The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-26

Montreal, are at the st. Charles Hotel.
The Issue Between Congress nnd General
Grant.
''Coming events cast their shadows before"
jected over every interest in the land by the
looming up in Congress Of determination not
to remove from the Executive Of the country
the shaclles which, in q moment Of party
hatred and fear, the radical majority were
enabled to impose upon the President. When
the Tenure of Office bill was passed the pre-
text was that it was necessary to control the
occupant of the chair, and no means or argu-
ments were used to assist its passage except
such as were exclusively personal to Presi-
dent Johnson: No man who advocated the
measure, in or out Of Congress-, dared to
proclaim an intention to disturb the har-
mony Of the powers of government, as adj
| justed in the constitution, and which, from the
| first moment of our national existence, has
contributed SO greatly to our national growth
| and greatness. Had such an intention been
avowed by the trainers of that bill it would
have been received everywhere with burst
of popular indignation and vcorn, and Presi-
dent Johnson would have become martyr
instead of reproach in the public esteem.
To-day the position is changed man
endowed in the highest degree with the conf
dence of his fellow citizens is about to assume
the Executive authority, which they have con-
ferred upon him in the hope that his wisdom
will bring back the glad sunlight of peace to
the land and his integrity restore simplicity
and honesty to the overgrown and corrupt
branches of government Across the field of
this fair hope a dark shadow portends, and the
disposition of Congress to bestow distrust
where the people have conferred confidence is
its cause One-third of the last session of the
present Congress has already expired, and
from what has therein passed we may know
the spirit that animates the body and what
viii be its course in the remaining eight weeks
il has to sit unless some great power forces it
to depart from its intended course.
As at present limited by the legislation of
Congress the Presidential Office and power
which General Grant will assume on the 4th
of March next will be utterly useless for good
in the path where most is expected of him.
Not only can he NOT control the policy Of his
government in affairs of State, but he cannot
appoint his Cabinet council nor remove the
head Of subordinate bureau, nor even kick
out Of Office any corrupt inspector who may
be in league with the whiskey ring This de-
graduation Of the Presidential Office to mere
nullity is destructive to our form Of government
and will be ruinous TO national and private
interests. It ia incumbent on Congress at the
earliest possible moment to restore to the
Presidency the powers which the constitution
conferred upon it. In the person of General
reason for continuing the distrust which has
been hcaped on President johnson, and q re-
fusal or neglect to repeal the Tenure Of Office
bill win simply amount to determination on
the part Of Congress TO deprive him of the
power to do the good which the people have
appointed him TO do.
Should Congress fail to do this necessary
and just act there viii be but one course left
for General Grant to pursue. On taking the
chair he must appoint to positions in his Cab-
net men whom he knows and whom he can
trust to agree with him in any great question
that may arise. And should any not agree
with him let him displace them at once and
trust the people to sustain him. The constitu-
ton, il is true, makes the secretaries of de-
partmenis the advisers OF the President but
they are his subordinate officers, not his mas
tiers, and any other Interpretation of our plan
of government is simply to impose confusion,
contention and impotency- upon the head or
the State. At time like this when every
branch Of The administration requires 10 be
purged of the foulest corruption and jobbery,
aud when we have elected to office the man of
our choice to do this work, it would be folly or
madness, or something worse than either, to tie
his hand, with the present Tenure Of Office law.
On Congress rests the onus of the act. They
are called upon to move before General Grant
assumes the Office, and If they refuse or fail
to do SO there can be- but one deduction as to
The reason for their course-they either dis
trust General Grant, or they are determined
that he shall not have power to purge the gov
eminent Of It's manifold corruptions and wick :
edness.
GENERAL Butler IN TIE New CABINET. =
II Is rumored around Washington that General
Grant win ureaaot a., = ,,aoa oa,r;,,, Ia