The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-04
"OUR SMOKY CESAR"
SENATOR CHARLES SUMMERS GREAT
PHILIPPIC.
Terrible Indictment OF the Grant Ad-
ministration.

A Tcrrible 1nd1ctmenI Oh TIC "IahL Au-
! ministration.
The Northern papers received last evening
brought us the full report of Mr.. Summers
great speech against Grant, delivered on Fri
day last. The subject before the Senate was
the ''whitewashlngn report of the committee
who Inquired into the alleged frauds In the
sale of arms to the French; but the senator's
Criticism upon that was brief The g, ,eatest
part of his speech, which was very long, was
devoted to showing that the Republican party,
which was organized to promote honest prin-
ciples and was long upheld by craftsmanship,
has been perverted to the use of political
rings aud personal government. He cited
many facts to show that General Grant Is In
competent for civil office. His military train
Ing and experience made him incompetent to
appreciate the true meaning of the constt-
tuition, which 80 distinctly provides dis
tlnctSon between the different depart
ments of the government. AS rule,
military chieftains were unfit for civil
rulers and statesmen. 1t would be hard to
find anything In the native endowments or In
the training of our chiettain to make him an
illustrious exception; at least nothing OF this
kind IL recorded. Was Nature more generous
with him than with Marlborough or Yelling
ton, Gustavus Adolphus or Frederick called
the Great? Or was his experience OF life q
better preparation than theirs And yet they
failed except in war. One OF his unhestating
supporters, Senator Wilson. In speech In
tended to commend him for reelection, says:
tsBefore the war, we knew nothing OF Grant.
He was earning few hundred dollars q year
by tanning hides In Gaena." By the war he
passed TO be President; and such was his
preparation to govern the great Republic.
making 1t an example to mankind. Thus he
learned to deal with all questions, domestic
and foreign. whether OF peace or war, TO de-
clare constitutional law and International law,
aud to administer the vast appointing power,
creating cabinet officers, judges. foreign MIN
listers and an uncounted army OF of1ce-nolders.
The late Edwin H. Stanton had said to him
on his death-bed: II have something to say
to you. know General Grant better than
any other person 10 the country can know
him. II was nv duty to study him. aud did
80 night aud day, when saw him and when
did not see him, and now tell you. what l
know: he cannot govern this country"
In presenting his criticisms, Mr.. Sumner
selected TWO typical instancss-nepotism and
giit-taklng officially compensated. each a6so-
lutsly indefsnsible in the head OF Republic,
most pernicions In example, and showing De-
yond question that SURPRISING egot,sm OF pre-
tension which changed the Presidential oft1ce
into personal lnstrumentaty. not unlike the
trunk ofan elephant. apt for all things, smal
as we'll as great, from provision Tor q relation
to forcing q treaty on reluctant Senate or
forcing reelection on reluctant people.
The long story of the appointment OF incom-
petent relatives was reiterated. aud che Pres
fdents reluctance 10 dismiss Casey from the
New Orleans collectorship was presented as
the crowning act of infamv. The appoint
ments of Stewart, Borie, Murphy and many
Others were referred to as instances OF the
Presidents Idea that the offices are perquisltes
of the Presidency, to be conferred for favor or
as compensation for private gifts.
The military spirit, which failed In some In
stances In the effort 10 set aside fundamental
law as If 1t were transient order was more
successful at the Executive Mansion, which at
once assumed tbs character of military head
quarters. To the dlSho1or OF the civil service
and In total disregard to precedent, the Presi-
dent surrounded himself with officers OF the
army and substituted military for those OF civil
lie, detailing for this service members Of his
late staff The earliest public notice OF this
military occupation appeared IN the Daily
Morning Chronicle of March 9th, 1858, under
stood to be the official organ of the admins
tratlon:
president Grant was not at the White
House Yesterday, but the following members
Of his staff were occupying the secretaries
rooms and actng as such: Generals BAD
cock, Porter, Badeau and Dent"
This Is to be regarded not only IN lts strange
bazonry of the Presidential pretension, but
also as the first apparltion OF that minor mill
tsry ring In which the President has lived
ever since. Thus installed, army officers be-
came secretaries of the President, delivering
his messages to both Houses of Congress, and
even authenticating Presidential acts as II
they were military orders. And this system
has been kept up for three years. notwlth-
standing that the President has also employ.
ed the regular secretaries In addition, and
that the law Is explicit In declaring that Ut
shaHnot be lawful Ior any officer OF the army
OF the United States on the active lisS to hold
any civil Office, whether by election or ap.
pointment, and any such officer acceptlng or
exercising the functions OF civil ofice snail
his commission shall D.. vacafed tnereoy."
Statutes at Large, vol. XVI, p. 3l9.
Mr.. Sumner was very severe upon the un-
fepub lean subordination Of the war depart
ment TO the general-ln.chief. The supremacy
of The civil power over the military snould oe
typided 10 the secretary OF war, CIVILIAN,
from whom army officers receive orders. But
this beautiful rule, with Its lesson OF suoordina-
tion to the military, was suddenly SET aside
by our President, and thu secretary Of
war degraded to be clerk. The 9th OF March
witnessed a most important order from the
President, reconstituling the military depart.
ments covering the Southern States, and plac-
ing them under officers of his choice, which
purported TO be signed by the acknowledgement,
by command of the general OF the army, but
actually overlooking the secretary OF war.
The war department was snoordnated TO the
general-ln-chlef, being VIM. T. Sherman,
. who at the time was promoted to that COM
mand. This acG of revolution, exalLing the
military power above the civil, showed Instant
fruits 10 an order of the general, who, upon
assuming command, proceeded to place the
several bureau officers OF the war department
upon his military stat, so that for tne ume
there was military dictatorship with the
President at ils heaG. not merely 10 spirit, but
In actual form. By-and-by John A. Rawlins. q
civilian by education and q respecter OF the
constitution. became secretary OF war. aud,
though bound TO the President bv personal
ties, he said "check TO the king" By general
order, Issued from the war department, March
26,I869, and signed BY the secretary of war,
the offensive order was resciuded, and 1t was
epioined that tall official business which, by
law or regulation, requires the action OF the
President or secretary Ut war will De submitted
by the chiefs OF staff, corps, departments and
bureaus TO the secretary OF war" Public re-
port said that this restoration OF the civil
bower 10 ils righltul supremacy was not 90
tained without an intimation OF reslgnaton
on the part OF the secretary.
The Presidents usurpation In the navy
depsrtment, the Indian Office, and his dcta
ton to Congress, as declared by bis senators
was set forth In clear language. The Sau
Domingo story was told again, and tne uncon
- flr DrnoI q