Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-18
THE NEW SENSATION AT WASH
INGTON

THE NEW SENSATION AT WASH Il
INGTON.
The Radicals in Washington, accora-
ing to some of the letter writers, are
lubilant over the turn the johnson -Sher-
man affair is reported to have taken, but
we DO not find those most likely to rep
resent Radical feeling and sentiment
making such representation. 1t was
said that Sherman had telegraphed to
his brother Senator Sherman, desiring |
that the breyetappointment proposed to
be conferred upon him by the President |
should be rejected, and expressing de-
termination to resign rather than assume
command Of the new district created for
him BY the order Of the President The
Washington correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Gazette, who is Radical enough
to have posted himself upon the subject,
writes under date Of the l4th inst as fol-
"The nomination Of Lieutenant General
Sherman to be General Of the army, by
breyet. was referred in executive session oil
the Senate this evening TO the Military
Committee. Developments Of to-day make
il perfectly plain that this appointment by
the President Is intended to create trouble,
for Il must be considered in connection
with the order to-day made public, creating
new military department covering the
entire section Of country east of the Missis-
e;ppi river. and NORTH Of Kentucky and
| Virginia, 10 command which Sherman is
assigned. with headquarters here. Mr..
Johnson's first purpose is evidently to snub
| Grant by giving another officer a title given
| him hy specialact of Congress. His second
purpose is believed by many careful OBJ
| servers TO be To reduce Grant TO a subordi-
nate position ia some way If he can use
| Sherman. Some persons think that If
| Sherman were assigned TO duty, according
10 breyet rank, the President might trans
NIT orders through him, and he certainly
would probably try to make Sherman his
| military adviser, and thus annoy Grant.
/ II was stated last night that Sherman's
/ friends promptly denied that he was
1 party 10 this Presidential trick. Ii can
now be added that he has telegraphed here,
saving in words that do great credit TO his
| head and heart, that the nomination was
not Of his seeking, and that he IS content
| with the honors he has already received
from the republic. 1t may be further ad-
ded that Senator Sherman will strongly
oppose the confirmation of brevet, and
ii ia not in the least doubted that he
acts in accordance with his brothers
wishes in the matter. There are abundant
reasons for saying that Gen. Sherman does
not want 10 be put on duty here. lie has
more than once protested against such an
assignment, and those in posltion TO know
his views are very confident that he will
renew his protest when he arrives. The
| complication produced by the Presidents
course in making this appointment and
assignment is looked upon by leading pub
| lie men as of grave character, and from the
| well known fact that Sherman and Grant
| are on terms of the most intimate friend
ship. and that the former will never con
sent 10 being pitted against the latter, 1t is
regarded AZ within the bounds of possibility
that Sherman may be forced into throwing
up his commission in the army
1t is not claimed by the Radical au-
thority that Gen Sherman has taken the
very decided positions against the Presi,
dent he is reported to have taken. On
the contrary, the Radicals seem to be
very much perplexed and to infer a great
deal as to what the General will do. That
they are frightened by this new move-
ment of the President there can be no
question. The Gdzetts'S correspondent
shows this clearly. In the meantime,
these "architects Of ruin have set them
selves to work to defeat the President in
his purpose if possible. A special dis
patch to the Louisville Journal, dated at
Washington, the 10th inst, says
"a bill was prepared yesterday; which
will probably be introduced in Congress on
Monday, defining what shall constitute the
military districts of the coEntry, and vir-
tually abolishing the new Department of
the Atlantic Just created by executive
/ order
| "As the restoration of Adiutant General
| Thomas seems TO be looked upon with dis
favor, and as having some connection with
| this department, a bill has also been pre-
pared TO place him on the retired list OF
the army. Congressman seem TO look upon
the new military department as danger
GUS thing, and every effort will be made to
legislate il out Of existence.
| 'Iu the meantime the arrival of Gen.
Sherman is anxiously looked for, to see
what course he will pursue. His friends
have telegraphed him to come on aud take
| command, and not resign"
Il was contended by Radicals when
the Presidents order creating the new
department. was promulgated, that under
existing laws he could not create any
such department. and that no power but
Congress could do so Now they think
Of abolishing the new department by law.
Il is indeed a very formidable bombshell
thrown into their ranks, and how to get
rid of it without injury to themselves Is
the question.
The Washington correspondent Of the
Cincinnati Commercial gives the Presi-
dents reason for creating the new de-
partment, which after all may be merely
conjecture
1.-The Presidents object in creating a
new department here is TO issue his orders
for the execution Of the reconstruction
laws through Gen. Sherman, 1t is said
that Attorney General Stanberry viii give
an opinion asserting that the provisions of
the existing law, requiring all orders to be
issued through Gen. Grant, relates only TO
orders concerning the government and
movement Of troops, and does not affect
reconstruction"
| TIE Georgia Radicals have lodged the
question of allowing negroes to hold Of
fee in that State When the question
came up on the report Of the committee
| ON franchise in the Reconstruction Com