The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-23

Radical Wirepuliing for the Presidency.
II has seemed to the country for some days
past as If Congress were discussing new
reconstruction law, but all the time twas only
man9uvring with view to the Presidency.
Men have thought that Congress was setting up
a dictator; it was only pulling wires to see
how well the Presidential puppets would
jump it was only moving the pawns to make
way for its game In simple truth the new
military bill means the Presidency first, the
Presidency second, the Presidency last No
one can find clause In 1t which means any
thing else Bad as 1t seemed in Its expressed
purpose to crush the South under military rule,
to obliterate every vestige Of popular freedom,
to make the white man creature Of niger
caprice bad as it made its authors appear in
these respects, IL in truth, when rightly under
stood, makes them appear great deal
worse, since it exhibits them to the
world as men who actually ignore the
greatest national necessities, defer the most
pressing requirements Of the country, push
them aside and make them altogether second
airy and subservient to corrupt and selfish
party scheming. But the thing has been done
so well, the actors have ell had such serious
faces, that the people at large have not yet
understood that Congress was in all this only
playing at law making, and had beneath all =
purpose OF more moment than any It could
secure by law. Indeed, as we follow the
speeches of Mr.. Bingham, for instance, we can
hardly escape the thought that he had worked
himself up to that point that very sympathetic
actors sometimes reach when the hcton Of the
play becomes to them q reality, when they
forget the mimic nature Of the scene and lend
their very inner lives to the story. Bingham
seems actually in earnest. But there may be
another explanation Of this. He may be only
one Of many dupes-not let into the real pur-
pose-kept ignorant with view to giving the
thing an appearance and expression of earnest
sincerity.
Republicans In Congress as q mass seem to
feel that Grant Is necessary to their party
that with any other candidate it must be
beaten Hence they frame him into lsgisla-
tive machine, extort from him . moro definite
assent to their reconstruction schemes than he
has been ready to give, and thus take him out
of the reach Of any other party and commend
him to the mass of republican voters And
the radicals-the extreme fanatics, who hate
Grant-assent to the game, because they sec
that while it certainly does take Grant out Of
the reach of any other party it can also be
relied upon to kill him before the republican
party. Moderates hold that Grant must be
made to leave his conservative position before
he will do for republicans and the radicals
say that when he has once left that position
his strength is gone, and they will not
fear 10 drop him entirely. Each believes
it will accomplish Its purpose by this last
Reconstruction bill. Hence the universal
agreement on the bill Of republicans Of every
stripe and shade. "Put on Grants shout
ders," says one savage radical, "the weight Of
responsibility that this bill carries, and not an
old cart wheel shall be Broken in the ten
Southern States-not . niger baby shall
choke with the Group down there but Grant
shall be held to blame" What man could
come through unscathed who is to be watched
In the spirit such words indicated It Is to
make Grant candidate on one hand and to
kill him on the other that the House passed
the bill. And now the bill is In the hands Of
the Senate. Does that body regard the law as
affecting the South Not at all There also
it is looked at solely in relation to the effect
it may have on the question of the Presidency.
And it Is mooted that the Senate will throw it
ont, not because it would ruin the South,
debaso the nation, destroy popular rights, but
because it may destroy Grant Moderate
Senators see Its probable effect in that way.
But the radical forcing pressure is on, and it
will pass that body also.