The Portland daily press., 1869-03-16
Is OuarreIs

IL Grant and congress are quarrelling or II
they do quarrel hereafter, it will be one of the
most disheartcning events that ever happened.
The dissensons between Congress and the
Executive from 1865 to 1869, following war
that was enough of itself to put an ordinary
people back half century, caused the coun-
try to suffer unnumbered woes; it made the
North dstrustf nj in business and weak IN en-
terprise, kept the South at stand stu In its
industry. made life insecure in ten States and
property insecure everywhere necessieateo
postponement of a sufficiently rapid reduc-
ton of the debt, deprived us OF very large
norton of the revenue and kept everybody in
state of abnormal and exhausting excitement
on political questions. A foreign war of con-
siderable magnitude could hardly have eperat-
ed more disastrously upon the material and
moral welfare of the American people than
the obstinate and sometimes maudlin opposi-
ton of chance President to the oft reiterat-
cd wishes of his immense constituency.
So that if we are to have repetition OF the
johnson imbroglio under Grant-if we are to
have more factious vetoes, more manifestoes
from the White House and more impeach-
ments and rumors of impeachments, and more
conflicts over the filling of subordinate places
Ia the government, we may as well, to use
popular phrase, "shut up shop"
Gen. Grant has now been President only
twelve days, and has meanwhile done some of
the most important things that he will be call
ed upon to do in the whole of his administra-
ton. He has done that which in the erdi-
nary course of things will affect the current
of political events and give character to his pol
icy during his entire term, He has appointed
his Cabinet and the principal officers of the
army, given the outlines of his ideas of a wise
public policy in an inaugural address, and
made radical changes in the disposal of mill
tary ofic 9 Ia the South. Up to this date he
has not appointed man to Office who has not
been In full sympathy with the party that
made him President, and who has not been
acce ptable to the Senate. He has not uttered
an opinion that has not been consonant with
the principles to which he gave his assent
when he accepted the Republican nomination
FOR the Presidency. BE approves the consti
tuiional amendment, which is the expression
Of the most advanced Republicanism, formal
ICED into proposition for change in the or
ganic law. He has reversed the action of hi
predecessor in respect to military commander
In the South in such a manner as to win thu
applause of all Union men, North and South
No appearance of quarrel so far.
There remain three things which Democratic
Eagnifying glasses of immense power have
exaggerated into faint indications oflatent hos
tility between the Republican Congress ani
the Republican President. One is the Stew
art affair. The first nomination for Secretar,
of the Treasury was promptly confirmed b.
the Senate-and unanimously. A law wa
subsequently discovered that made it impossi
be for the appointes to act as Secretary. Th
President requested repeal of the law, AM
before Congress had time to act in any wa.
upon his suggestion, withdrew bis request
All the portent evoked by this affair was re
ciprocal desire on the part of the two branche
Of the government to act IN harmony will
each other and in such a way as best to sub
serve the public interests.
The second speck of war which melts GU
into clear blue sky when attentively examined
is found in a difference of opinion between
the President, the House and large minority
Of the Senate ON one hand, and majority
tpCEuaPcJ vi tuc oOudtC. w Tic OtutE, ItSp6CI
ing the tenure-of-ofice act. There ia no doub
whatever that Grant wants that act repealed
but he said nothing about it, directly or indi
rectly, in his inaugural, and thus studiousl,
avoided making it o prominent or essentia
feature of the executive policy. On the con
trary be said that he should have no policy t
enforce against the will of the people, w,
know from many acts and words of Genera
Grant that he regards the decision of the rep
resentatives of the people as legitimate an,
conclusive expression of their will, agains
which there may properly be no administra
tive opposition. Accordingly we find N
chance for quarrel here, especially as Gran
has said with reference 10 this law that b.
shall scrupulously observe its provisions, an,
construe it strictly at that, while it remains
unrepealed. Besides, the reference to tn.
Judiciary Committee by the Senate of the
bill for the repeal is not by any means to b,
regarded as indicative of its defeat.
The third article in the brief yet lahore,
Democratic enumeration of obstacles to har
mony, is the alleged difference of opinion OF
the subject of the reduction of the army
Butler, who is the great apostle of the move
ment for the repeal of the tenure-of-of6ce ACT
shows characteristic versatility in urging
reduction in the numerical strength of oui
military force which is said to be distasteful to
Gen. Grant. But as Buffers views have moi
yet obtained Congressional endorsement, ii
is difficult to see how anything more than a
possible revival of an old personal quarrel can
result r54
No, we shall have no more quarrels, bu!
peace. We shall have time to build railroads
and manufactures, reduce taxation, develop
our resources, revive commerce, punish thieves
and carry en- to its consummation the grand
work of republicanizing American institu.
tions-all under President Grant.
TIE CoMAfrrrEEs or rHr Horsr -Tha oo.,a.