New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-25
GRANT IN PEACE.
BY GENERAL ADAM BADEAU.
No. VIII
PRESIDENTIAL OBSTRUCTION.

the Head of the State. it was perhaps not un-
natural that population just emerging from
armed rebellion should look to seditious action
at this crisis. There were indications OF such
Sheridan was in command. He 80 reported to
Grant, who laid the matter before the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of War: After consul.
tatiOn with thOse authorities Grant forwarded
the following order to Sheridan. ! gave the M1t
omissions being inclOsed in brackets. 1t shows
both his first impule and the restraint he put
upon himself in order to convey no false im-
preston of the Presidents view:
Use Ne mi,tary % preesnf e"nnes Or r'@ unasl tSs
co"s,.ss,. Tue law can decide after di.!net com:
NAMED f. p. e
frc.,Ssu, ua. the Sae.!ion Of
!" pae ,Ss o. ss Of Congress into effect The
f:s. s:e :1' .. ana
March D. '67. U. GRANT. General
The dispatch finally read: the President
and the law laws enforced" With this Grant sent
a cOpy of the Reconstruction law. This be had
not Been directed to do BY the president:
The whole force OF the Reconstruction
measure lay in the power o. .le p,s,r. SG ~,
Obstructei the new law. Mr.. johnson at once
took the ground, as have shown, that no sncli
power existed in thO~e commanders; Gnn.
knew personally and positively that Congress
had int. ended to confer this power, for ne hah
been constantly consulted during the prepare.
ton of the bill Indeed, it had been proposed
not only to bestOw the power on District CNn-
manders but ON himself, Us their superior;
This however ne dl~aVised. LIE .o ~"s s' ="
the President, and, beside:. thought It VIE
not to provoke him Ivy public humilr.tions or
avoidable restrictions of his authority. ne
had therefore urged that the app3n.m men .S o.
President, and that the supervisory authority
also should be- COMMITTEE, to the Execun We
rather than to the head OF the Amy; lor nc
believed that COngiess coId MAINTAIN SUM-
Gent check upon any hostile action of the Pres
ident :. ..;,
Johnson. however, at once made it certain
that his claws had not been 30 closely pared but
that he could still do serious mischief: Never
advising any step which might agglnvate the
difficulties of the situation. His policy ut THIS
crisis il shown in the following letter OF Apfi
u, 1867, to Sheridan
Private
A vet no DECISION has been given BY the Attorney
Genera tho subject OF the risht OF Ds.tc' ,h
suscssso.s Is is likely. however. that hs xii give
attention to that subject aud all ots, QUESTION:: SUP
90 ~ ~ no through Wit" the Mssisspp, notion to Mo
;h bill Of as' tn: s". Of
meantime woad sdvise that 10 case any OF t.e S'yn
S: ss hi. sS does
tho part Of District Command~rs and nave no oono'
TSs ss /. makers clearly Contemplated prsyaax
niitary Governments for the rebel states nnn! tney
ee,s fully restored relations TO tho General
government. They evidently only rec"snscd presehns
Stat. :. TO. . 90 % q.
could DO used In carrying OUT tho VIII OF congress- a"o
no further.
One Of the most important matters under
the new law was the registration OF voters
mi Ind. oil mn a H.
out distinction of race color OF previous comb.
tiop-except such W. had been disfanchlsed
for participation in the rebellion, or for felony
ut common law and every bubble was az
once rcsOrted to by the South and Endorsed by
Johnson to secure the registration OF those
whom Congress had intended 10 disfrancln~e
The subject WIS constantly coming up Tfore
the District Commanders. who promptly re-
ferled all inh icate points to Grant Ou uis
head he wrote to Sheridan in the letter already
quoted:
On tho subject Of who iesstcr under tho law,
dunk tie intention exclude only those who are
excluded om on. oee ura, tue ~ sa as
ianchsc for Infamous crimes sncn - were REQ gni1ed
meat o. eo~rs l4tre u ~ orai-r an thai ola
tempting 10 orerhrOr Ltc Gocernment But that II tue
act except 70 certain Offenders suI posed from
their previous Relations to the General Cover nnent {" o
particularly the oath nr-scrihcd to be taken before
registration. would seem " provide tor tue dsfraachse
me of "a ass Of cbous that ought always 10 bo dis
francsei IN every community Tor tner gross VIOLATION
OF law. and could nos have been Intended ~ iuitaer
crime OF treason against tue Government ny luo
s OF a!s S Sa1 not lx ilss
ancse be excluded for acts which would not have
so,nu 1--WE ,Si only ny on the spec
we're commian ling u district however would require
registering officers " keep two lists On QUO would
regis. OF tie names all right to register
hoIo could 10 doubt AUD ON the other Ali hose ABOUT
There has poshine nov Iansprcd affecting you. I
think your heAd safe above your At least ."
that IL cannot 10 taken on To produce paih.
The Lust sentence refers to the intention
Johnson had already manifested to remove Slcr-
idan. because that officer was evidently deter
mined to obey the law.
On the sa,me day (Apil 2l) when he wrote
thus to Sheridan, Grant sent the following dis
patch to Pope, another of the District Com
manders. There are passages IN this letter winch
in ordinary times might have subjected It's writer
TO trial by court martial for rtsnbordlnat'on and
must have been composed OF men who had fought
ior the Union and 1t 10 doubtful il one could have
been formed To pronounce Grants c0uis, st LIE
juncturc other than patriotic and commcndable.
General Grant to General Pope
Nv DEAR GENERAL:
Having Jenkinss address to the citizens
WANG his suspension aud trial before military
sion when your dispatch Anouncins that tue Governor
hnd given such render Oref hts
case UNNECESSARY was rccoivod. Ny Views are that
Disc Commanders arc rrsonsbie Tor tho faithful e1
ec n of tho act OF COngI anl that
IN civil matters cannot give them an order can give
them INV views hovcver for what they are worth. and
shov. ali caa ddrise them Of and opinions h,rt
wh.ch MAY serre 10 pat tnem on metr guard When Con-
e three OWL oic~rs tho State OF
Lou,sara an act which delighted tho loyal North. aud
than the supporters OF tho Confessional r
bill In Congress- II created quite STIR. apd
gave expression to the opinion other quartcrs that
he had q eed-d hs authority presume tue Attorney
General will give u written opinion the subject Of the
powers OF DIST let Copmanders To remove civil Officers
ami appoint tbeir snccesson Mhch no does VIII ioi
Ard NJ ~ Nil the District Commanders- I; very plain
ths the power OF District ComaAndsrs 10 try Offenders
by military commissions cts~ = WOULD savs use, !nas
renuy,Ls until an Op0ion Is had from tue Attorney
General or found THAI he doo' not intend 70 give
one $500
cours closely, have that OF all tue District IN
mnudrra aud ud nothing you have done tLat doos not
show Irudenos aud jodsment Rest assured that all
La iha lai ILL 40 aalak