The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-09

they have played too easy game with his
hxcellency. They "Check" him and annoy
him. but don't get ahead. Johnson moved
nearly all of his friends into good places last
Congress, and all of his leading antagonists
out of place. We call this splendid play, and
he is strong enough to do more mischief
Grant seems to feel that Congress did not give
him enough power, and his friends urge that
il he is powerless it is because Congress left
him so. The President did not think that when
he wrote his veto, expressly complaining that
most of his authority had been transferred to
Grant Congress did not think so when it
passed the bill OF which Sheridan complained.
If Grant is in doubt, IL is we fear, because
some ''astute lawyer" has been unsettlng
him.
Still the responsibility is with Grant, and it
is so refres hing to find military men submit
ting to responsibility that we perhaps ought
to be content. We feel that his heart is right
and that he will do all he can. At the same
time man who surrenders the powers which
Congress strove to impose upon him can do
but little. In the case of Sickles, for instance
Grant permits the President to plainly ever
ride him in the Interpretation of the law, and
allows himself to be rebuked in the removal of
his subordinate. Suppose the President directs
Candy to suspend General Order no. 10, for
which Sckles was removed. What is Grant
to dof We may be told that he issued an order
to the commanders to permit the orders of
their predece' sors to stand. But he also
issued an order to Sheridan to report to Wash
ipgton to consult on public business. The
President, afraid that some of us might cheer
Little Phil, orders him to the Indian coun-
try. Sheridan goes, and Grants order falls
ike crisp September leaf. So it will be with
General Order No. TO- with Throckmorton and
Wells, with the whole Reconstruction move
ment. Between the haste and crudeness of
Congress- and what had better be called the
extreme amiabiiity and conscientiousness Of
Grant, there is no law but Johuson's whim for
the Southern States, and our champion is only
an anxious, earnest, protesting soldier, who
at best does not say much, and whose power
is limited to signing himself "by order Of the
President General of the Army. Grant will
do us good in one way. He will save the pub
lie money, and oppose the thieves. So far as
his influence is needed it will be healthy.
But this is ALL
Thus the game goes on, the President play
ing with resolution, shrewdness, energy. Con-
gress is away, and we see piece after piece
removed, while the enemies of the country
shout and cheer. Thus, we fear, it will be
until within aweek of the meeting of Congress,
when Mr.. Johnson will suddenly become con-
Ciliatory, and kind, and wheedling. All the
promises he has made and broken will be re-
peated, and certain nervous peoples cousins,
and uncles, and brothers will be placed in
Office. We shall be asked to "trust" the Pre-
sident, for he ''means well, - and confirm his
special pets, if for nothing else, because he
will make radical Postmaster in a rural
town. Great issues will be lost in official
horse -jockeying, unless public opinion be-
comes resolute and vigilant. Just now the
President holds the game; and loudly declares
he will play it, Congress and country
whether or no. The hand that might make
a checkmate is powerless. We do
not imagine that any circumstance can
arise in which the President may not overrule
General Grant. Rebel Deputy Marshal of
the United States is more powerful to-day than
the General of the army. The removal of
Sicllles shows that. We think there is one
move that would have ended the business.
Suppose, when the President directed the
military commanders practically to disobey
Grants order and make and unmake such
regulations as they pleased, the General had
said to the President, ''By command of the Con-
gTess of the United States, in law plainly writ
ten, decline to have the powers expressly dele
gated to me in any way amended, msconstrued,
or limited, and therefore respectfully refuse to
issue an order which compels me to violate my
duty" What would have followed? Grant
would have done just what the country and
Congress want, what the law in spirit directs,
and what he can only be excused from doing
on the plea that he is part of the Executive
| "a hand, finger, or foot-and only amenable to
such laws as the President. permitted him to
! respect.
Perhaps we take wrong view of the matter.
| We write rather to state a case and suggest
inquiry without giving absolute advice. We
respect the trying position of the General of
the army, and desire in no way to dishearten
him or limit his usefulness by unjust criti-
cism. But we beg him to look well to his
duty. 1t is high and perplexing; but God
does not place men in those positions for an
unwise purpose. We beseech him to stand
! 70 q Wa tba Nd
and we beg him, whatever he may do, to feel
that he can make no error in the eyes of this
nation on the side of an energetic support Of
Congress and the country.