The daily gazette., 1875-01-09
ANDY JOHNSON ON SHERIDAN.
NAsHvIILE, Tenn, Jan. 2. 1875.

~ne.t V4hs 1OtU.
l have just had talk with EXPIRE 81.
dent johnson on the Louisiana i'm
broglio. In response to interrogato
ries propounded he said-''The action
OF General Phil Sheridan in eiecting
the Louisiana Legislature is a piece Of
high-handed usurpation, and as such
It ought and will receive the condem-
nation of the whole country. II is
suoserving civil to military power. 1t
Is an unwarrantable and dangerous
departure from the organic law upon
which our republican government is
founded. This Is a matter TO be
looked upon from no sectional stand
point, but entirely in national light.
There is but one grave fact staring us
IN the face, and that is embraced In
three words, "unwarrantables usurpa-
tion OF power" The false step taken
Dy President Grant and Sheridan has
no precedent in the history of our
government. Sheridan attempted to
create the same sort of devilment in
Louisiana when was President, !,
but at once cut short his untoward,
unwise and reckless proceeding by
peremptorily removing him, by Of
der August 20, 1857, from New or.
leans to Fort Leavenworth, and turned
his command over to General Han.
COCK, who, on assuming command,
issued proclamation or paper which
was satisfactory TO the whole country,
properly setting forth that the military
was subservient to the civil law, all Of
which was direct opposition to Sheri-
dams policy.
GENERAL HANcocK's POLICY
won the respect of the people. and
with the departure of Sheridan all agi-
tation ceased and peace reigned. It
was about the removal of Sheridrn
that General Grant and myself had a
warm controversy, in which it was be-
lieved by the whole country that I
got the better of him. My Cabinet
were astounded at my determination
to remeve Sheridan in the face of
his then existing military reputation.
Some of them thought it would never
do to take lsuch q stand. The Cabinet
was divided on the proposition, but !
told them that if it turned the govern
ment upside down Sheridan nor any
other general should usurp the civil
authority and trample it igpp9minious-
ly under foot There Is pafaliel case
to that which has just Ioeetirred in
Louisiana. Il happened In Tennessee
in July, 1865,
WHAT HAPPENED In TENNESSEE
Many of the members of the Leg
islature here had absented themselves.
General Holmes was induced to make
application to General Grant for au-
thority to aid in organizing the Legis-
lature, which was refused. / had no
authority or power whatever to inter
fere, the State having exclusive juris
diction over the matter, that to inter
fere would be usurpation of power,
placing the military above the civil
authorities and in utter contempt Of
the constitution and laws. The con
sequence was that the affair was not
long after settled by the State authori-
ties and there was no more trouble.
People in the South should act dis
cretely. Regarding the Louisiana
usurpation Mr.. johnson said that
Grant and Sheridan should be temper
ate in all they say and do, and the
people should look to the North and
West to come forward and aid in the
restoration of the government and
| constitutional authority. The whole
I country is justly indignant, and
Louisiana will have her wrongs
righted.
sHERIDAN's FORMER REMOVAL.
The following is the despatch refer
red to regarding the removal of Sheri-
dan:
! WASHINGTON, August 26, 1867.
Major General r. H. Sheridan will
at once turn over his present COM
mand to the officer next in rank to
himself, and proceeding without de-
lay to Fort Leavenworth, Kan, will
relieve Major General Hancock of the
command of Department Of the Mis-
souri,.
ANDREW JOHNSON. \
u. q. GRANT, Secretary of War
nd inferiM.