American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-09-11
The Political Situation,

deeply moved the country. The pecu,
liarly brilliant service of General Sher-
idan in the war; lis equally faithful
service as military Governor Of Louisi-
ana and Texas his frank and fearless
spirit in every position, and certain
generosity and gallanty of nature, have
endeared him to the popular heart.
TIE name Of no hero OF the war, not ex-
cepting that of Grant himself, so in-
flames universal enthusiasm as, that of
Sheridan. Painting and poetry have
combined to. celebrate. his ride up the
Shenandoah ride which turned the
tide Of most important battle, at most
critical moment of the war. Young,
modest, ardent; a trained soldier, an ir,
resistible leader, the idol of his men, the
cherished friend of his Commander,
Sheridan came from the war beloved by
the whole people.
When he was appointed to the com
mand of the district of which New Or
leans is the headquarters it was not
known what his executive power in that
kind might be, and it was supposed that
like most soldiers, he had, in the cons
mon phrase, no politics But like ev-
cry man who went into the rebel section
without politics he very soon acquired
them. During the summer of 1866,
when by the completely of lnaDtion the
President of the United States sane
toned the effort of the rebels to massa-
ere Union men, General Sheridan was
the man who told the whole truth to
the country, and Andrew johnson has
never forgiven him. From that time
General Sheridan has wholly approved
the Radical policy, and the President
has inhexibly resolved upon his reno
val -.... r..,.
But General Grant was known to sym
pathize with General Sheridan, and
their published correspondence shows
how faithfully the General supported
his subordinate. 1t is therefore plain
that General Grant was as disagreeabls
to the President as General Sheridan.
The President knew that there was no
man more steadily hostile to his policy,
no man more suspicious of his purposes
no man more desirons that he should be
closely watched and checked by Con,
gres that General Grant. Moreover, it
was becoming very evident that this man
so hostile to the Presidential policy, and
af SO vast popularity, was very likely
to be the next President, upou the nom
ination Of the party which elected Mr..
johnson, and which he had betrayed.
The President thus found himself face
to face with Congress, with the vast 10y
al poIitical organization in every part of
the country, and with the great sold iers
of the war, excepting General Sherman
In this position he has also and natural
ly found himself practically paralyzed.
He has been conscious of the disastrous
failure of his administration, and that
he was drifting amidst universal distrust
into the great and final contempt of his
tory. For he has no friends. The
Democrats use him only to perplex their
political foes The late rebels, like For
syth of Mobile, and others, reproach
him with ndecision and temidity. The
New York Hcrald, which to-day tries to
prop the Presidential purpose to with
atand the popular will, yesterday cried
Justify for his impeachment for resisting
it, Those who appear to support him
are more to be feared by him than those
who unswervingly and frankly deuounce
and resist them. eG .rr
Under these circumstances the Press
ident has naturally sought to take some
course by which with, one blow he could
reach many enemies. And he has found
it in the suspension of Mr.. Stanton, and
the direction of General Grant to assume
dd interim the duties of the Secretary
of War, and to transmit the order of res
moval to General Sheridan. This at
once excites a tendency toward distrust
of General Grant upon the part of the
Republican party it tends to poison
the personal relations of Grant and Sher.
idan. 1t raises Sheridan as candidate
for the Presidency; and it kiudIes the
hope of that ludicrous'politicali Macawber
the Democratic party, that something
may "turn up" The Presidents double
object is 10 ruin Grant politically and to
ueiy thO ItopupAiSau party
But we suppose that nobody in the
country, Democrat or Republican doubts,
that General Grant is as hostile as ever
to the policy of the President, and that he
warmly opposed the removal of General
Sheridan. Tno only question is why he
went into the Cabinet, and why he is
willing to appear to acquiesce in the
policy of the president. But it is not
necessary to lock far for the reason
General Grant may have considered
himself ordered by the Commander-in>
Chief, or be may have wished to pres
vent the entrance of some one into the
Cabinet less hostile than he to the Pres
idents system 1t is folly to say that
every member of the Cabinet must be
presumed to sympathize with the Presi-
dent. Was MIR. Stanton presumed to be
in such sympathy?
1t is, therefore, it seems to us, unfair
in the Tribune to insinuate that General
Grant has any rympathy whatever with
the President. 1t does not say so, in
deed openly; but such is the impression
it produces. As we have before sug-
gested, this is not the way to defeat Gen.
eral Grant as Presidential candidate.
That must be done, if at all, by showing
that the Republican party does not know