White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1867-09-05
GEN. Grant, Secretary Of War.

act. be sure they tsve no good reasons to
give. The journals betrsy a lurking dis
trust of the proprieiy of Gen. Grants act
10 assuming the War Department. by the
haste they mads to invent poor excuses
for it.
They tell us tine General was obliged.
as a military subordinate. to obey the
President's order. II the act was. with
ont aay doubt. good one, why seek to
excuse it on the ground of compnlsion ?
When Chase accepted the Chief Justice
ship. mol o ly went abont TO 6n! excuses
for him. All. gentlemen. this act Of Gen.
Grant you.cannot think good one. else
you would not seek to rob him Of its mer-
it and make somebody else responsible
for it
But we cannot DO such discreiit to the
leading jousnsls Of the Republican party
as to suppose that. they believe their own
statements. General Grant is the Pref
dents military snbordinsseAnot d civil
one. The President has right to order
hio to report for dn,y to Wsshing,oa
to give sdvics on the Indian war-.o sit
on a military commission. All such or
ders Gran, is obliged to obey.
Bot the Presidcnt has no right to or,.e-
Grant to paint the White Hon-e. to take
charge of its garden. prepare a report for
the amendment Of the tariff. or do eny
other civil duty.
Now, the War Department, is a civil
office. These same journals allege that
johnson cannot remove Stanton because
that is forbidden by the civil office ten
ure act. thus clearly confessing that the
Secretary of War is civil office as. o
course. it is. Mr.. johnson might there
fore as rightfully order Grant to hoe po-
tatoes behind the White House. as to as.
sumo the War Department. The jour.
nails know this. So does Gen. Grant.
Indeed the President. in his communi
cation to Grant, does no. order him. bat
authorizes and empowers" him to ac
as Secretary. And although Grant,
letter to Stanton speaks confuseily
of the Presidents "directing me to as
sume'' the office: still he has sens,
enough to add. "In notifying you of my
acceptance" Now subordinates do no
accept orders they obey them.
Let Us hear no more of Grants bein:
obliged to take this Office; it was said h
was obliged to accompany johnson o:
thst disgracefnl Western tour. On botl
occasions such statements were only film
sy excuses invented by Grants toadles t,
cover up the mistakes and servility O
their idol.
The offering of such empty excuse
tgives Us painful doubts of the mood il
which Grant and his friends are at thi
moment. Congress represents the Repub
lican party. Stanton belongs to it tina
is the offense in Johnson's eyes. HGran
is Republican. by what rule Of party Fl
dslity does be accept the Office out Q
which Stanton has been tnrned simply 70
being Republican According to a
the well known rules of parties. GIANT de
clsres himself not Republican An
, one whs remembers Tyler's time will re
call facts proving this.
The President put Grant into Stanton
place only 10 divert public attention an
soften the indignation at Stanton's remov
al with the content at Grants appoint
ment. Grant will serve to bridge owe
from Stanton to Stcedman. or some o,he
hanger on of the White House
No doubt the President intends to re
move the distric. commanders. Then
he sees, Grant mus. either hold on and b
!, responsible for it. or resign anil make wa
for some Of Johnson's creatures Th
only other alternative is that Grant shoul
submit to Sheridan's remov 4, and still
hold office under the pie, of preven,in
more mischief.
This is the plea on which Stanton ha
remained in office. He has worn it t
rags.
This course il sacrifice Of all persona
honor. |, degrades a man. from a Cabi
net officer into spy. At such time a
Buehanaa's last six months-the Who'll
government honeycombed with treason :
such conrse is allowable, as it is in war
Bu. in ordinary times, no honorable mai
would stoop to it. In ordinary times NJ
theory Of citizenship calls on man 4
spy and listen under the windows. an,
stond before the world responsible for
policy be abhors-in order. by such deg
radiation. to serve his eonntry. IL vii
die to serve my country" said the ol,
Scotsman, "but | will not do a meal
thing to save her." 1t is time American
learned this lesson. Forgetting it. wa
the poison that ate out sll natioaal char
scter in times pest.
Besides, honest men consorting will
knaves. in order to prevent their doing
mischief. is false philosophy. 1t i
the presence of honest men in the crew
that enables it to do mischief. II two
years ago Stanton and other reputabl
men had quit johnson on the plea. whicl
they privately allowed. that he was
traitor, he would have been check -matst
and thrown overheard.
To-day. if Grant had answered tb
President (according to what is sssarted
to be his private opinion): "Sir. yo'
have no authority to suspend Stanton
and denying that right. as well as detect
ing the policy which leads you to wisi
bis suspension. decline to accept tn
p!acs" Johnson could moi hare suspend
ed Stanton. Cheered, taught and sns
tanned by such an act on Grants part
the public would have exhibited such in
dignation at johnson. and such spprova