The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-23
6ickIes and the
AdministrnfiOn.

he puts beore the nation, stripped of oil dis
guises, in bold, distinct realty, the actual
point at issue-the point that the people must
see and understand before they can satisfacto
rily determine who is right-the point in rela-
ton to which the President would confuse
popular vision-that he would cover up and
overlap with all the fine phrases Of legal pala-
yer. It is Mr.. Johnson's desire and purpose to
man9uvre-to advance and retreat-to watch
the popular humor and his own occasion
to keep this object secret from the people,
and al the time practically defeat the law
by delay, and thus, between worry and dis
gust, weary the nation out Of its now positive
will He counts upon stolid obstinacy in re-
fusing to obey tho law, and upon justifying
himself before the people by crying In and out
of season that he refused obedience in the in
terest Of freedom-that the law was tyrannioal
and destructive. But his whole plan is de-
molished BY the ono crisp sentence in which
Sickles says the Attorney Generals declaration
prevents the execution Of the Reconstruction
acts, disarms me Of means to protect life. pro-
perry or the rights Of citizens and menaces all
interests in these States with ruin" Here is
testimony as to what the President is doing for
reconstruction. He who testifies is SOL
der and Q lawyer-a man nObly known
for his good record in the war-a man
of acute intellect and high sense Of his hon
orable responsibility. He has had practical
experience Of the operation of the Reconstruo-
ton act during two months, and he tesifes
that on the foundation laid in that statute the
social fabric of the Southern States was going
up well-that the abrogation of the law smen-
aces all interests In those States with ruin"
and that the Presidents Interpretation abro-
gates and nulifies it In these words full light
is thrown on the Presidents course, and the
issue between the President and Congress Is
put before the people.
This same outspoken soldier once before
held high command in a dangerous hour
when the hot July sun was blazing down on
the little town Of Gettysburg and the open
country near. Then the army had q COM
mander appointed to bis high place only three
days BEFORE and this commander had just hastily
concentrated several corps in the presence Of
an enemy flushed with recent triumpbs. He
would have been more than commonly bold
man if the thought of man1uvring somewhat in
the presence Of the enemy had not crept into
his mind. Yet the word maneuvre uttered then
would have sickened the heart Of the army and
paralyzed the country. Lee had gone round
our right wing in Virginia As if our army had
a toy general-had swept across Maryland and
into Pennsyivaaia, and talked Of Harrisburg
and Philadelphia. Philadelphians were getting
their va'uabIes ready for the New York train.
But the army Of The Potomac was coming ON,
singing its John Brown chorus all the way,
and on the LIST of July II was 50 hard on the
heels Of Lee that he had to turn and face it
1t had caught him in the broad Pennsylvania
fields IN .fagdnte delicto, and had him out of
his swamps and woods, on solid Northern
ground, face to face. What would manGuvre
have been then-maneuvre with more or less
Of possible retreat-what but shame and dis
grace? The cards were drawn for an open,
Straightforward, stand up fight. The army and
the country saw this, yet the ominous word
places and the long second day was going by
without battle. Maneuvre was getting the
best Of the discussion, perhaps. But while the
discussion was going on, suddenly the roar Of
battle was heard on the left What could It
meant The commander did not know. But
II was soon explained. One of our corps was
in motion; it's general saw the enemy on his
front; thought the enemy was coming at him,
and SO went ct the enemy. The question Of
manGuvring and retreating was settled-the
country was saved by q great victory, and
Lee driven to the Potomac. The general who
went at the enemy was Sickles, and the
country owes him it's gratitude for forcing the
fighting then, and q not less definite debt for
the same sort Of action now; for an equivocal
course would be as dangerous as II might have
been then.
Let the nation contrast General Sickles'
opinion Of the Rec obstruction law with the
official administration view concocted between
the President and his Attorney General. 1t Is
not so long, and is immensely clearer. With
out the power given by the law he cannot
protect life, property or the rights Of citizens,
and in view of lis abrogation ruin "menaces
every interest" Yet this is the law upon which
the President has exercised veto power by
Interpretation. The law says mo legal State
governments exist in the rebel States" and
this is interpreted to be giving Of power to
the governments Il endcavors to deprive Of
power. What is this interpretation" but veto
and de6ance-co contempt of the legislative
power of the people : Some time ago the
Washington organ Of the administration urged
that an Interpretation of the law should be
put before the several commanders ain such
shape that no military officer would dare to
treat It with contempt or Indifference" 1t is
now for Congress in its July session to put the
national will before the President in just that
way--so that he will not dare to disobey 1t,