The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-29
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

General Grant again Protests Against
Removing Military Comm nders-The
President Overrules Him and Insists
Upon His Orders-GoneraI Grant Forced
to Comply and the Orders Issusd-The
fresident's Interpretation or General
Grants Powers.
WASHINGTON, August 29.-The political situ-
alton tonight is much calmer than IL has been
for several days. The developments of to-day
bear out my dispatches Of last night com
pletely. General Grant has not refused TO obey
orders, Notwithstanding the positive statement
to that effect telegraphed last night. His last
letter TO the President, sent yesterday, was
Of no rYsd avail Sn6 SeneTai n 6Siv GGSnt ear sSe
order, and even went SO far as to
state as his own opinion that persistence
course would bring innumerable evils upon
bimself and on his Administration. He
visited the President this morning, and
learned again that his suggestions and wishes
would be overruled The President insisted
upon the order as it stands, and General
The order was sent TO the printer this
afternoon, and would have been published to-
Time. 1t will be out in the morning. General
Grant adds nothing to 1t but the bare order of
pronunciation. II stands naked as IL came from
IL hands of the President. Whatever instruc-
tions General Grant may deem necessary will
follow hereafter in separate orders. The matter
tonight stands thus:-The President, in carry
ing out his own obstinate will, has again over
ruled General Grant in the Cabinet, and as
General-in Chief Grant can only transmit
orders through bis headquarters from his mill
an example of insubordination, which would
only be too quickly seized upon to still further
disable him. In reversing and ignoring the in
structions which accompanied General Order
No. H. assigning General Thomas, the President
has taken the responsibility ofvirtually Offering
an insult 10 Gen. Grant by the manner in which
IL was done, and has indicated his determine
tion TO dictate the manner in which the Recon-
struction acts shall be executed How far Gene
raj Grant shall be able to interfere to prevent
the President from still further delaying the
work of reconstruction, depends upon the ex-
foVnf fNff ba gora tod N hxy ha Of
Congress- Section of the Appropriation act
quoted last night, compels all orders to be sent
through his headquarters, but does not give him
the power to refuse to transmit orders which
he may disapprove. The supplemental Recon-
struction act passed in July last, which every
body supposes gives General Grant precisely
the same powers as are posse sed by the military
commanders, Is strangely deficient In that very
essential. 1t gives General Grant the power to
approve or disapprove all removals, appoint
ments Details, etc., of persons to or from
Mississippi If he chooses, but if the President
chooses to order the Boards of Registration in
Louisiana to be reopened for ninety days, Gene
raj Grant is poweress to prevent it, or If Gene
raj Hancock on his own responsibility shall
choose to postpone indefinitely or otherwise the
election ordered by General Sheridan, General
Grant has not even the power to dlsapprove his
Of the By fhs 1H Sne
tion acts is strangely, foolishly, and no
of the removal and a5nointment of officehoid-
ers. The act, carefully read and literally inter-
preted, gives General Srant aosSinuteiy yn, no
men of the result of nasty action by Congress.
Just in the very emergency that Congress de,
signed to meet General Grant finds himself
crippled to a very serious degree by bungling
legislation. That the President will avail
himself of the neglect and mistakes of
that tHs'I General Grant has no power be-
SGnu Sim out t call lit the attention Of those who
made the law to the careful consideration OF
them not expect General Grant to exercise
| powers for which he finds no warranttn the law.
The order removing General Sickles was pro-
| mulgated this morning, as L stated last night.
AS win be seen, it will be unaccompanied by
| Evening Star, of this city, whose editor is tho
roughly conVersant with the feelings and sem
timents of the people of Maryland, is signi-
can impression is prevailing everywhere in Mary
ai lava tSreuEhout the Thed States. and prevent
| the assembling of Congress 10 November next, by
of Hon. jeremiah Black. who is credited here with
ea II Sssd 1 s ne oys ct s
declaring 1t a revolutionary measure and protecting
We see no reason to doubt the truth the advice Of
that very enthusiastic and extreme gentleman, Mr.
| It has transpired that President Johnson in
| tended some time since to assign General Rous-
| seau to the command of the Department at
| Washington, vice Canby, ordered to relieve
| Sickles, but was persuaded by General Grant TO
| desire to retain Rousseau near his person, and
! as yet no one has been assigned as Canby's sue
| cessOr. General Rousseau Is yet in New York
| and having unaccountably missed the last
steamer, he may yet be assigned to this COM
| mand
The Removal of General Howard.
| On Saturday last John M. Langston, the we'll
| known oolored lawyer, hearing that the Presi-
dent had expressed desire to see him, called
upon him. whereupon Mr. Johnson said:-"I
| have determined to remove General Howard;
| he must go soon; have reason TO believe that
he is running his Bureau as political, partisan,
and sectarian machine; and further, sir, am
prepared to give that place to good
colored man., If your. people will indicate
such a man" During the whole inter-
| mated that he would like TO have him accept
| the place. He finally said:-"I have decided
| that General Howard shall be removed, and
that viii give the place to colored man if a
| the first of the week to me upon this sub
iect." This morning Mr.. Langston called upon
| General Grant at his Office in the War Depart
ment, and stated to him the substance of his
interview with the President and then asked
General Grants opinion as to the propriety of
his accepting the office. The latter replied that
he thought, under the circumstances, that II
was unadvisable for him, in every respect.
to accept the Office of Commissioner. He
Thought, II General Howard should be removed
Mr.. Langston could not hope to give greater
| saiisfacion in the bureau. General Grant
further said that he was fully satisfied that
General Howard had done his best, and that he
| had committed no act which would not bear
rigid scrutiny; but II ne General Grant, were
ton should be appointed TO the position, he
would aid him TO the extent of his abil-
ity General Grant, in conclusion, said
General General Howards removal; but, II i''it IL
were accomplished, he thought, for the
reason already stated, that it would be
inexpedient and OF no practical benefit to the
existing circumstances Mr.. Langston said to
General Grant:-"I now ask that you will
do every thing that you can to keep Gene