The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-29
GENERAL GRAN79S TESTIMONY.

The published testimony of General Grant
before the Judiciary Committee is in every way
Creditable to him. 1t shows that he had the
good sense TO perceive Of the moment of Victory,
both the duty Of the Government to show mag
AanIIimity, In abandoning the right to punish tne
n,.Hss.ary leaders of the Rebellion, and his own
duty to abstain from committing the severn
ment 70 anything further 10 inns wS HS
thesapparent approval of the nation, desired 10
punish those whom Grant had pledged the coun-
& hSnSS 20 psTe sde Sought s BY
a military convention the terms OF ciVh recon-
General Grant is very explicit 10 dsclaiming
ali idea, either then or now, of assuming to
regulate political affairs or to bestow political
rights upon those who surrendered to him. As
Congress to decide 1t was simply his duty to
leave it alone; but 1t is SO rarely that any man
does his duty, and is content to do 1t, that
Mine The bane Of Mr.. Johnson has been his
hunger to do more than his duty, by which we
mean not merely TO do more perfectly than
was essential that which ne was bound 70 do
after some fashion, but rather to do that which
il was net his place to do at all. III General
Grant can adhere In the future, as in the past,
20 the simple rule Of minding his own business,
Ne Will not lose reputation by any tasks that
may be imposed upon him. Iua
OF the same simple but unusual order of
merit is the Generals statement that he did not
assume to originate any civil policy, and never
was willing to suggest any plan Tor civil govern
Nent, although he freely expressed his anxiety
that some kind OF civil government should be
set up as quickly as possible. 1t is obvious that
he differed from most of his eountrYmen IN
this, that he did not believe himself capable of
Soing OF devising everything. His experience
"a military commander had neither Weaned
him from the love of civil law and peaceful gov
eminent, nor infected him with desire to
retain superhuous power in his own hands, nor
Antoxlcsted MIN with the notion Of his own
SUPERIOR wisdom. All this is, speaking in an
ADeoi9.e sense, evidence of only humble vir-
SosS; Inere is nothing magnificent in it, nothing
S,nntah., hothlng indicative of genius nothing
nSoA 49, VSy..s .'ot 10 be true Of every man. But
81 bow many men ts 1t truef - - -
This testimony shoW oWs verv claorl, ~ 90 o.
raj Grant was sound in his views yof the ,aIe
ton of the President and of Cnnono. -. INC leIa-
SlVely 10 tne WORK OF reconstruction. ana III ha
h correct in the Impressions ne formed 81 tho
sentiments of others, it shows that Mr. Ioh, soe
and all his advisers looked upon tha ~ oyllsoh
upon the subsequent action Of Congress. Evsyl,
consideration OF reason and probability points
90 she same conclusions; and the great chanSo
which came over Mr. Johnsons views in tbis
respect IL an impressive proof of the dancer
which attends any usurpatlon of power, even
under the most pressing necessity. There is
10 doubt that Mr.. Johnson sincerely believed
and haa much reason to believe, that he was
HuIGuing the path which Mr. Lincoln had laid
cat. ETlplf t-
But 40 sanction Of this kind, aud no encour-
VeAent nom his party, could alter the fact
was doing that which no President 10 elected
70; and he soon began TO care far more fol-
Rexs0nel triumph Of seeing "his policy
Seful tkAn be did for the accomplishment
DuDoses which we presume he, as well
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