The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-06-20
by Office. The instance original and with
ont precedent in our history.

by Office. The instance original and with
ont precedent in our history.
THE PRESIDENCY A PERQUlslTE,
have now completed the survey of the
two typical nstances-ncpotism and gift
taking officially compensated--n which we
are compelled to see the President, In
these things he shows himself, Here sno
portrait drawn by crictic or enemy; II IS the
original who stands forth. saying Behold
the generosity practice to my relations at
the expense of the public service also the
gifts take, and then my way of rewarding
the patrons always at the expense OF the
public service" In this open exhibition
we see how the Presidency, instead Of a
trust has become perquislte. Bad ms are
these two capital instances and important
as if their condemnation, SO that they may
not become precedent, dwell on them
now as illustrating the Administration. A
President that can do such things and not !
recognize at once the error he has commit
ted, shows that superemincnce of egotlsm
under which Constitution, International
Law, and municipal law to say nothing of
Republican Government in its primary
principles, are all subordinatcd to the
Presidential will, and this is personal gov
ernment. Add an insensiblity to the hon
est convictions of others, and you have
characteristic incident of this pretenson.
uNREPuBIICAN SuBORDINATI0N OF THE WAR
DEPARTMENT TO THR GENERAL-lN-CHIEf,
From the Executive Mansion pass now
| to the War Department. and there we wit
ness the Presidential prctensions by which
law, usage and correct principle are lost
in the will of one man. The supremacy
of the civil power over the military IS
typiied in the Secretary Of War, n civil
ian, from whom army officers receive or
dcrs. But this beautiful rule, with its les
son of subordination to the military was
suddenly set aside by our President, and
the Secrerary War degraded to be n clerk.
The 9th of March witnessed most lmpor-
tant order from the President, rcconstltu-
ing the military Departments covering the
Southern States, and placing them under
officers of choice, which purported to be
signed by the Adjutant General, by com
mand of the General of the Army, but ac-
tualIy ignoring the Secretary OF War.
Three DAYS later witnessed another order
processing to proceed from the President,
whereby in express terms the war De
partmcnt was subordinated to the General
in-chicf being William 7. Shclman, who
at the time was promoted to that command,
Her. are the words: "The chiefs of stall
CORPS, departments aud bureaus will report
to and act under the immediate orders OF
the General commanding the army This
net of revolution, exalting the military
power above civil. showed instant fruits
in an order of the General, who, upon as
suming command, proceeded to place the
> several bureau officers of the War Depart
ment upon his military staff, so that for thu
, time there was military dictatorship
II with the President at its head, not mercl
d in spirit, but in actual form, Byand, b.
# John W. Rawlings, q civilian by educatio
It and respecter of the Constitution, becam
|, Secretary ofWar, and, though bound
l. the President by personal ties, he sal
IS "chcck to the King" By General Orde
d issued from the War department March z
r 1869, and signed by the Secretary OF Wa
# the offensive order was reclnded, and
4 was enjoined that "all official busincS
!. which by law or regulation requires Il
! action Of the President or Secretary
war VIII De Suo'nI.,eu W ,"I Lu."nvs ."
e S,aiS CORPS "Ipvt 90 ''"S'''1 ~. .,,. ~,
Il the Hrcr'ary o' war , ?I "Daiy aep"', 90;
n tna' thS restoration u, one t'r, h,pp"oI pH"I
l. riShtl"i supremacy T"o 'iov o'.",'u W. ~
# OUT an '','''Ea''o' VI io''S ''"'o" Y" "
l. part OF the secretary
~ PRESIDENTIAL rRETENSIoN AT THE INDIA
~ BUREAU.
10 At the same time occurred the effort
~ absorb the Indian Bureau into the WI
- Department changing its character
" nnrt Of the Civil Service. Congress hi
y ALREADY rcpudiated such an attempt, b
t. thn Pre- .ident not disheartened by lcgisl
tive fniIurc, sought to accomplish it
p accumulation md indirection, First el
Us yatinr member of his late staff to Il
Nv head of the Bureau, he then by q militia
u order, dated May I l669, proceed TO aeo' u
~, for the lndinh service iarge i's' VI
>" ficcrs left ont OF their reB'mehta' oisr''I
- ton by the consolidation OIL thr lnlnn' .h
III regiments, assuming 10 40 'h's D! n"'n. W..
Ia ity of the act OF Congress OF June 'V' 20,
mt which, after declaring the numDer Oh
sly dian Agents and now they snail DE appo'
raj ed provides that it shall be competent,
s., the President to require any nll.,ary on;
m, of the United States to execute ,he n",
IN. of ldinn agent, (Statues al Large '
,se iv., p. 1867 Obviously THIS provision II
in reference to some exceptional eNleen
he and can be no authority ior the gene
IN substitute OF military, olhcers instead Oh
of ilans confirmed by the Senate ana DO"
nt with sureties Tor the faithful discharge
mr. their duties. And yet upward oi 81
yes army oIiicerS were III rh,S "a' F ,e1 Coror
of NV e,f' I,lv 'i IL 1870 already quoted, oreati
lis, o, ;u,. n:.onnro,;hI;,v nvr , between military a
i'd a." ;';i .",U wns a;mod ssnec;olly at this abu
CIV cn,, ,ho"o "", oNnors S ceased tobe Indian arcr
ia nna w tItse .h; a,tomn, ;s another illustration
the Puas;%antiol Pu' ;h'S G,'Ipt nrpptension
ing l 'e''"'"''" ,''.,,,,,,.,, p..sD =, rcr,oxs
sb. b MILITARY INTERFERENCE AT k|tcr'oNS
i'm Then followed military interference
thn ina elections, and the repeated use Of the n
'ho ho tary in aid of the revenue law under circ
me ne stances of doubtful legality, until at
or General Halleck and General Shern
ate nrotested the former in his report ofO ctO