The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-25

creates is in his hand. The EARNED heel''
which Mr. Johnson deprecates is the armed
heel' Of General Grant. His is the task o,
supervising the execution of the law, ana
| while guarding the guarantees 1t exaots, avert
| ing the abuse of which its vast scopels susceP-
| tible.
This transfer of executive authority, clash
as it may with received notions OF the Presl-
dental office, will inspire confidence which
| has unfortunately not existed under Mr.. john
sons administration of the law. In this
respect he has no doubt suffered somewhat
! uniustly His error has not consisted i'm
neglect of duty as an administrator but in his
failure to appreciate the spirit and purpose of
Congress, and in enforcing his Interpretation
! as against its manifest intention. Fairly or
unfairly, however, the fact is undeniablg that
painful lack of confidence has been felt in
the disposition of the President to enforce the
will OF the represented States. While we be-
lieve that he has tried to do his duty as he M.
derstands it, there is no escape from the con-
clusion that his views on the subject have been
more in harmony with the enemies of the law
than with its friends.
By vesting supreme authority in General
Grant, Congress has removed the source of
many fears. Congress will no longer be in
doubt as to the fidelity with which the law
will be applied. Satisfied with the guarantees
1t provides, the Northern people will feel
assured that these guarantees will be faith
tully eXacted. For though opposing parties
contend for the possession of General Grant as
politicians character he wisely eschews-
the country has unlimited faith in his devo-
tion to the principles which have been conse-
Grated by the war. The official correspondence
between the Government and the Military
Commanders, published few days ago. has
afforded remarkable evidence of the thorough
ness with which he apprehends, and the
sagacity with which he applies, the spirit and
Of fhn w -1no oil
out obtruding himself in the newspapers,
1T is now apparent that he has quietly and
sedulously endeavored to sustain the law in
its integrity, free from the theorizing and the
fanciful distinctions of the Attorney Gene
raj. His correspondence has been with the
district commanders direct, and in every in
stance his action was in their favor Sheri-
dams removal of Governor Wells, and Pope's
course touching paroled Rebel officers, re-
ceived his heartiest approval. On both ocoa-
sions his support was rendered under circum-
stances which impaired to it signal value.
The same unfaltering adherence to the dictates
of the loyal sentiment of the nation as opposed
to the mischievous opinion of the Attorney
General, dictated his despatch to General Ord
"The duty of the Board of Registration" as
Grant understands it, is ''to see, as far as it
lies in their power, that no unauthorized per-
son is allowed to register" The publication
of these dispatches was not necessary to the
vindication of General Grants position. On
that subject Democratic newspapers have not
succeeded in hoodwinking the people. But
occurring at this period, it has served to clear
him from all suspicion of afihation with. the
President, and to demonstrate his calm but
unfaltering attachment to the views which
Congress has embodied in its legislation.
On the other hand, the South cannot Justly
see in General Grants execution of the law a
fresh cause of uneasiness. Infexibe in his
ha io oil ~
the Southern people. The terms of surrender
he dictated to General Lee afford the best
illustration of his magnanimity. He will not
shrink from doing all that may be necessary
for the completion of reconstruction, but he
will allow nothing to be done in wantonness-
nothing for the qualification of partisan ma
ignity. He will carry out the law firmly, but
with desire as speedily as possible to attain
the end it is intended to reach. In connec-
tion with this estimate of his course it is in
teresting to note the epitome of his testimony
before the Judiciary Committee, furnished by
the careful correspondent of the Boston I'D
UeTtiSer:-
HE said in effect, as is understood that he
had not thought it his province TO meddle in
politics. that he had never been asked by the
President for his advice or opinions on political
matters; that in all he had said about the neces-
sity for early restoration of the Union he had
spoken as a military man and as a citizen, and
not as politician; that in his view military
rule ought to cease as soon as possible consis-
tent with justice and safety; that the Southern
people themselves should be anxious for the
restoration of the civil authority; that he had
always understood the Presidents work in the
South as of temporary character, and at most
as but an aid to Congress in setting up the civil
Governments; that he has not sympathized
! with the President in his conflict with Con-
gress; that he thought the fixing of terms of
reconstruction was matter belonging to Con-
| gress; that In his judgment the South made
grave mistake in not long ago heartily accept
ing the terms offered; that he stood firmly by
the Congressional plan, and that he was anX-
the war, for the early restoration of the Rebel
States to the privilege of representation in Con
gress"
These are the opinions of a statesman quite
as much as of a soldier. AS q soldier he has
not deemed it "his province to meddle with
! politics" but his knowledge of the situation
of the circumstances of the South and the
fixed determination of the North-enabled him
to detect the blunder of Mr.. Johnson's policy,
and the "grave mistake'' of the South Gin not
long ago heartily accepting the terms offered"
Military ambition does not sway his judgment.
sin his view military rule ought to cease as
soon as possible, consistent with justice and
safety"
If the North, then, may repose unbounded
confidence in the firmness and loyalty of Gene
raj Grant, it is equally evident that the South
may accept his possession of additional autho
rity as pledge against unnecessary harshness
and causeless prolongation of military rule.
man who upholds the legitimacy of the
work of Congress- and looks upon military
government as a temporary expedient to be
Terminated without needless delay, may be
safaly t,uetad with the great rAsnonsibilities