The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-24
La Revolution va bten!

Congress is supreme General GRANT has
been secured by the offer of the Presidency
and has dexterously reinstated MIR. STANTON
in the War Office The Presidents effort 20
checkmate GRANT with SHERMAN has failed.
He has ceased, virtually, to be Commander
of the Army and Navy ofthe United States.
And now the appointment Of General Lo-
RENO THOMAS to the position Of Secretary
of War ad interim, and the rapid promotion,
proposed in the case Of General GEORGE Il.
THOMAS, are the Presidential moves for the
recovery of lost ground The fight seems
as hopeless as that Of The Black Knight of
romance against the strong towers Of Front
de Boeuf; and we are as helpless as the
wounded captive and the dark browed lady
within. Yet, Notwithstanding all odds, the
pulse ouickens and the heart revives, as we
hear the renewal of the contest. The lost
liberties of the American people may yet
be redeemed.
Every motive that personal pride and
public spirit can afford conspire to make
the President resolute and strong. Con-
gress has taken the ground that he holds
his Office at their pleasure, that his power
IS not coordinate but ministerial, that he
has no right to any opinions which are OBJ
! noxious to the ruling majority. Hence they
have interfered with his control of the cab
met and usurped his command of the army.
They have denounced his constitutional use
of the pardoning and the veto power. They
have secuted his treaties and his nomina-
tions of officers in the executive depart
ment. Himself they threaten with removal
from Office on partisan charges. They de-
sire to reduce Mr.. JOHNSON to a roi fainsant,
in plain English, nobody. And Dir. JOHN
son objects! The control of the army is
essential to the independence of the Execu-
tive, as its reduction is indispensable to the
relief of the citizen and the liberty Of the
republic. At present, Congress retains
sixty thousand men in the field and COM
mands them through Mr.. STANTON and
General GRANT.
The reliance of all these worthless upon
the army is becoming moro and more appa-
rent 1t is said that General GRANT has
already assumed the state of military
dictator; that soldiers are stationed at his
house, and even attend the members of his
family in their pleasure-rides, after the
fashion of European princes; that details of
soldiers officiate as sort of body-guard at
his receptions. A military guard is noun
ted before the War Department. 1t is pro-
posed also to garrison the capitol. The
silver buttons and holiday clubs of the po-
licemen who now wait upon the nations
Legislators, must give place to the brazen
eagles, the clanking sabres and the gieaai-
ing bayonets of PretOrian Guard, trained
and prompted to execute the will of tbs
nations sovereigns. Instead of the peace
full assembly once trusting in aid trusted
by the people, our laws will he dictated by
suspicious and relentless oligarchy, sur
rounded by tents and batteries and rounds
of grim and silent sentinsls, and lincs of
serried regiments. What laws may he ex-
pected out of the heart ofthat armed array;
what orders will come forth from that con-
fusion of early roll calls, and grounded
weapons, aud rattling drums, is not diff
cult to anticipate.
Yet even should Congress triumph now,
we will not despair. That day which re-
duces all the States Of the Union to the
condition in which we are held, may be our
day of redemption.