Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-08-30
WENDELL lPHILLIPs ON GENERAL
GRANT --HIs VIEWS ON GRANTS
ACCEPTANCE OF THE WAR OFFICE.
It0n lAe Anii.sIatery Standard.


The journals betray a lurking distrust of the
propriety of General Grants act in assum-
ing the War Department by the haste they |
make to invent poor excuses for it.
They tell us the General was obliged, as a
military subordinate, to obey the Presidents
order. If the act was, without any doubt, a |
good one, why seek to excuse it on the
ground of compulsiona When Chase ac-
cepted the Chief Justiceship nobody went
about TO find excuses for him. Ahl gentle
men, this act Of General Grant you cannot
think good one, else you would not seek
TO rob him of its merit, and make somebody |
else responsible for it.
But we cannot do such discredit to the |
leading journals Of the Republican party as
to suppose they believe their own state
ments. General Grant IS the Presidents
military subordinate-not a civil one. The
| President has right TO order him to report
for duty at Washington-to give advice on
the Indian war--to sit on a military COM
mission. All such orders Grant Is obliged
to obey.
But the President has no right to order
Grant to paint the White House, to take
charge of its garden, prepare report Tor
the amendment of the tariff, or do any other
civil duty.
Now, the War Department is q civil office.
These same journals allege that johnson
cannot remove Stanton, because it is forbid
den by the Civil Office Tenure Act, thus
clearly confessing that the Secretaryship of
War is civil office; as, of course, il is. Mr..
johnson might, therefore, as rightly order
Grant to hoe potatoes around the White
House as to assume the War Department.
The journals know this. So does Gen. Grant.
Indeed, the President, in his communica-
ton to Grant, does not order him, but tau
thorizes and empowers" him to act as Sec
retary. And, although Grants letter 10
Stanton speaks confusedly of the Presidents
"directng me to assume" the office; still he
has sense enough TO add:-''In notifying
you of my acceptance" Now, subordinates
do not accept orders; they obey them.
Let us hear no more Of Grants being
Obliged to take this office, as it was said, he
was obliged to accompany johnson on that
disgracelul Western tour. On both occasions
such statements were only tlimsy excuses
invented by Grants toadies, to cover up the
mistakes and servility Of their idol.
The offering of such empty excuses gives
us painful doubts of the mood in which
Grant and his friends are at this moment.
Congress represents the Republican party.
Stanton belongs to ii; this is his offence IN
Johnson's eyes. If Grant is q Republican,
by what rule of party fidelity does he accept
the Office out of which Stanton has been
turned simply for being Republican, Ac-
cording to all the well-known rules of parties
Grant declares himself not Republican.
Any one who remembers Tyler's time will
recall facts proving this
The President put Grant into Stanton's
place only to divert public attention and
soften the indignation at Stanton's removal
with the content at Grants appointment.
Grant will serve to bridge over from Stan
ion 10 Steedman, or some other hanger-on
of the White House. ........
No doubt the President intends to remove
, the district commanders. Then he sees
I Grant must either hold on and be RESPONSE
BILE for it, or resign and make way for some
of Johnson's creatures The only alterna-
d tive is that Grant should submit to Sheri.
4 dams removal, and still hold office under
e the plea of preventing more mischief.
This is the plea on which Stanton has re-
/" mained in office He has worn it to rags
o This course is a sacrifice of all personal
honor. It dsgrades man from Cabinet
officer into a spy. At such time as Blu
n chanan's last six months--the whole govern
' ment honeycombed with treason such a
It course is allowable, as 1t is in war. But in
ordinary times no honorable man would
" stoop 10 1t. In ordinary times no theory o.
u citizenship calls on man to spy and lister
m under the windows, and stand before tht
in world responsible for policy he abhors, il
Al order, by such degradation, to serve hi
! country. 81 will die to serve my country,
0s said the old Scotsman, "but will not do
4 mean thing to save her." II Is time Amer
cans learned this lesson. Forgetting 1t wa
:. the poison that ate out all rational characte
Of in times past.
4. Resides, honest men consorting with knave
a in order to prevent their doing mischief,
No false philosophy. 1t Is the presence OF hoI
cd est men in the crew that enables it TO d
Tx mischief If two years ago Stanton an
en- other reputable men had quilted johnson
be- the plea, which they privately allowed, thi
ed he was traitor, he would have been checl
mated and thrown overheard
,m To-day, if Grant had answered the Pres
dent according TO what is asserted to
hu his private opinion, )-"sir, you have no a
w. thority to suspend Stanton, and denyir
sss that right, as well rs detecting the poli'
which leads you to wish his suspension,
I'm decline TO accept the place." johnson cou
lite mot have suspended Stanton. Cheere
hs taught and sustained by such an act
Grants part, the public would have exhib
aud ed such Indignation at johnson, and SUI
i'm. approval of Grants gallant fidelity to
comrade and his principles, as to have ev'
the awed johnson. If after that he had dar
-s TO suspend Stanton, no decent man wou
irt. have accepted the post; and the nome
rib. Congress- assembled johnson would ha
ing ceased to reign.
ful. To-day Grant is tho staff which nolas
aud the traitor President Without him Johns
hen could nett her stand nor walk, Grant TOD
!, SO enables the President to go on and reno
10 it Sheridan. II will be in vain for Grant
otto resign when the act is done, and cry
lind 81 disapprove. AS well might the acco
and plice who hands the dagger to the murde
sn IaaA