The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-22
THE PROSPECT BEFORE US,

Il.
SHERIDAN has given o new impetus to the
agitation of the Democrats in the North and OF
the Conservatives or Reactionary party in the
South. Great hopes are built upon very
insecure foundation; and they who put their
trust in this reaction-this supposed revulsion
of feeling at the North-are doomed to disap-
pointm ent and to disaster. They will find,
though too late, that the Presidential "back.
bone," and the splendid political structure
which is to rest on this vertebral column, i.
nothing more than the baseless fabric of a
vision What reason is there for supposing
that ANDREW JOHNSON, in 1867, will exercise,
or even attempt to exercise the authority
vested in his Office, according to the Coustitu'
tion, as he interprets that instrument, II such
exercise of authority is palpably opposed tc
the will of the majority of the Northern peo'
Pile? Had the President been CESAR,
CROMWELL, a NAPOLEON, or an ANDREW JACK
SON, the time for action was two years ago,
when Congress met, and refused to recognize
the eleven Southern States that had been reor-
psnized under his direction. His acquiesence
then determined the relative status Of the
Executive and the Legislature, as also our
own political condition. There have been
frequent opportunities since for such an asser-
ton of the power of the Executive, had the
President felt inclined, or considered himself
strong enough, to set aside the Constitution,
and carry out his will, the legislation Of Con-
gress to the contrary notwithstanding.
The President has not done this. He acted
uniformly in accordance with his convictions,
and exercised his constitutional prerogative OF
the veto power. But nothing more. Themoment
Congress passe3s an Act, by the Constitutional
majority over his veto, Mr.. JOHNSON at once
and proceeded to the execution
of the law. This has been his course during
the past two years. Has anything transpired
recently, to give us good ground for believing
that the policy of the President has undergone
q radical change, as is now maintained by the
opponents of Congressional Reconstruction !?
We think not.
Mr. JOHNSON has dismissed one Of his chief
clerks-Mr. STANTON, because, as he alleges,
the late Secretary Of War impeded Recon-
struction, T. e., as Mr.. JOHNSON interprets the
Acts of Congress on this subject. Gen. SHERI-
DAN also was relieved, and another of6cer'put
in his place, ostensibly for the same reason.
Gen. SHERIDAN was guilty some time ago Of
criticising the Presidents conduct in language
and unbecoming an officer to his
superior. This has perhaps more to do with
his removal than all the General Orders he
issued in the Fifth Military District; and Mr..
STANTON in all probability lost his official head,
because he opposed Gen. SHERIDAN's removal.
The President, we have every reason to believe,
has taken this step entirely upon his own
unsupported by his cabinet
The order relieving SHERIDAN is dated from
the Executive Mansion" and simply for
warded through the Adjutant Generals Office,
not committing the Secretary of War ad interim
to its approval.
Moreover Paragraph five of this Order (G.
O. No. TIA. G. o. published in our tele-
graphic columns yesterday, says:
"Major- General George a. Thomas will con-
tinue to execute all orders he may find in force
in the Fifth Military District, at the time Of
his assuming the command Of it, unless authori.
zed by the General Of the Army to annul, alter or
modify them."
This looks very much like confederation
of our surmise, that the quarrel between the
President and Gen. SHERIDAN is altogether Of
q personal character. SHERIDAN is relieved
but his orders remain in force. The civil Off
GERS he displaced are not reinstated; and lest
there should be mistake on the subject in
the mind of Gen. THOMAS, who might readily
think, that course opposite from that Of his
predecessor would be expected of him by the
President, he is distinctly informed, not "to
annul, alter, or modify" any orders he may
find in force in the Fifth Military District, un-
less authorized by the General of the Army.
It is clear, then, that the President has no
intention to contravene, N any essential fen
ture, the Reconstruction Acts of Congress. He
may be pleased te exercise his legitimate au-
thority, and exercise a certain measure of
control over the commanders Of the FIVE Mill
tary Districts. Beyond this, we ere satisfied
be will attempt no interference. Reconstruc-
ton will go on, must 60 on, to successful con-
clusion. 1t is true this action of the President
may complicate the matter somewhat, not
directly, but indirectly, in that it encourages
opposition to the Acts of Congress in the South,
unwarranted by the step. as we have
seen. This opposition on the part of the ultra
nontanes of the South will almost certainly
produce corresponding increase of hostility
toward us among the ultra Radicals of the
North. And thus the end of this step of Mr..
JoHNsoN's will be, as all that have preceded it,
'raught with harm to us. However good his
motives and intentions, and we have never
doubted them, HE acts have generally.proved
orejudicial to us.
The Military Commanders are armed with
commissions from Congress, and conscious of
,eing fully endorsed by the will of the people
If the North Conservatives at the North and
at the South alike waste their
breath in further defamation against these
Acts, and against their legitimate results. We
lave said all this before, but we feel impelled
o repeat it again, for it is fact of the utmost
Importance to our people, one they cannot hear
90 often. On the one hand we have peace and
rider in prospect business and prosperity, a
people, and secure govern
nent. On the other we have endless agitation,
wholesale prescriptions, confscation, exile
perhaps; and for government, either anarchy
'r dcspotism. Between these we must choose;
md they arc not the true friends of the people
If these ten States who counsel further opposi-
ion to the will of the conqueror, when we are
It his mercy, and already have harsher meas
ires impending over us, in case of the nom
acceptance of the terms now offered US.