Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-05
THEPREsIDENTs POSITION
Grants Relations Rel; .!9.,, :. with the Cabinet


| Grants Relations with the Cabinet
and with Congress.
| Washington Correspondence of the Boston Journal
Gen. Grant cannot have eniOyed the
past session of Congress, especially the
| closing month. When he was installed in
the White House, a President, he doubt
less regarded himself as transferred from
the military TO the civil service, and
thought that he had simply to perform his
official duties in his new position as he
had so gloriously performed them In the
field. lie brought with him INTO the White
House, as his private secretaries, two gal
liant and estimable young soldiers, who
knew how to obey his orders as staff Off
Gers, but who were lamentably ignorant of
the intrigues and manRuvres of political
life. And, as in a campaign he placed at
the head of different arms the generals
best versed in artillery, cavalry or infantry
movements, so he placed at the head of
his Executive Departments gentlemen
versed in diplomacy, finance, war, or IN
terror affairs. But they have not been
cabinet officers. or confidential ad-
visers." Important action by the Presi-
dent has often been concealed from men,
bers of the cabinet, and they have not
only been kept ignorant of what the
President had done or was doing in other
departments, but in the very departments
OF which they were nOminally the head.
On one occasion, for example, the Presi-
dent communicated to the Senate an i'm
pOrtant diplomatic document mbe-
known to Mr.. Fish, who first heard
of it through a Senator. IG short,
Gen. Grant has discharged the duties
of President of the United States,
under the constitution, as the earlier in
eumjents of the Office did. Perhaps he
remembered how Gen. Taylor was snubbed
by his cabinet, who used to insist upon
voting upon every appointment, and who
often OutvOted their head. Gen. Pierce
was almost as badly treated by the strong
minded men invited by him to preside
over the departments. Buchanan was in
turn absolutely bulhed by his cabinet
and | well remember to have heard Mr..
Lincoln say, when told OF the despotic
in which bad man who held one
of his portfolios refused to obey an execu-
tive order: "Well, l haven't much influ-
ence with this administration, after all :"
Congress, on the other hand, had been
forced by the general cussedness" of
Andy Johnson TO assume and to exercise
almost imperial power, and it is not an
easy matter for any man or set OF men 10
relinquish power. Gen. Grant had known
during the war and the sub
sequent political campaign, as his eulo-
gists and supporters. But when these
same Congressman came to demand places
or promotions for theirpOliticsl adherents,
and when some of them began TO intrigue
against others, he found that he was not
son a bed of roses" but that the Presi-
Dental path was bcset with thOrns and
brambles. And there has thus been q
partial arrangement between President
Grant and several leading Republican
and Representatives, only pleas
ing to those who have secretly aided Ia
bringing it about, that they might thereby
secure offices and influence. 1t is not
pleasant to write this, but ! write what
cannot be denied.
Now, in chrOniCling what every one
here knows, and which no wellinf0rIned
person can deny, l do not want 70 be IN
lerstOod as predicting that the Republican
party is doomed to destruction, Not
bit of i'll One often hears of domestic
squabbles between newly married couples,
who afterward become harmonious and
live happily together for years.
The people will not permit any differ
ences of opinion between the cOnqueror
Of the rebellion, who is now the Presi-
dent of their choice, and the Congress Of
their election. They viii quietly notify
each side, by the force of public opinion,
10 'fgive and take" little; as farmers
say when they build a new fence, until
he disputed ineOf power is ''straightened
)ut." And if the Republicans lose ten
IT a dozen Congressional districts this fall,
70 much the better. Defeat chastens
,ride and subdues self-will, and it can
,ut so reunite and vigOrate the Republi-
an party that it viii triumphantiy march
gain to victory in the Presidential elec-
ion of 1879