New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-01-24
RUMORED MESSAGE OF THE
PRRsID emf.

The President Recommends General
Grant 10 Congress for Special ReeOg-
milton of His Patriotic Course In Sur
rendering the War Department in
Obedience to the SENATE.
A rumor is on foot that the president will
send the following message to congress,
commencing the recent course Of General
Grant in subordinatibg the military power
of the commander-in- chief TO the civil
power OF congress. 1t bears a strong re-
semblance to the message sent in by him
in behalf of General Hancock:
Gentlemen Of the Senate and the House of Repre-.
An official copy of the resolution of the
senate, non-coneurring in the order issued
from this presence suspending Edwin NJ.
Stanton from exercising the duties of the
office of Secretary of War, has reached me
through the regular channels Of the war
department, and l hereby recommend to
congress the action which seems to me
proper in view of the circumstances.
1t will be perceived that General Grant
has made the law the rule of his conduct;
that he will uphold the law-making power
and the civil authorities in the performance
of their proper duties, and that he
will use his military power only to preserve
the peace and enforce the law. He declares
by his acts, silently, but in the most en-
phatlG manner, that the sacred right Of the
senate to share in the responsibility of all
appointments to and removals from office,
as affirmed by the constitution and re-
affirmed in the tenure of civil office bill,
shall not be crushed out or trodden under
foot. He goes further, and in One COM
prehensive act, the surrender of his Office
to the joint appointee Of the president and
the senate, he asserts that the principles Of
American liberty are still the inheritance
oisihis people, and ever should be.
When a great soldier with unrestricted
power in his hands voluntarily foregoes the
chance of gratifying his selfish ambition,
devotes himself to the duty of building up
the liberties, and strengthening the laws Of
his country, he presents an example OF the
highest public virtue that human nature is
capable of practicing. The strongest
claim of Washington to be :" first in war,
first in peace, and first in the hearts of his
cOuntrymen," is founded on the great fact
that in all his illustrious career he scrupu-
lously abstained from violating the legal and
constitutional rights of the law-making
power. When he surrendered his commission
TO congress, the president of that body spoke
his highest praise in saying that he had
always regarded the rights of the civil au-
thorities, through all dangers and disas-
ters." Wherever power above the law
courted his acceptance, he calmly put the
temptation aside. BY such magnanimous
acts OF forbearance be won the universal
admiration Of mankind, aud left name
which has no rival in the history OF the
world.
am far from saying that General Grant
is the only officer of the American army
who is influenced by the example Of Wash
ington. Doubtless, thousands Of them are
faithfully devoted to the principles for
which the men Of the Revolution laid down
their lives. But the distinguished honor
belongs to him Of being the only officer in
high command at the capital who has car
ried these noble sentiments into practical
effect by setting an example of difference
and obedience to the legislative power
| respectfully suggest to congress that
some public recognition of General Grants
patriotic conduct is due-if not to him. to
the friends of law and justice throughout
the country. OF such an act as his at such
a time il is but fitting that the dignity
should be indicated, and the virtue pro-
claimed, SO that its value as an example
may not be lost to the nation.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington D. c., January Is, 1868.
Jl.;I,tns-