Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-12-24
bort q obarfo Gintes.
PORT ToBACge: 80
Friday Morning, Decembers24, -. 1875
More ImperiaIisn,s =

upon the crude notions of constifutio nal
government, which the President enter
tains and which he is seemingly encourag
ed to entertain by the centralizing pro-
clivities of the Republican party. Gen.
Grant is not so much to blame perhaps
tor the peculiar views he holds. It is not
his fault, but the misfortune of the coun-
try, that man so utterly ignorant of the
first principles of craftsmanship should
have been elected chief magistrate of a
constitutional government. He seems to
consider the Presidency an Office for his
personal qualification, and which is to be
administered to promote his own ends
and those of his friends and relatives. As
to any rights which the people may have
to insist upon the administration being in
accordance with law he seems totally to
ignore. His whole idea seems to be to
conduct everything in accordance with
the autocratic rule Of military ohisfesir.
The history of his administration is full
of evidence of this fact, so glaring that no
man can have failed to see it, except those
who are so blind that they will not see.
The latest evidence of this is given in the
summary dismissal of ex-senator Hender-
son from the post of assistant attorney in
the prosecution of the whiskey ring at
St. Louis. This gentleman had been re-
tanned by the Attorney General and Secre-
tary Of the Treasury to assist in these very
important cases; and so vigorous and
effective had been his services that he not
only brought about the indictment of the
most prominent officials, but he secured
their conviction and consignment to the
pepitentiary. During the trial of Avery,
late Chief Clerk of the Treasury Depart
ment, and who was so deeply implicated
) IN this swindle that he was found guilty,
the evidence showed that the Commission
er OF internal Revenue, Mr.. Douglass, be-
ing satisfied that enormous frauds were
being perpetrated, after consultation with
the Secretaryof the Treasury, issued an
order to transfer the Supervisor of Inter
nal Revenue from st. Louis elsewhere, in
the hopes that new officer would discover
and expose the frauds which Mcdonald,
the st. Louis Supervisor, was conniving at.
This order of transfer created panic a.
mong the officials at that place, and they
instantly took steps to secure its repeal.
This was easily and speedily done through
the instrumentality of Gen. Babcock, the
Private Secretary of the President and also
member of the ring. The President
issued an order "suspending" the transfer
as directed by Douglass. During the trial
of Avery, Mr.. Henderson commented, but
in no offensive manner, upon this action
of the President, and took the clear and
proper view that he had no right whatever
to interfere with the Commissioner of In
-fefnzf Revenue in the discharge of the
duties devolved upon him by law. These
comments of Mr.. Henderson were very
offensive to the military chieftain who
now rules our government, and he would
not brook the questioning of his absolute
right to do what he pleased. In the opin
ion of his Imperial Highness it was in
subordination and mutiny, and deserving
of drum head court martial. So he
caused the chief of his judicial staff to
telegraph the dismissal of Mr.. Henderson,
which was promptly done. Now here is
the extract from the verbatim speech of
Henderson. which was so displeasing.
Whether there is anything in it which is
not law and in good taste every man may
see for himself:
siWhen an officer goes into Office he ought to
be free and independent. Except where the
law binds upon him, he should know no
master except the law, and if he knows any
other our Government is tumbling down.
What right has the President He has the right
to turn his officer out if he wants to, and put
in another, but what right has he even-though
there is no evidence that he ever attempted it,
| believe-chat right has the President to inter
fere uih the honest discharge Of the duties Of
Secretary of the treasury None whatever.
What right has he to interfere with the dig
charge of the duties of Commissioner Douglass?
None The laws tell Douglass what to do.
Douglass only showed a lamentable weakness
of character in listening to Babcock or any
other mortal man. Here is telegram which
reads:
WASHINGTON, December 5, 1875
John II. Joyce, st. Louis No.:
1.-The order directing you to report at Philadel-
phia to Supervisor Mcdonald on the 18th is sus-
!. .'(Signed) , ]. w. DOUGLASS. Commissioner.
ssGentIemen, why does this man bend the
supple hinges of the knee? Why does he yield
to Presidential interference or to the interior
ence of the Secretary of the honored President?
1t was none of their business. 1t belonged not
to Grant; it belonged not to Babcock. 1t was
Douglass own business. He stood response
ble After accepting that Office, and after Civ
ing his pledge by an oath to the people of the
office, it was his duty to carry ahA.-ordss-ad!
or resign his position, / would to God we had
more of the sterner stuff that formerly animate
ed the bosoms of Federal ofice-holders in this
country"
There can be no doubt about the cor
RICHNESS of the law as laid down by Mr..
Henderson. The President has no right
whatever to interfere with any officer in
the discharge of duties fixed by law. 1t
is true he may appoint an officer and he
may remove him; but during the incum-
bancy of the position the official alone is
responsrpao s-.the proper dischA-s"of n1s
obligations One single illustration will
suffice to demonstrate this position if any
body has any doubt about it. Under the
law it is the duty of the Attorney General
to try certain cases. Now suppose the
President were to instruct this officer that
he should not make certain arguments or
present certain evidence at the trial of
one of the causes, which he thought ne
essary to the proper discharge of his pro-
tssional duty, will it be pretended for a
loment that this order should be obeyed
Gould the order of the President be &C
.pted in any court in justification of any