New-York tribune., 1867-09-07
THE STTUATION-WHAT MOVE NEXTi

Many of our cOtempOraries are advising
Grant to " do this and that" We fear that the
General has limited his usefulness 10y dealing
so gently with the President. He represents
Congress, while the President represents the
! spirit of Disunion and Slavery. The President
| thus far has controlled the game. Three pieces
| have been captured from the chess board
| Stanton, Sheridan, Sickles-and three stronger
pieces do not remain upon our side. Grant
has made one or two checks" but the Presi-
dent has avoided them and taken our pieces.
The trouble with Congress and Grant is that
they have played too easy A game with his
Excellency. They "check" him and annoy
him, but don't get ahead johnson moved
nearly all of his friends into good
places last Congress, and all of his leading an
tagonists ont of place. We call this splendid
play, and he is strong enough to do more mis-
chief. Grant seems to feel that Congress did
not give him enough power, and his friends
urge that if he is pOwerlcss it is because Con-
gress left him so. The President did not think
this when he wrote his veto, expressly com
planning that most of his authority had been
transferred to Grant. Congress did not think
so when it passed the bill of which Sheridan
complained. If Grant is in doubt, it is, we fear,
because some "aStute lawyer has been un-
settling him.
Still the responsibility is with Grant and it
is so refreshing to find military men submit
ting to responsibility that we perhaps ought to
be content. We feel that his heart is right
and that he will do all he can. At the same
! time man who suIrenders the powers which
Congress strOve to impose upon him can do
but little. In the case of Sickles, for instance,
Grant permits the President to plainly override
him in the Interpretation of the law, and
allows himself to be Tebulied in the removal of
his subordinate. Suppose the President directs
Candy to suspend the General Order No. 10, for
which Sickles was removed. What is Grant to
dog We may be told that he issued an order
to the commanders to permit the orders of
their predecessors to stand. But he also
issued an order to Sheridan to report to Wash
ington to consult on public business. The Pres-
dent, afraid that some of lis might cheer Little
"Phil.," orders him to the Indian country. Sher-
dan goes, and Grants order falls like a crisp
September leaf. So it will be with General
Order No. 10, with ThrOckmOrtOn and Welles,
with the whole Reconstruction movement. Be-
tween the haste and cludeness of Congress, and
what had better be called the extreme amiabil-
ity and consciousness of Grant, there is no
law out JOhnsOns whim for the Southern States,
and our champion is only an anxious earnest, pro-
testing soldier who at best does not say much,
and whose power is limited to signing himself
"by order of the President" General of the
Army. Grant will do us good in one way. He
will save the public money, and oppose the
thieves So far as his influence is needed it will
be healthy. But this is all.
Thus the game goes on, the President play
ing with resolution, shrewdness, energy. Con-
gress is away, and we see piece after piece re-
moved, While the enemies of the country shout
and cheer. Thus, we fear it will be until
within week of the meeting of Congress,
when Mr.. johnson will suddenly become con-
clliatory, and kind, and wheedling. All the
promises he has made and broken will be re-
peateo' ana certain nervous peoples cousins,
and uncles, and brothers will be placed in of
flee. We shall be asked to "trust" the Presi-
dent, for he means well" and confirm his
special pets, if for nothing else, because he
will make a Radical Postmaster in a rural town.
Great issues will be lost in official horse Jockey
ing, unless public opinion becomes resolute and