The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-27
Tho President and tho Five Military Com
maudcrs.

Tho President and tho Five Military Com
naudcrs.
The National hteligencer announces, in an
ominously oracular way, in an article printed
in another column, that 'the position Of the ad
ministration has been substantially taken In the
matter of the reconstruction statutes" We ex-
pectei nothing less. The President has made
up his mind; but bowi In very dangerous
shape for the President, If we are to believe
the InteHigencer. 1t will be remembered that
the Presidents clearest objection to the last
Reconstruction bill was that 1t deprived him Of
the power, o. Executive, that the constitution
always contemplates as strictly bis; but the
President did not venture to say that he would,
for this reason, use what power he had to
null " the law after its enactment He left
this that 1t might be put forward as feeler
on the vague responsibility Of quasi organ.
Following out the Presidents point that the
law tends to deprive him of his author
ity, the organ says:-''The Executive ONCE
is q unit, and consequently there can DO no
legitimate Executive action but that Of the
President. As an inevitable consequence, any
provision Of statute which contravene 90 1t Is
not law, and should DO prevented from being
carried into effect" II these words have any
significance they moan that the position which
the President has substantially taken Is that
upon this pretext he will use any possible
means to prevent the execution of this law.
There ia even further declaration, that he
will not become In any degree or under any
circumstances the instrument Of his own over
throw" And this is not only new DECLARE
ton of war against Congress, but 1t Is declara-
ton that where the will Of the President and
the win Of the people conflict II is the will OF
the President that must prevail
There il an especial illumination against
General Sheridan in this latest piece Of Execu-
tive wrath, so that it is not easy to tell
whether the law or Little Phil is regarded 40
the greater abominaion. We are told that II
the President should determine to supersede
Sheridan sit would be an act clearly within
the operation OF the principle" Of tho Presi-
dents constitutional power, and one "from
which he could not deviste." Therefore. Il
" the further nsubordination Of General Sheri-
dan should throw impediments in the way Of
executing the statute consistently with the
constitution of the United States" then down
goes Sheridan. Now, If the statute In Its
nature is 80 inconsistent with the constitutions -
the President argued in bis message, how can Il
possibly be executed consistently with that
wonderful document Apparently the Presi-
dent and bis friends are inconsequential But
perhaps Sheridan Is to be removed in any event,
and all this ia merely q SCRAP Of pretended
argument thrown out to justify In advance an
act that 1t is felt would be dangerous. This is
the more probable in view Of the announce
mont hitherto made that General Meade has
been designated to succeed General Sheridan,
when the President eets ready to NOVA In tho
matter. Here the shoe pinches. Mr.. johnson
may have good personal reasons for disliking
Sheridan and Sheridan's policy but as Sheri-
dan was the first Of these Eve military COM
manders to be endorsed by Congress, the
policy Of his removal becomes delicate ques-
ton. We apprehend that 1t will not hurt
Sheridan at ell, but that It will prove another
and very serious blunder on the part Of Mr.
JOhnson.