The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-08
The Voice of the Trimmers.

The New York Times and Post and the
Springfield Republican have afforded more
aid and comfort to the enemies of the Republ-
can party, for some months past, than all the
regular Democratic organs combined. Their
hostile criticisms Of Congress and its policy
have given infinite qualification to all who
hate the Republican party and the great prin-
ciples which it sustains. Their editorial COM
ments have been constantly republished in all
the Democratic papers as The views of Re
publican Sheets" We trust that this practice
will be continued row that these trimming pa
pers have expressed very creditable opinions
on the controversy between Grant and the
President. This is an indication, we are giaa
t. believe, that their tealty to their Old party
associations maybe relied uron for the coming
Presidential campaign. Iu speaking OF Grant
the Times says:
At every step we see the soidler, CONSIDER
ate. conciiiatorv and just-clear in lis ideas CT
duty and unbending in their Application. The
same motive which induced him to undertake
Temporarily the labors of the War Office inn
InIIeJ him TO give effect to the proceedings of
he Senate. and forced him to define the causes
and extent of his difference with the Presi-
dent.
The Springfield Republican is still more
emphatic:
Ii Andrew johnson had tanytbing TO loose
by mistakes or anything to gain by prudence,
he would allow his correspondence with Gem
eral Grant to stop where it is and omit the let
ter he is preparing and will publish in day
or two. Anything and everything which he
can say will not change the verdict of the pub
lie or the merits of the case, and when it
comes as it does, to question of veracity be-
tween the two officials, there is 10 room for
choice. MIR. johnson has shown neither good
temper nor shrewd craftsmanship in the diff
Guilty thus far, and it is too late to expect it
now. Grant seems to have acted all through
the affair with his accustomed sagacity and de-
| liberation, and has not made a false move nor
| one without careful consideration. He acted
| with General Sherman as his confidential adj
wiser, and nobody doubts that the two are
| more than match for the President and his
| whole cabinet combined.
The New York Post is not backward in ar
irving at similar conclusions:
Mr.. johnson wanted Grant, it seems, to
| lock the War Office door against Stanton.
| Why then, did he not order Grant to do so?
Mr.. johnson knew very well that passage in
the tenuro-of-offiee act which Furnishes with
fine and imprisonment any one who resists
its enforcement. Had5he ordered Grant to
| the War Office doors shut, Mr.. johnson
would have violated the law and subjected him
| self to its penalties. Therefore, with what
| will seem to every honorable man not a very
| creditable cunning, he did not order Grant to
do so, but tried to entrap him into q promise
to do SO on his (Grant's) own account.
But why should Grant violate lava law
which may be foolish and wrong, as we believe
it to be, but which yet was regularly passed,
and had been moreover explicitly recognized
| by the President? Because Grant thus refus-
! ed to become the Presidents tool and victim,
Mr.. johnson scolds him as if he were crimi-
nal.