The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-15
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL oPIh.OSa " Tbs bEAD1NS JouRNAhh
Upon CuRRRNv roPOs--UoNPILgD EVERY
pay PoR rae RvENtNc TELEGRAPH.
GeneraI Grant as q statesman.

prudenoe. Judgment aud sagacious aptitude
for discerning and following tue policy whlcn,
when developed into action, would meet with
The approval of the masses OF loyal men. His
difIerei ce with President Johuson's admins
tration dates from his protest against the re-
moval of General Sheridan. The wisdom OF
his objection to Sherdaus removal has been
justified by the fact that under his successors,
Hancock and Buchanan, the average number
of murders and other acts of violence in these
States has so increased as TO amount TO
state OF rebellion. General Grant stated in his
protest that Sheridau's removal 'would only
be regarded as an effort to defeat the laws OF
Congress" Andrew Johnson had not then
developed his policy OF annulng these laws
as void and replied that he removed Sheridan
because che has seriously intertered with
harmonious, satisfactory, and speedy eXecu-
ton of the acts Of Congress" General Grant
wrote then that ''it is unmstakably the eX-
pressed wish of the country that General Sheri-
dan should not be removed" The President
replied that he was not aware that the queS-
tion had ever been submitted to the people
for determination. The strong, plain common
sense OF Grant pierced the talsehoods and
evasions of the would be cunning civilian, and
demonstrated that calm, honest judgment is
wiser and deeper than superdextrous and
dishonest fncS,e. The unanimous vote of the
Convention of the loyal people for General
Grant, and the Reputation of Johnson by all
except few Rebel delegates in dsloyal Con-
Vention, show with equal force how faithfully
the former interpreted the will of the people,
and how completely the latter sold himself for
a song. And yet Johnson rises above Sey
mour in every element, whether of experience
or character which would constitute states
man as far as Grant rises above Johnson.
General Grants contact with political issues
evinces a determination not to carry any
"hobby" or 'doctrine" to such an extreme as
interferes with other doctrines equally import
ant. He recognizes the many-sidedness of
truth and duty. Thus, on November l, 1866
we find him instructing Sheridan "to refrain
from interference with the execution of the
civil law in Florida" and that "the duty of
the military is to encourage the enforcement
of the civil law and order to the fullest eX
tent" Yet, while these intructOns were good
for Florida in November, We find him recon-
mending wholly different treatment for Texas
In the January following. He then writes to
the Secretary of War: "In my opinion, the great
number of murders of Union men and freed
men in Texas, not only as a rule unpunished
but uninvestigated, constitute practically
state of insuTrectiOn, and | therefore recon-
mend declaration of martial law in Texas"
t'Martal law would give security, or compa-
ratively so, to all classes of citizens, without
regard to race color, or political opinions,
and could be continued until society was capa-
BILE Of protecting itself, or until the State is
returned to its full relation with the Union"
The recent report of the Investigating Com
mittee of the Texas Convention shows that
more than 1000 murde,s have been committed
in that State since the close of the war, beside
all other crimes of violence. A very large
proportion of these were murders
of freedmen by whites. But, while
the "Ku-KIux" negro.killers of Texas
were thus at large the anxiety of the (Rebel)
Provisional Governor, Throckmorton, was
directed, not to the actual murder of the
people of Texas by each other, but to casual
alleged murders by Irdians on the frontier.
Ostensibly to put down Indian hostilities, he
asked leave to enroll 1000 mounted men, who
would have been composed entirely of ex-
Rebel troops, and would have substantially
organized the Ku-KluX Klan into militia.
General Grant forwarded additional regular
troops sufficient to protect the frontier against
the Indians, but refused to sanction the Rebel
militia, instructing Sheridan as follows:-
"Great care Will have to be observed to see
that no just cause of complaint can be urged
tton TO the citizens of Texas against Indian
boStllities. AT the same Lime, it is equally I'M
portant that loyal and lsw-abding citizens
should have protection against the violently
disposed in their midst"
No part of General Grants political career
better illustrates his sagacity in detecting the
wiles and fOiling the cunning of deceitful men,
than his conduct during the troubles in Mary
land attending the removal OF the Police
Commissioners of Baltimore by Governor
Swami. The removal was in pursuance OF
political plan of the Governor to appoint
such police as would allow all the Maryland
Rebels excluded from the polls by the Con.
stitution to vote, and so transfer the power
of the State from the hands of the few who
had been loyal during the war to the
majority who had not. Had the loya
minority followed the counsels of Winter Davis
and given the ballot to the blacks of Mary.
land, the State could not have been wrested
from the control of loyal men. This moi
having been DONE the Rebel plan through the
active aid of Andrew Johnson, has succeeded
and the same classes of Maryland voters and
politicians who shed the first blood of the wal
now rule the State. The constitutional power
of the Governor TO remove the Commissioners
was open to grave doubts; and as NJ
decision of the courts could be obtained upoI
this question before the election would trans
pire, each party was desirous to secure pos
session of the offices and control of the
police, and to compel the other to resort t
the courts for redress. The following letter
written by General Grant to the President or
October "A, shows his attitude upon the ques
tion:-
81 cannot see the possible necessity for callinl
in the aid OF the military in advance OF even the
cause (the removal OF said Commissioners
which IL TO induce riot.
1.-THE conviction IL forced on my mind thai nC
reason now exists for giving or promising the
military aid of the Government To pporL the
laws OF Maryland. Ihe tendency OF giving such
AID or promise would be 10 produce the very re
suit intended To beaverted. SO far, there seems
10 pe merely a very bi ter contest for pOlitica
ascendency in the State.
mlIary Interference would be Interpreted
as gtVlng aio TO one Of the factions, no matt e
now puI0 tne lnlen ions, or guarded or JUS