The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-14
TIE President And His Csbiass-Whaf Does
the Emergency Requires

Il
action of Congress He seems, indeed, 10 have
had the double purpose to fix bis own position
/ and at the same time the position of General
Grant; trying, of course, in the latter 70 hold the
General responsible in some part for what he
esteenis violation Of bis rights, and this even
while exchanging with the Straightforward
soldier expressions, hollow enough on his part,
of admiration and respect. This will recall
characteristic conduct ola like nature memora-
| BILE in the earlier history of Mr. Stanton 8
Official life. He is careful not to assent to any
step in the Presidents courses to protest that it
is all wrong, and that he does not yield of hi,
free will, but only retires because assured that
General Grant has accepted the appointment
to his position, and that this implies superior
force" Doubtless all will agree that the retir-
Ing Secretary should save his wounded dignity
and cover ignominious dismissal from high
position with this poor plea. AS to ulti-
mate right, we suspect that here, az in many
other great cases, the act will be judged in
relation to its results; in other words, IL the
President carries his movement 80 far as to
commend it to the people-to make it popu-
larsuccess-it will be right. while otherwise,
if he halts and fails, he will be held as having
been desperately in the wrong His fate before
the nation is now in his own hands, and the
result Of the steps already taken will depend
upon what is in the future.
II Mr.. johnson stops with the mere removal
of Mr. Stanton he will have taken no advan-
tageous step. He may get secretaries quite as
efficient and quite as acceptable to the country;
but that is not enough. Mr.. Stanton had a
definite position in this case, as representing
the policy of the nation, and with this has also
done so we'll in the proper discharge Of his
duties as to call from o man Of suoh unques-
tionable candor as General Grant an expression
of appreciation for his "zeal, patriotism, firm
ness and ability" Mr.. johnson must therefore
make the case so clear that it cannot possibly
be supposed that he acts against Stanton merely,
whose position is respectable as an efficient
official and upholder of the national policy Of
reconstruction in its broader sense. The Presi-
dent must show that his action does not intend
a mere reopening Of his former issues with
Congress, and that this present action is not 10
be classed and COMPOUNDED with such former
obstructive steps as tho Modification Of the
reconstruction law by Stanbery's opinion. He
must render 1t impossible that this step shall
be classified in that category of obstructive
acts which irritated the country and gavo all
its power against him to Congress and made
the clamor Of impeachment what it was. He
will have only reawakened that dormant spirit
if he does not now show distinctly that he moves
to counterfeit, to control, 10 checkmate, If pos
sible, that particular tendency of the republi-
can party which threatens 10 throw the desti-
MES of the country into the hands Of the
Niger; to give dominant voice in tho coun-
ellis of the nation to those newly made voters
that have just come oui of q barbarous cOndi-
ton and in their ignorance are the tools Of
the dangerous extremists, the theorists and
demagogues who stand as their peculiar friends
in virtue Of the extravagant promises made
promises that can only be fulfilled at the ex-
pense OF the rights Of the white man.
As blow against the negro policy blow
in behalf of the rights Of white voters North
and South-ihe removal of Stanton Is signifi-
cant; for he was, during the war. tho great
spent an undue amount Of the national money
in putting into the national uniform some
thousands Of niggers who never fred q shot
and who were only intended to be used as
capital for future niger legislation, TO pave
the way to this very supremacy Of niger
voters. He was, therefore, good man TO
begin with but the President must not stop
with him. He must go through the entire
Cabinet-oust Seward, Welles, Randall, and
more than all, Stanbery, the man who is, per-
haps, more likely than any other to compro-
mise the President before the nation; the man
whose interpretations Of laws and whose decla-
ration in the Supreme Court Of democratic
sympathies make him a political milestone.
| All these must be driven out and the Presi-
| dent must then reorganizs his Cabinet with
men whose very names will convince the
country Of the honesty Of his purpose-will
show that he Is fighting the dangerous tenden-
cies Of a faction, not opposing the will OF the
people. He must reorganize with men whose
history, and, more| especially, recent career
show Thorn to be in sympathy with the great
national movement who were IN for the war
heart and soul; who cannot be suspected OIL
any disposition to betray the great principles
for which the people fought but who have the
wisdom and the courage to oppose firm from,
against that evil and dangerous policy Of ex.
treme republicans that can only end in giving
the political balance Of The nation into the
hands OF half million negro voters. This Il
the issue II the President meets the necessity
boldly be will have the sympathy and support
Of the nation; II he goes half way and stops
he will only have made matters worse.
INFORMATION wANrEp-Csn any one inform
us what amount OF income tax Is paid by Chic
Justice Chase.