Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1867-09-06
Friday, September 6, 1867.
THE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL GRANT.

THE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL GRANT.
Whatever difference Of opinion mny exist
between the President and General Grant as
10 general principles sof policy, or As to the
proPriety of the recent official changes. there
seems 30 far TO be entire harmony Of action,
and no ground to apprehend collision, which
the Radical journals go eagerly antci-
pate, and which they arc doing so muc; to
produce The reports of variances between
them have been very much exaggerated. and
seem to relate chiefly to the details of tho or.
ders relieving General Sheridan and assigning
General Hancock to succeed him. Their re-
spcctive positions are thus explained by tho
Washington correspondent of the Baltimore
Sun:
General G rant is understood 10 be opposed
TO relieving General Hancock from command
Of the Department of Missouri, and objects TO
directing General Sheridan TO 60 without de-
Jay to Leavenworth. General Grant also
raises legal question upon that paragraph of
tthe Presidents order which directs General
Hancock to exercise any and all powers con-
.forred by the acts of Congress.
This authorization is construed as nuuulinp
section five of General Grants order of the
.encroachment upon his functions, as fixed by
the Reconstruction acts, which give him su-.
pcrvisory control over the acts of the District
Commanders
The Tresident holds that the law gives the
District. Commander original and absolute dis
creton. and that although the General Of the
army may annulor disapprove the acte Of the
District commander, he cannot in the first in
stance direct that officer as to the course he
shall pursue. as General Grant directed Gen
crai Thomas. in section fve above referred to
in other words, that General Hancock. rs the
successor of General Sheridan, haa pow er to re-
woke any order heretofore mado by the latter,
such as tho removal of State officers; but Gen
eral Grant mny afterwards disapprove such
action, and thus 'annul it. And further, that
the section of the army appropriation bill fix.
ing headquarters Of the army at Washington
and preventing General Grants. removal with
ont the consent of the Senate, does not vest the
General of the armies with any power over the
orders Of the, President ms Commander-in-
Chief, but simply requires that any such or.
ders shall pass through the General of the
armies.
Though this variance of views exists be-
tween the President and General Grant. there
is no irritation felt or exhibited by either Of
them and General Grant does not as reported,
refuse to Issue the order.
Upon this matter tho Washington Star
makes the folio owing statement:
In addition to what has been published
heretofore Of the differences between the Pres.
ldent and General Grant, it is known hero that
several other subjects have come up for their
joint action on which they conli not agree
The most serious difference, however is that in
reference to tho assignment Of General Han
cock to relieve General Sheridan General
Grant, it is understood. strongly obec ted to is
Euing this order for various reasons, his princi-
pal one being the ignoring of his instructions
to have the orders of General Sheridan con-
tinued in force. "unless ordered by the General
of the army, to annul, alter, or modify them. -
Hhese instructions he gave under Section Sd of
the last Reconstruction act which enacta that
"the Genelal of the Armies of tho United
States shah be invested with all the powera OF
suspension. removal, appointment and detail
grsnted in the preceding section to District
Commanders" General Grant protested
against the action Of the President, and claim
ed that the section quoted would even justify
him in refusing to issue the ORDER The Presi-
dent denied the authority claimed by General
Grant under that section. Finally, it was
agreed that tho assignment of General Han
cook should be temporary, and that General
Thomas will be directed 70 take command of
the Fifth District as soon as his health will per-
NIT, and on this understanding the order as.
signing General Hancock was promulgated.
Another chuse of difference it is stated, was
IN reference to Major-Generai. o. o. Howard.
Before tho order of Gen. Grant as issued. a few
days since. in reference to officers being nd.
dressed only by their titles according to their
rank in the regular army, the President, it is
said. had prepared an order recognizing Major
General O. o. Howard only by his rank of
Br'gadier General in the army. but General
Grant objected 10 special action in the case of
any particular officer, and that order was not
assued; but one was Issued applying to all of
Ulcers.