The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-27
President Grant, Thus Far.

President Grant, Thus Far.
From the ~. Y. World.
The new President has been three weeks in
Office. They have been weeks of uncertainty
vacillstion, wrangliDg, and turmoil and we
suppose that none, even of General Grants
most saDguine admirers, thinks that he stands
better in public estimation than on the day
when he toek the inauguration oath. There
are many of the Republican journals that prop
him with feeble, halting apologies, but very
few that pretend to find any grounds of COM
mendation and praise. He has done little
else than founder, having carried none of his
points, and having sunk steadily and rapidly
in general estimation. He has been unable to
secure the Cabinet he wanted, though all the
men readily accepted and were promptly
confirmed by the Senate. A Cabinet crisis, a
Cabinet explosion, bungling Cabinet recon-
struction, were the chief incidents of the first
week, which struck the country very much as
musical entertainment would strike an au-
dience, if all the instruments were tangled out
of tune in the overture, and new performers
had to be hunted up and brought on the stage
before the concert could begin. 1t was as alb
surd as bringing out new opera without any
previous rehearsal. 1t was too evident that
the manager did not understand his business.
All this would have been awkward and
mortifying enough if only the Senate had been
III ocpolOu, dS 10 ubudl dt bho UcBiuuluR VI Au
administration, and not both houses OF Con-
gress. 1t was understood to be General Grants
desire that Congress should be in session, as he
wished some changes in legislation and
particularly the repeal of the Tenure
of-Ofice act. But the first message
he sent to Congress, his very first ap-
plication to that body, was calculated to sink
him in public esteem. 1t was a message con-
Tossing blunder, and asking for the suspen-
oinp of Of oldasf and tuiS loxu
better ground than his previous ignorance of
its existence. II he had known that there was
such a law, he would not have violated it by
appointing Mr.. Stewart; but having perpe-
trated that blunder, he who two days before
had sworn to execute the laws, asked for the
suspension of law in order that his blunder
might stand. Congress was astounded at the
impudence OF such request; and when he
found that the party that elected him would
not grant this indulgence to his ignorance, he
was forced to reconstruct his Cabinet.
The effect of this strange houndering was
heightened by the bearing which the Presi-
dent elect had maintained towards Congress
during the winter. An affectaton of sufi-
ciency, which did not beseem man destitute
of civil experience, had kept him aloof from
all confidential intercourse with Congressman,
and led him to repel their advice. Nothing
but unerripg sagacity when he entered upon
his duties could have vipdicated his con-
temptuous bearing towards the leaders of his
party. AS it turned out, he merely verified
the Scripture proverb that "a naughty spirit
goeth before q fall" He enabled the Con-
gressmen to repay his contempt with interest.
They at once took the measure of the new
President, and saw that the ascendancy of the
legislative branch of the Government was not
likely to be diminished by him.
General Grant has signally failed in his at
tempt to force repeal of the Tenure Of Office
act; and every triumph of Congress over him
weakens his influence and prestige, and rem
deis it more difficult for him to carry any
measure in which he is interested. The gloss
is already gone from the reputation of the
new President. Before he has been month
in Office, he has accustomed Congress to dis
regard and overrule his wishes, and to treat
him with as much contempt as is compatible
with their belonging to the same political
party. If the House refuses to pass the
Senate's new Tenure Of Office bill, the result
will simply be that the old one will remain in
force, as it is quite certain that the Senate
will make no further show of concession. To
cover the humiliation of total defeat, General
Grant, who has lost confidence and become
demoralzed, acquiesces in the new bill, which
| will probably pass the House. 1t is sham
ac1uiescence, professed merely to save appear
ances, by circumvented President who finds
that he can do nothing better. He has failed
In everything which he has yet undertaken.
We feel no pleasure in the prospect of a
weak and insignificant Executive during the
ensuing four years. 1t is a great misfortune
that the balance of the Constitution has be-
come destroyed in the protracted wranglt
| between President Johnson and the Republic
can party, and that Congress has acquired ar
ascendancy which dwarfs the other depart
ments of the Government. No matter Wha
| party is in power, it is desirable that the Ex
ecutive should regain its proper weight; anG
| for this reason it would be better for the coun
try to have an able and influential Republi
can President than such cipher as it il
| already certain that General Grant will be
There was, to be sure, little reason to hope
that the balance of the Constitution would b,
restored by him. He had none of the weigh
of a party leader, being taken by tae Repub
lican party as its candidate Tor fear that thu
Democratic party would otherwise nominate
and elect him. He has not supplied what h
lacked by selecting Cabinet consisting O
men who are strong in the confidence of tn
Republican party, The only possible remain
ing source OF influence was that of superio
ssgacity and talents; and General Grant ha
already demonstrated the pitiable poverty @
his resources as a statesman or a politics
manager. 1t is, therefore, too painfully clea
that the overshadowing ascendsucy of Con
gress will continue during the feeble admins
tration of President Grant.
| The Lamentations of Sonoto,, S.,..O.,,o