The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-06
President Grants Latest Mistake
Custer Punished.


1t is now quite evident that President
Grant does not intend to abandon his favorite
theory that it is his duty to stand by his
friends This is clearly shown by the
extraordinary action of the President In
relation to General Custer, as described in
the special despatch from Chicago, printed
in another column. 1t will be remembered
that it was asserted few days ago that the
President intended to punish General Custer
for appearing as a witness against ex-
Secretary of War Belknap by taking
away his command of the Seventh
cavalry. The plea for this was that
Custer could not remain in Washington
and fight the Indians at the same time;
therefore the command of one of the expe-
ditions must go to some other officer Gen.
eral Custer, however, was relieved from
further attendance before the Clymer COM
mittee and at once started to rejoin his
command. In doing this Custer hoped, no
doubt, to retain his command and go on the
warpath, as he has so often done in the
Indian country But in this he was mis-
taken, for the President ordered him to be
intercepted by General Sheridan and de-
tanned, in order that he might not reach his
regiment
1t appears that the only reason given for
this step was that General Custer had left
Washington without first paying his re-
spects to the President. No formal charges
are preferred against Custer, and he is dis
graced simply because he did not "crook the
pregnant hinges of the knee" to this modern
Caesar. At least such is the excuse, though
the fact was that Custer danced attendance
on the President for several hours and was
refused audience. Being repulsed, he pro-
ceeded on his way to his command only
to be overtaken by the telegraph like
common fugitive and Inundated by
being ordered out of his train to ''await fur
Their orders" These orders finally came from
the commanding General of the Army for Gus
ter to proceed to Fort Lincoln, but not to go
with his re iment. In other words, gal
liant and brave officer is kept in frontier
barracks with corporal's guard while his
regiment proceeds on active service. What
could be more humiliating than this? Dis
gracing man in the very presence of the
enemy without proper cause is not the way
to preserve the morale or efficiency of the
army.
This latest mistake of General Grant shows
clearly how ill-conceived are his ideas of the
duties he owes to the nation as its Execu-
tive Officers are to be punished for doing
their duty and obeying the commands of
Congress, simply because the President finds
that such action is likely to injure per-
sonal friend of his own. The public service
and the exigencies of the day are to 60 for
nothing so long as the President is able to
wreak his petty vengeance on those who
happen to find themselves compelled
to run counter TO his wishes. Have
we, indeed, come to this :? Is despotism
like this to remain UNDECIDED in free repub-
lie? Are officers holding commissions in
the army to be dragged from railroad trains
and ignominiously ordered to stand aside,
until the whims Of the Chief Magistrate of
the nation IRE satisfied? If SO it is about
time the people understood it, else we are,
indeed, in state of political chaos.
Nothing that the President has done of
late proves as this "disgracing' of Custer
does how utterly committed he is to the pro-
gramme of standing by his friends, and it
also shows how untitled he is for the trust
reposed in him by the people. That he will
see his error when it is too late there can, of
course, be no question; but, being too late
in the discovery, he will be unable to regain
even the small share of confidence he has of
late enjoyed. While General Custer is to be
pitied he may console himself with the re-
Election that his implied disgrace cannot tar
nish his reputation or injure his standing in
the army, however much it may humiliate
him personally for the time being. He will
be considered victim, and not delin-
quent.