Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-28

ruE REAL sIruArION NOW DISCLOSED,

THE REAL SITUATION NOW DISCLOSED
The reply of President johnson 10
General Grant, which this morning
comes to light, and which appears in
another column, comedies that, in asking
Grant for his opinion as 10 the assign
ment Of certain officers to commands
consequent on the removal of Sheridan
Mr. johnson asked the opinion Of his
subordinate as to the propriety Of the
order, already issued by himself, and
before its issue, demonstrated against by
General Grant, The President, being
fully informed Of Grants opposition to
his policy, and of his adhesion to Con
gress, requested him, as a military man.
to aid him in making the most judicious
appointments, for tho purpose OF carry
inc the Executive policy into effect No
matter what the President may yield in
his response, his first letter to Grant
shows that he asked nothing more.
Grant answers by saying; Mr. Presi'
dent, your order is wrong, and i can
neither approve nor aid in its execution.
The Presidents response is: y thank
you, Mr.. Grant, for your disobedience to
my order, coupled, as it is, with
your courteous disclosure of the
reasons for disobeying it," And so the
President succumbs to his subordinate,
and Grant is master of the situation.
Whatever the President may now weakly
or timorously concede, he did not ask
Grant for reasons against his own order,
which, after hearing in full the remon'
strances Of Grant, he had determined to
issue. What he did ask for was aid and
advice in carrying the order into effect
with the least damage and to the best
advantage to the country. And the
answer Of Grant, in being a'mere remon-
STRANGE, is an impertinence, which should
and would cost the head of its author if
Washington or any one of his successors
except Johnson occupied the Executive
chair. Yet, instead of this, Andrew
johnson thanks his subordinate for the
politeness with which he assumes the
reins of power and gilds the accomplish
ment of his determined mutiDy We
confess our establishment, much and long
as We have doubted whether we had
President We are now compelled to
doubt whether johnson will henceiorth
pretend to reign, or abdicate. And all
appearances indicate that, with johnson
in condition of seuility, Grant is now
prince regnant.
The kilograms also inform us that
Thomas, having declined to obey the
Presidents orders, and adhering to
Grant and the Congress, will not be
substituted for Sheridan, but that Gen.
Hancock will. The President is not
required to retire in disgrace, but given
as soft q bed as possible in the privilege
of concealing his dovnfall behind the
nominal appointment Of new men and
issuance of orders, of which, because his
signature is attached, he may be supposed
to be the author.
The sword which the great and good
Washington refused, in the interest OF
Liberty, has been seized by Grant
Grant and the Congress now cooperate,
asd the much dreaded union of " the
purse and sword has taken place.
Whether in the next event, as
conjectured mot without reason and
precedent in history by our neighbor of
the appeal, General Grant will seize
the purse also, seems to rest with him
self Nor, to tell the truth, do the
majority of the American people mach
care, if we have any proper conception
of the power of interest and motive over
individual minds. Our people so far
prefer a republic that some adroitness
may be required in changing the form OF
government. The pill must be too well
gilded to appear, and the regal power
must be conceded under q democratic
rather than kingly name. But we are
free to say that peace, confidence,
revival of trade, personal security, and
individual prosperity, are considerations
so important at the present junoture,
and so earnestly desired by all, except
few money and Office hunting specula-
tors and Radicals, that whatever assures
such desideratum will be gladly well
coined by the American people, no
matter what may be the outward signs
and apparent changes in the form of
government.
In yielding las Mr.. johnson clearly
does, in this response to Grant,, that he
is bound to execute the law Of Congress,
(which, instead Of being called recon-
struotion law, should have been entitled
"a law to consolidate the powers Of
government in the Legislature, destroy
the Executive and the Judiciary, and
overthrow the Constitution, the whole
pretense of being in the right, on his
part, is surrendered There is no use in
these removals of men, who are only
carrying out the policy of Congress. No
change Of administration in the districts
is effected by it, and the President is
simply exhibited to the same advantage
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