The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-25
sberidau,s characterization"

The New York Times, which hesitates 10
attack no man who opposes Andrew johnson,
stipmatizes General Sheridan's recent letter
to General Grant as displaying insubordina-
tion. We see no insubordination about it.
On the contrary, the letter was directly called
forth by the Presidents telegram requesting
General Sheridan to extend the time for
registration in Louisiana until August l,
''unless he had some good reasons for the
contrary" and ordering him 'to report pro-
press," etc. Under these circumstances it
would have been insubordination for the Gene
raj not to have replied, and candor and
regard for the truth compelled him to report
the facts as they existed, just as he did
in the New Orleans massacre business, and
not as the President would have had him
reply. This General Sheridan did in the
honest, straightforward language of the SOL
der 1t is the trenchant truthfulness of his
,eply that constitutes its insubordination.
Sheridan reports that he has closed registra-
tion in Louisiana because he has been two and
half months at it; that there are no more to
register; and that he does not conceive it to be
his duty to put the Government to the ex-
pense of keeping up the boards of registration
'to suit ne,o issues coming an at the eleventh hour"
That's it exactly. Sheridan has executed the
law, as he was bound to do, and he now very
Justly objects to putting the nation to the
expense of executing pettifogger Stanbery's
opinions, which, he truly says, open ga broad
macadamized road for perjury and fraud to
trGUel on"
This is Sheridan's fault, in the judgment of
the Times. He has spoken the truth, boldly
and powerfully. His words cut like sabre
stroke. He is an honest soldier, who does not
mince matters, but speaks in a language that
the people can understand. OF course such
style of proceeding does not suit the Times.
1t is diametrically opposed to the Times style
of doing things. But the people, as in the case
of the New Orleans massacre, will cling to the
words of the honest soldier. His statements
bear the impress of truth, and they coincide
with the convictions of the masses.
The President and his followers are feeling
their way towards the removal of General
Sheridan. They have never forgiven him for
his action in the exposure of the true charac-
ter of the New Orleans massacre. They would
have removed him then, had they dared to.
He has now committed similar fault. The
only thing that stands in the way of his re-
moval now, is that rising popular sentiment
which is fast fixing upon General Sheridan as
a man who joins to the most splendid military
abilities the highest qualities of statesman
ship-one who appreciates the true situation
of the country, and has faith in those great
principles which must finally bring us tri-
umphantly through all our perils.
1t only requires little persecution from
f'the powers that to be'' to make such man
the popular leader in movement that will
sweep the country from one end to the other,
as the autumnal fires sweep the prairies, and
carry dismay to the ranks of the conservatives
and reactionists, such as Sheridan and his
brave comrades carried to the Rebel cohorts in
the Shenandoah valley, or about Five Forks
at the fall of Richmond