American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-06-19
ReconstructiOn.----Let Well
Enough Alone.
Well

G.hOukn <AAOnCs
We are, informed chat the President
and his Cabinet are about to consider the
condition of the Southern States, under
the recent acts of Congress, and to pro.
claim certain rules in reference to the
conduct of the Major Generals Com
manding. 1t is furthermore rumored
shat the action of General Sheridan in
: removing Governor Wells led to an angry:
discussion at a recent Cabinet meeting,
and that Mr.. Stanbury is preparing an
opinion to justify the President in re-
moving General Sheridan 1t is also
ramored that General Grant has expires.
sed anxiety in regard to Sheridan, and
while he will not recommend his removal,
he still feels that he might be repre-
mauded. Wea happy to welcome any
expression of General Grant that seems
to indicate an expression of opinion on
any national question but we believe
this rumor to be untrue. General Grant
will hardly care to interfere with his re-
downed subordinate. At criticsl por>
ton of the war, he found it necessary to
give Sheridan but one order: $50 in"
If he has any order to give let him re-
peat that.
We do not think the country will view
patiently any interference on the part of
the President with the provisions Of the
Reconstruction act That act was passed
in defiance Of the President. lie came
into oEFce with the settlement of the war
upon his hands. Instead of taking the
advice of Congress by calling an extra
session, or even the counsel OF statesz.en
who might be presumed to speak the
opinions of the party dominant in Cou~
gress, he created policy Of his own. 1.
was offensive to the nation. 1t proposed
to sacrifice the loyal men of the South to
the spirit of rebellion. 1t would have
surrendered to Davis more than Lee
yielded to Grant. Still it was "policy."
Mr.. Seward supported it in his reckless,
gladstone way. Mr.. McCulloch went out
of his way to be its persistent minister
Mr.. Stanton countersigned the order,
which sent Terry and Saxton into dis
grace, and conferred honors upon Fuller
ton and Custar. A few people like Dix,
created by Almighty God apparently for
no other purpose than to hold Office, and
gifted with ravinous instinct of power,
supported the President. Then came the
wholesale removals from Office. Intrepid
Republicans were stricken down by hun
dreds for daring to believe in the teach
ings Of Lincoln; men were rewarded ftr
betraying their party, and even in for,
eign Courts spies and nformers we're per.
mitted to wander and collect gossip for
our Secretary of State. All the powers
of the Presidential Office = its terrors and
banishmeuts-were used for the purpose
Of insuring the success of he policy"
Well, what came oil it? The Pres.
dent met with disastrous and humillating
defeat, His "poicy" was overruled.
The creatures he placed in Office as a
reward OF treachery were driven out
Nay more, the great Office which he held,
and whose patronage he welded with
more than the imperial will of jackson,
was trimmed and cut, and shorn of the
greater part of its strength. 1t would no
longer be menace TO free people. Ills
Estates were overturned. The Recon,
struction law was passed, and its duties
assigned to generals of the army. This
was we'll understood The President op.
posed it furiously He threw his vetoes
before Congress step by step. So reck-
lessly was this done that at one time it
was almost certain that he would be im,
peached, or that his powers under this
act would be assigned to General Grant
Mr.. Stevens desired this, and large par
ty followed him. We believe this would
have been done but for the assurance
that any law Congress would pass the
President would execute in letter and
spirit. This assurance--or, rather, shis
well founded belief-did everything to
decide Congress, If it had not existed,
the President would most probably have
been removed.
This was the situation when Congress
adjourned. Suspicious of His Excel.
lency, not altogether trusting his SINGER,
ity, its members provided for Summer
session. But the President has done so
we'll he has obeyed the law so faithfully,
that impeachment has died, the Sum.
mer sssion will scarcely be held, and we
find ourselves quietly drifting into an era
of good feeling. Reconstruction pro>
crosses. Impartial Suffrage has been
established in the South. The various
problems that sorely tried our statesmen
are being gradually solved by events.
With suffrage to the slave we have had
amnesty to the Retel. Even the great
Chief Of the Rebels has been released
from prison and permitted to go to Can
ada, with but trivial (?) expression Of
dissent. Mr.Chase presides over South
ern Court, and the process of habeas cor.
pus has been resumed The freedmen
are gradually becoming freemen. Cit.
senship sits easily upon them. The
country is at rest, and considering the
question of political Reconstruction settled
addresses itself to the finances and tariffs.
Our political sky is serene with the ex
ception of little cloud that steals over
it, scarcely larger than mans hand
We know the President must be sorely
tempted to use whatever power he may
possess to oppose measure which he
assailed so vindictively last Winter Tb,,