The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-03-18
PRESIDENT GRANT.

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tons he made for his Cabinet councillors as
tonished or disguised the majority of the lead
ers and politicians in the Radical ranks; ana
his positive refusal to see any of the immense
crowd of office-seekers-for high and subor-
dinate positions,-who had gone to Washington
for that sole purpose, has created feeling
against the new President which is barely re-
pressed from malevolent Outburst. Yet, for
having done these things that have so much
displeased or incensed Radical leaders, politi-
clans and office-seekers, a large mass OF the
people will commend President Grant. He
has. however, taken one step which is likely
to ALLEVIATE some of his admirers among the
people. and to cause the more rejecting men
of each party to harbor dread of his admins
tration, through apprehension that he may feel
disposed to trample down or force away any
and every barrier or safeguard which the Con-
stitution and laws have interposed to thwart
or resist the aggressiens and encrOachments OF
despotic power in the Executive branch of the
Government. We have nothing to say OF his
selection of the great millionaire merchant, A,
r. Stewart, for the very important position OF
Secretary of the Treasury, but we do think, IN
his request that Congress should repeal law
passed in 1899, in order that Mr. Stewart
should be rendered eligible to the position gave
indication that President Grant would not hes
itate to play the part of Alexander with the
Gordian Knot, if occasion should arise to impel
him to that short and sharp and conclusive
mode in the settlement of any vexed question
which would come up between himself ana
Congress. Viewed in the mlldest sense, the
request for repeal of the law In question
causes ground for the hypothesis that lresi'
dent Grant was so firmly convinced that MT
Stewart was the only man in all the land VINO
could thoroughly fill the position, that he pre-
ferred to have every obstruction interposed by
law removed at his own bidding, in order to
make way for his lavorltc, rather than he
should be required 10 make another selection;
in other words-that it would be better 10
repeal a salutary law to accommodate himself
and Mr. Stewart, than to let the law remain
and that he should appoint another Secretary
Had Congress repealed this check law at
President Grants request, we ask, Is It not
reasonable to assume that he would have inter
preted the accommodation in its most liberal
sense to himself, and, by establishing 1t as a
precedent, in future required at the hands OF
Congress the repeal of any other law which
prevented him from executing his wishes or
caprices beyond the measure OF his rlghttul
authority And his selection of men, recog
nized as only second or third rate in intellect
and craftsmanship, for his Cabinet counselors,
| further gives cause for the apprehension we
have expressed. The Military arm OF the Gov
eminent has become, and it is, the paramount
power in our country, and in this connection
it is noteworthy that President Grant has
strengthened himself, individually, in his Exec
utive, controlling station, by the appointment
of his own especial army fayorites to the most
important and commanding stations. Sherman
is General of the army, and Sheridan, promot-
ed to the Lieut. Generalship, Is put in charge
of the Louisiana and Texas Department: Ter
~ is given the Department of Georgia, and
other favorites are put in command of the
stronghods of the West, North and East, while
Hancock, one of the bravest and best Generals
in the whole army, is virtually banshed to Da-
kota, as a punishment, we infer, for his SUPP ort
of Seymour for President We do not say that
President Grant contempates 4 coup d etat,
like that accomplished by Louis Napoleon,
which transformed the President Napoleon of
Yesterday into the Emperor Napoleon Of to-
day; but we will remark that, in case Presi-
dent Grant should become inspired with love
of supreme CONTROL he has already so adroltly
and cautiously managed and prepared things,
in regard to the disposition of his Generals and
the army, that the people, and Congress with
them, might arouse from their slumbers some
gloomy morning, and find themselves ubjects
and serfs instead of citizens and freemen, with
a crushing military force of their own crea-
ton, with drawn sabres and fixed bayOnets,
and ready -aimed artillery, surrounding them,
awaiting their abject, unresstng surrender
or, in the event of any resistance, prepared to
perform the work of violence and carnage
until the conquest of arms should be complete.
We hope for the best, and we shall; but yet we