The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-19
Our Revolutionary Congress.

The country is in great danger. The public
mind is uneasy. A feeling of insecurity pre-
walls throughout the land. Stagnation and
general distrust are unsettling the foundations
Of industry in the North, and widespread social
and political decentralization have Frustrated
the industry Of the South. Wastefulness and
unparalleled c0rruptions swallow up the re-
ceipts Of the heaviest taxatons in the world,
and from all the developments OF the time we
have reason TO fear that in this dreadful state
of things, before we are to have any change for
the better, we have still the worst to suffer-
Where lies the responsibility for all this, and
where the remedy.
The responsibility, we charge, rests upon this
radical revolutionary Fortieth Congress. It
has heen faithless to Its promises; 1t has be-
traycd the just expectations and now 1t boldly
defes the will Of the people. Processing only
a defensive policy against executive encroach-
menLs, this Congress, "dressed in little brief
authority" has audaciously undertaken the
absorption within itself of the powers OF all
the departments OF the government-legislative
executive and judicial-in setting up South
ern dictator above the constitutional chief
magistrate Of the United States, and in reducing
the Supreme Court to a nudity touching the
laws of Congress among other things.
Great excitement prevails at Washington
among the politicians on all sides regarding the
reinstatement of Mr.. Stanton 10 the War De-
partment According to the newspaper re-
ports nothing is talked OF in the Cabinet or
the capital but this unexpected and most ex-
traordinary restoration of Stanton and the
probable aud possible consequences Some
say that Mr.. johnson is in q towering rage
over the unconditional surrender OF General
Grant to the radicals some say that Johnson
has yet trump card to play which will
astonlsh them, while others avow that Ashley
and Butler are anxiously watching for plau.
siblc pretext for impeachment. One would-be
wise man tells US that Grant will probably be
cour,-msrtialed, and that Stanton Is to be
removed and another says. oh, no johnson
il not going uselessly out Of his way to invite
fresh insults from Sumner and 'Old Ben
Wade" But these shallow Washington poll
ticians and newsmongers, pleased with q
rattle or tiokled with straw" in their silly
coDjectures rs to whet Johnson. or Grant, or
Stanton next Intends to do touching this restora-
ton Of Stanton, seem utterly TO overlook the
destructive programme OF this revolutionary
Congress.
The thrustiDg back of Stanton into the War
Department is but necessary incident in this
revolutionary game. According 10 the Tenure
Of Office law the Senate was bound to reinstats
this man, The law being passed expressly for
bls retention in the Cabinet against the wishes
~ the President The offence is in the law
itself which is a step to the abolition Of the
executive branch Of the government as estab-
lshed by the constitution. And here, 10 this
legislation outside the constitution, lies the
danger TO the republic. The tendency ofthings
IL. from another Long Parliament, another
transfer to the Commonwealth Of a Puritanical
dictator. This new Reconstruction bill pro-
poses, for example, 10 80. aside the President
aud the courts and the civil governments and
laws OF the ten excluded Southern States. and
TO set mp over them in the person OF General
Grant an absolute military dictator Let us
suppose that this scheme Ia carried out. and
that these ton outside States are placed abso-
lutely under the will OF General Grant, with
shs army ut his back; that be hes carried