The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-15

But it was necessary, in order to induce GOV
ernor Swami TO make the order OF removal,
and TO terTify the loyal men into submitting to
it, TO make known to both that the President
would use the army on the Rebel side. This
he did by q published letter, dated October %,
1866, to Secretary Stanton, stating that
'serious troubles are apprehended from con-
fict of authority between the Executive OF
the State OF Maryland and the Police Commits
sopers of the city of Baltimore" " and that Gin
the event of serious insurrectionary disorders,
the Government of the United States might be
called upon TO aid in their suppression" He,
therefore, demanded to know what force would
be available for prompt use; and on being in
formed that the available forces were one thou
sand five hundred and fifty men, directed them
to he increased.
On the next day, October 2G, the President
undertook to send General Grant away from
the scene of impending rebellion, by ordering
him "to proceed to some point on our Mexican
frontier to give the aid of bis advice, and ''by
his presence and advice to cooperate with our
Minister to Mexico" in carrying out the in
structions of the Secretary of State" re-
lative to the attitude of the United
States Government on the evacuation
of Mexico by Maximilian. As Buchanan
Cabinet had sent General Scott to attend to
the Northwestern Boundary question on the
eve of the Rebellion, so Andrew Johnson
aimed to get rid of General Grant on the eve
Of the expected rebellion in Maryland. Scott
went. But General Graut did not go. He
was first requested verbally to accept this
mission on October o. and declined in the
following apt reply
| "HEADQuARTERs ARMY OF THE UNITED
! STATES, WAsHIN GTON, Oct 81, lSf6.-On further
! and full re1lection upon the subject of my ac-
cepting the mission prOpOsed by you in our In
! teiview OF Wednesday, have most espectfuIy
| 10 beg TO be excused from the duty proposed.
! 1t is a diplomatic service, for which am not
! fitted either by education or taste. It. has ne
cessaTily to be CT cnducted under the state De-
partment with which my duties do not bnneCt
me. Again, then, l most respectfully but ur.
gently repeat my request to be excused from
| The performance Of duty entirely out of my
| sphere, and one too, which can be so much
better performed by others. .,.,, l,o,,o.o,
"His Excellency. A Johnson, President, etc.,
Not content with this answer the President
renewed his request in Cabinet meeting on
the 23d, and it was again declined. Neverthe-
less, an official order, cOuehed in the form of a
request, was issued on the 9th, and this he
finally and firmly declined to comply with,
though his reiusal was couched in the like
| polite form of a request to be excused. Gene
raj Sherman was, therefore, appointed in his
stead went to Mexico, and returned without
any real business as a cover TO the President'a
design to get Grant out of the way
during the expected rebellion of the
loyal men of Maryland. There can be
no doubt that, if the President could
have goaded the Republicans of Maryland into
an act of war against the United States, it
would have been an immense gain to the
Democratic party. But in this design, too,
through the presence and influence of General
Grant, Mr.. Johnson was foiled. The election
passed off peacefully. The Democratic party
remained, as Heretofore, the only one that
had ever fired upon the National flag. The
Presidents audacity aud cunning achieved &
petty triumph in the change OF Police Com
missioners and the unlawful admission of the
Maryland Rebels to vote whereby they Obtain
political control of the State But the frmness
and sagacity of Grant had won a greater
triumph in preventing bloodshed, and main
tanning the ascendenoy of the Courts and th'
law over military force.