The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-26

The President and the Five Cemmandcrs. Z
The President has force.t bis way into .
dilemma OF very disagreeabl,s nature, and Il
is not easy to see how he can secure satisfac.
tory escape. He is at open issue, net as be-
fore, with coordinate branch Of the govern
ment, but with his subordinates; and those
sub0rdinates are sustained against him by the
sense Of the country. II he accepts the position
he compromises the dignity Of his Office; il he
removes the generals he increases that irrita-
ton Of the public mind that is now all against
him, and thus immensely strengthens the hands
OF the violent radicals. What will he dol The
telegraph informs US that General Grant de-
clines to relieve General Sickles from his COM
mand in North and South Carolina" Is that
the way in which the thing is to be gotten
over-by Q quiet use Of General Grants
namef
Generals Sickles, Sheridan, schoheld, Ord
and Pope were doing very well. Under their
respective administrations the law, whose pas
sage had so much excited the country, was
seen TO take shape as q practical plan Of recon-
struction, and was notably fair to the people.
1t promised speedy solution of difficulties
that but little while before seemed to defy
all remedy. General Sickles, perceiving the
real scope and spirit Of the law from the first,
assumed all the power it gave, and addressed
himself earnestly to the labor of putting the
Southern social system in practical harmony
with the ideas Of the conquering section. His
acts were not more warmly applauded by
intelligent men at the North than they were
welcomed by the people of his district who
began to realize the benefits Of an equitable
rule and an honest administration Of Justice.
General Pope did equally we'll Sheridan had
some rougher elements to deal with, and was
compelled to the extreme acts contemplated
by the law. Ord governed his district with
high ability and considerate courage Scho-
field was in entire harmony with the people
subject to his rule, and intelligent Virginians
doubted if the best conceivable reconstruction
would be an Improvement
Such was the position when in came the
Attorney General with his two opinions His
opinions swept away the very foundation upon
which all this administration was carried on.
General Sickles, the first to perceive the scope
of the opinion. as of the law, and the boldest
to come to conclusions, preferred his resigna-
ton, recognizing that military commandant
was useless article under the Presidents
view of the law Sheridan comes before the
public in sharp, "whirling through Winches-
ter" sort Of letter, In which he declares that
the Attorney Generate second opinion opens
"broad and macadamised road for perjury and
fraud" The other generals having taken the
Same course a. these in their action under the \
law, doubtless hold the Same views Of the opin-
Ions the President has promulgated multiplying
the law.
Thus the President, putting himself in an
attitude Of antagonism to the Law, comes into
conflict with men who were enforcing the law,
Ehough subject to his orders. They are men of
TOO much character to relinquish their we'll
natured opinions according to the Presidents
political convenience-to concede their nom
'ntity, or even to be quietly swept out Of the |
Way. What oan the President dot He has
iriven himself into position in which either |
% act or to stand still involves . bad result |
Z he does not remove the generals he loses |
mo prestige Of his executive power II he |
removes them he plays into the hands OF the
'arty Of extreme measures, and gives them for |
low capital oil The popularity with the nation
these renowned and gallant soldiers.