Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-09-05
General Grant and the President.

The Washington correspondent Of the
Boston post gives the following account of
the exciting Cabinet session on Tuesday
last:
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, August 81
The Cabinet had a stormy session of over
two hours to-day. and President johnson
hal occasion to exhibit all his nerve and
forhearancc. This he is said to have done
in characteristic style IN issue was made
by Gen. Grant on the wording of the
Presidents order removing Sheridan and
Sickles from their commands Generals
Hancock and Candy are directed when
necessary to faithful execution of the
laws, to exercise any and all powers con-
ferred by acts Of Congress on district COM
manders. This was intended to spike Gen.
Grants guns and prevent repetition of
clause five in his late instructions to Gen.
Thomas, in which he directed that officer
to execute such orders as he might find in
force in the Fifth Military Department un-
til altered or cancelled by the general COM
handing, viz by General Grant. When
the Cabinet met to-day, General Grant
entered another protest, contending that
to him belonged the power to direct what
orders should or should not be executed
by department commanders, and that he
hoped there would be modification of the
Presidents order in accordance with his
view of the subject, proceeding to argue
that what had been done in those depart
ments should be allowed to stand until al
tered or cancelled by himself; that if not
checked in advance the new commander
might be induced to undo much that had
been done, to the great detriment of the
public welfare. During these remarks of
General Grant, President johnson kept
perfectly quiet, but as soon as the former
concluded, Mr.. johnson, with much ami
nation, replied that he was surprised to
hear the proposition, as he had been sur
prised to see the fifth clause in the previ-
Gus instructions issued by General Grant.
The President frankly admitted that his
purpose was to prevent any attempt to null
lfy any part of the reconstruction acts !;
that those acts expressly empowered the
District Commanders to exercise all pow
ers which, in their JUG gments, were neces-
sary and all acts were valid until disapproy-
ed. The proposition of General Grant
was to deny these commanders the powers
expressly conferred by the laws, and thus
to that extent actually annul the Recon
struction Act To this the President said
he should not assent. Those acts should
be enforced faithfully and in all their parts
as long as he was responsible, under the
Constitution, for the faithful execution of
the law. The President spoke with great
animation and frmness, and although very
plain in terms, yet entirely courteous. He
remained mistaken in bis purpose to have
his orders, as issued yesterday, carried out
to the very letter. The rumor soon spread
among the friends Of the President, and
number called On him this afternoon to
congratulate him on what they pronounced
to be the dawning of better era 1t may
be proper to add that the Cabinet, with
the exception OF General Grant, fully en-
dorsed the position taken by the President,
that the proposition of the General was
practically to nullify in part the acts Of
Congress.