The New York herald., 1868-02-23
DIR. Johnson and the Radicals-The Game
for tho Presidency.

escapo Hom the Iaise poSltl0n IN winch they
have been caught with such adroit audacity.
They beat the air with q wild fury, they fume
frighttully, and in all their attempts to be
terrible they mutter and humble with imbe-
cile persistency, impeachment, impeachment,
impeachmant-as if that word, so fearful to
themselves, must be equally fearful to all
Others. 1t is their one weapon, and they dare
not use it. In fact, in face of the Presidents
bold playing the republican leaders find them
selves reduced to the necessity OF considering
what course they may choose with least harm
to themselves, conscious that however they
may determine, and whatever step they take,
their acts must inevitably result in ON advan-
tage to him whom they would ruin. Generals
with gallant armies are sometimes pushed
into positions for whose difficulties even
victory has no solution-postions in which
the battle gained or the battle lost are
alike in value in which the fight is not
the hopeful, glorious struggle to win, but
only the depressing effort to escape. And
it is in such a position that the radicals
now stand, partly through their own blunders
and partly through the bold and pushing
political strategy of Mr.. Johnson. His position
has the advantage that however his moves
turn out they secure something in his favor,
and, whether winning or losing, in the popular
sense, are sure to help his game while the
position of the radicals is such that they can
neither stand still nor fight nor fly without
doing for him all he could desire If the
Senate refuse the proposed honor to Mcclellan
it is another blow against soldiers, not radi-
Gals; if they refuse that to Thomas they
do thousandfold worse in the same way !;
while if they confirm either the Presidents
game will be the stronger, since he will have
handsomely provided for an opposition
favorite in Mcclellan, and in Thomas have
honored and exalted the only man combining
i'll his single person all the elements necessary
for candidate to divide the national voice with
Grant If Congress attempt to save Stanton
without impeachment it can only do so by a
revolutionary appeal to force, which must
prove a terrible error. If 1t attempt impcach-
ment, that fact viii fall like another apple Of
discord and will lead to personal struggles in
the party that will demoralize and destroy it.
On either hand, therefore, its adherence to
Stanton is ruinous; and it cannot abandon
him, for that would be an admission fatal to
all confidence in 1t. 1t cannot give Stanton
up now. he is chained round the neck of his
party, and they must go to the depths
together.
Such is the actual position which has re-
suited from that strange piece Of infatuaIi lion
with the republican party--that most fruitful
of radical blunders, the adoption of the case
Of Mr.. Stanton and the attempt to hold him
in Off ice by force OF law that its very trainers
declare, with all possible emphasis was never
made for the purpose. Here is man who
ought to go out Of the place he holds, as it is
agreed on all hands and Tor all reasons. He
is a constant offence to the dignity Of the ma
ton, and the people feel hourly degraded in
the thought that the tone Of high political life
is down TO the kicking out level. Because he
keeps this point so unpleasantly conspicuous
is the first great reason why Mr.. Stanton should
retire Another is, that it is the intent of the
constitution that the President should be
the Executive, and. Of all laws in
dent should choose their heads in
so far as they are to be his advisers. He
should retire, also, because as the President
cannot be supposed to transact business
through him an important department of the
government Is crippled on his account for,
although he cannot actually be Secretary Of
War to any practical purpose-though he barri-
cade hims If in the War Office and hold its
archives till eternity-the President, acting
over his head, is supreme for all disposition
Of the army !; yet, as he intcricres with the
ordinary routine OF duty in the department. he
is nuisance and an evil. II is for this reason
that General Grant declares that "tor the good
OF the service and OF the country he ought to
resign !" and for this reason, no doubt, General
sherman holds that il he will not resign
"ultcrior measures should be "con.rivedn TO
get rid Of him. There is not man in the
United States Senate with healthy brain
who does not think that Mr.. Stanton should
20 out Of Office, and the best republicans in
he Senate have declared in no moderate terms
that the Tenure of Office bill would never
have become law If il could have been
i'm igincd that Cabinet officer would descend
80 low az 10 avail himself Of il TO hold his place
against the will of the President. Well then,
the President is clearly right IN the effort to
rid the Cabinet of such man. He is in agree
ment with the Senate, with General Grant
with General Sherman, and with the common
sense or the whole country. And il is on such
| a pont-on point in which the President has
TO sustain him all considerations OF law pro.
priety, even good taste, and all opinions moi
fanatcal-that the radicals chose 10 fight him
and Tor this fight they tortured to their purpose
a statute never meant to cover il. How tre.
mendously they biundered is seen in the fact
thai they cannot win in this fight without pur.
suing course certain to destroy them even