Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-02-18

/ a1ssscOLtSCTuCIIOu Dliles
We can hsrdly bring ourselves to be-
lieve that this is true; that it is not an
sfterthought uttered in anger, OF course
no one can imagine that the President
suspected that such was the motive and
Gen. GRANT, in his confused, ii!-written
and incOherent letter, evidently penned
by himself, in haste and under too much
excitement foF even the rules OF grammar
to be observed, does not even hint that
ne gave the President any inkling of this
purpose or motive. OF course the Presi-
dent desired to replace STANTON by one
upon whose fair desling with him he
could rely. AS the PicaylRe says:
If there had been no understanding in
precise terms, verbal or written, there
yss a condition necessarily Filled, on
which the offer vas made, thgJ the Office
should not be used to the detriment OF
the President In the very matters OF dis
agreements on account OF which the vEs
cancy had been made, or OF the questions
Of law that might follow. II Gen. Grant
did not think with the President, or be-
lieved that he could not cOnscientiously
discharge the duties of the Office without
thWarliDg the declared views with which
the President was offeFing it to him, 1t
was for him to decline acceptance; or, at
the least, to come to a distinct under
standing with the President Oh the points
of difference, and the degree in which
their divergency would be deemed by
the President sufficient cause to induce
him to seek another Secretary, II does
M har in lat 70
that Gen. Grant made any such repre-
sentation; aud II does not appear that up
to and after the latest interview between
him aud Mr.. johnson, before the act Of
defeating the Presidents views by the
transfer of the office back to Mr.. stanton
was consumpated, the President was
fully of the opinion that Gen. Grant was
with him on the one material point TO
which all his efforts we're known to be
tending, and that all the members of the
Cabinet thought so likewise. From Au-
gust to January, no doubt was enter
tslOed by any OF them that Gen. Grant
would honorably fulfil the expectations
he knew to be entertained when be took
office, and which he knew were expected
to be relied on for q crisis which was ap-
preaching.
There is no officer of high rank, in the
British or French service, we imagine,
who would like TO c'nfess to such course
of conduct as Gen. GRANT svOws. One
who should do it, ia either service, would
hardly be allowed to remain in service.
There is singular disloyalty in accept
ing place in an Administration, for the
purpose of thwarting the head of the
Administration, and playing into the
hands of his enemies: and we do not see
that it was any worse, if Gen, GRANT
did deceive the President by assurances
thst ne would either hold the Office until
compelled to give way by mandapus,
or would give the President an opportu-
nifty to put some one in his stead who
would do so. Officers of other services
will be likely to characterize General
GRANTS conduct in taking the place of
Secretary of War, for the purpose and
with the motive bossted of by him IS
something of which to be proud, by
hsrsher terms than one likes to apply to
distinguished soldier Of his own
country.
The avowal so made by Gen. GRANT
is unprecedented among men of honour
and theresa an almost brutal cosrseness in !
its avowal-the tone of Tone who defantly
avows thing OF which he feels he ought
to be ashamed. The Poayine again
furnishes as the words we need. 1t
says:
1t is an undisguised declaration of par
tisanship, not even plausible for the mere |
support Of law, which he supposed would |
be assailed but stlgmstizing his superior |
officer in the Government and in the /
army as man TO be suspected Of Illegal
purposes, for which it was necessary to /
place such a guard over him as Gen. /
Grant volunteered to be. The avowal |
that his inducement to enter the Presi-
dents Cabinet was this suspicion Of Mr.. /
Johnson and this desire to watch and /
thwart any measures he might conceive
for opposing the Radicals, is the lam |
guage of . partisan zealot, and gives ad-
ditiousl force 10 the suspicious against /
himself that he has been acting through /
out in the interest OF the Presidents |
and that, dlvining the Pres |
idenps purpose to make appeal to the |
In defence OF tbe rights of |
his office, he was in q conspiracy to de- |
feat him tzH fRuLst rt
So ESSEX might have taken office at |
the hands OF CHARLES I, to betray him
and earn the favour of the Parliament;
or LAFAYETTE at the hands OF LOUIS
XVI; but neither, we think, would have