington Union sees i'll this action
the beginning of the end of an attempt to
entirely sweep out OF existence the CIVIL
authority of the Government, and calls the
matter Ia the attention Of the people III
the following significant language
L 1-.,I fr,,S
New Orleans ibis day and sent to the At
torney General, which announces the re-
fusal of General Sheridan to obey the or
ders of President Johnson, the Com1nan-
der-in-C Chief of the Army aud Navy OF the
United States In this we have the begin
Mug of the end, or the inauguration of a
bloody revolution to sweep the entire cOun-
try with fire and sword.
1.-The people must now take stand for OF
against the perpetuatlOn OF their govern
ment, and the moment has surely arrived
when each and every man must determine
for himself whether he will sustain the Pre-
sident of the United States III tho legtl-
mate exercise of the constitutional tunc-
tons of MS Supreme office for the promo
ton of the peace and welfare of the whole
country, or rally to the support OF dlSor-
ganizing and disaster begetting faction re-
prGSeuLGu III VIC ItISon VI al ONC1 an
bilious individual arrayed i'll the shin
ing brass buttons of a subordinate, and
painting for the opportunity to overlap all
legal authority, and all the bounds and
realms of propriety to stand proclaimed
the master of a comp detat, Il pocket edition
of Napoleon. High times, indeed, when
Master Phil. Sheridan shall so forget the
first duty of an officer and u soldier.
'Let the President return at once to his
Office, relieve and arrest the contumacious
subordinate and assert his own Executive
powers. The people will peremptorily de
mand this, and if he shall do it, as we be
lieve he will, he may rely up0n Mei'' patriot
ism sustaining him lCtth their Tires, their for
| aAles and their sacred h01O5."
We may indeed ponder seriously as tc
the end of all this. The swift curren6 Of
events is rapidly bearing the ship OF State
to unknown and untried channels, and
when it is entirely too late to avert the de
struction of the vessel, its crew may frs
become alarmed for their safety.