The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-30
THE CHANGE OF COMMANDERS.

the fires of revolution burning with lurld
light around the National Capital. For nearly
two wears an active strife has been waging
between the President and the majority OF
Congress-. Itisto the credit of the President,
that from first to last he has strictly adhered to
the Constitution and amid all the unconstitu-
tio nal legislation of Congress, he has never re-
fused to execute the laws, and has never re-
sorted to unauthorized means to eVade or
nullify their force. AS far, therefore, as we
are able to judge, the President occupies
va ntage ground in the eyes of the nation in
that he has uniformly and persistently oppos-
ed the removal of ancient landmarks. And
could we pbeasure1 of. what ID called poetical
Justice, we should not hesitate to say or believe
that the peope-we mean the majority of the
No rthern people, ere; long award
tatdy praise to Mr. JOHNSON for his long,
fearless and resolute defence of the Constitu-
ton of the country.
But after the most careful survey that we
are capable Of making of the political situation
we cannot now see anything approaching to
probability of such . verdict at the hands OF
the Northern people. We know that many Of
our friends think differently. They believe
there has been a great change in public
opinion and feeling of late, and that at the
approaching elections in the several Northern
and Western States, the party of the President
will be victorious, This we should be pleased
to See; but we fear our friends are too san
guihe, and. would have us believe they see
VIII at really they only wish to see
However we may be disposed to conceal the
fact from ourselves, or listen to the insidlous
viles of partisan press, we have no doubt OF
the fact, that the mass of tho people of the
North are on the side of the Republican party
and however they may differ from the e1-
tremists of their party, the ultra Radicals-in
case of any vital issue the party would OF
cours rse stand together. We cannot, therefore,
agree with those of our friends, who believe
that deliverance is at hand; and that it is to
be effected by the ballot box.
If not, what then? Why, we must accept
the terms now offered US, and endeavor, under
this organic act, to become reinsated as State
in the Union. Until reinstated, we are utterly
helpless. 1t should be our constant aim and
endeavor to shorten this probationary period
of our tutelage. Our people should be on
their guard, and do nothing rashly. There is
n dis position among many to rejoice at the re-
cent action of the President, in removing STAN
TON. SHERIDAN and SICKLEs. Wo can see no
cause for congratulation. The President has
never failed to declare it rs his purpose to
execute the laws; and although SHERIDAN is
reno we'd, military government, with oil its
coucomitants under the Reconstruction Acts,
still remains. 1t may be that HANCOCK will
urove more acceptable to the people of Louisi-
ANA and Texas than SHERIDAN hos done; it
may be that CANDY, our newly appointed Com
mander, will prove less obectoas bio to the
.peopie of the two Carolnas than General
S1cKLEs. We say all this may be. There
can Of course be no certainty on this point. AS
we ed id BEFORE the Acts of Congress, by virtue
of which these military commanders exercise
sway over the ten Southern States, are still in
force and are upheld by the President himself !;
and in the order, making these new appoint
ments g. the President says they [Gens. CASBI
and HANCOCK "will, when necessary to faith
full e1 1ecution of the laws, exercise any and all
-power rs conferred by the Acts of Congress upon
the District Commanders, and any and oil au-
thorit ty pertaining to officers in command of
Milit tAry Departments.
So reads the commission of these new ap-
pointees; and our thoughtful readers willagree
| with us, we feel sure, when we say that
chante of rulers is of little effect so long as
we ale governed by the military code. These
new rulers will do one of three things. They
will either abrogate the orders of their prede-
cesssors, and issue new ones, or they will retain
the body of military law, developed by circum,
stances during the past six months, or what
is mq qch more likely, they will retain some,
and an annul others-the only wise course
While good may come of these changes, the
result is at best doubtful. The mere excite,
mcnt, unrest, and anxiety attendant upon these
changes, is prejudicial in its effect on the
peace, the business and prosperity of the
country. We are not prepared to defend in
discriminatory the administration Of Genera
SIcKLEs. We believe that he has issued many
wise orders, and again we believe lie has pass
ed others that were both unwise and tyranni
CAL In the latter category we would place thu
notorious flag order Of April -, 1867; alst
the order deposing Mr.. ZEALY, Of Columbia
from his office as Magistrate, which we believe
was hasty, harsh, and altogether unjust. 81
also the sentence of the two young men engag
ed in the late barroom broil in Columbia. 81
the recent fining Of Mr.. McNELrY for not sell
inc O. first-class ticket to colored woman 81
the late order animadverting in severe ant
altogether unjustifably harsh terms upor
gentlemen of unblemished honor in the case o
the Bank and Confederate Cavalry fund. No
must we forget to mention the arbitrary de
cision in the case of the Charleston Saving
Institution, still fresh in the memory of all ou
readers. There may have been other orders
of General SIcKLEs, meriting censure perhaps
more even than those we have enumerated
But these will suffice for the present
lie has been more often blamed, however
| for General Order No. 10; and yet we believ'
that he issued it in good faith, with the firm
conviction of its necessity at the time, and o
It's benehcent effect upon the people at larg'
in North and South Carolina. We have Away
been opposed to every species Of stay law, bu
we can see many extenuating circumstances il