Year: 1869




The war against the new administration has
already commenced. General Grant has to
fight another battle of Belmont, but this time
it is with the politicians, and not Southern
rebels. Sumner, as general-in-chef Of the
radical politicians, unmasked the batteries OF
his faction and opened the fire. Through him
the very first request Grant made to Con-
gress-a request by special message, too-was
repulsed. When he asked that the old and
absurd law prohibiting man in business from
holding Office be repealed, in order that Mr.. A.
II. Stewart might enter upon his duties as
Secretary Of the Treasury, and a motion was
made in the Senate to that effect, Mr. Sumner
objected and prevented the passage of the bill.
In this declaration of war against the new
administration Mr.. Sumner found allies among
the radical Senators and in the radical press.
Under the mask of compliments to Mr..
Stewart and pretended reverence for the obso-
lete act of 1889 the whole radical press of this
city assails the judgment and action of Gene
raj Grant. 1t does not think the Presidents
s'expedient will be found satisfactory or sufi-
cient." Insidious and masked as this hostility
is the motive is apparent and the object unmis-
taxable The radical politicians of the Senate
do not like the character of the Cabinet nor
Grants independence in ignoring the political
leaders and selecting gentlemen outside of
their ring and influence. Then they want to
hold the reins over the new President, as they
did over johnson, and they have just given
him foretaste Of their purpose in this action
relative to Mr.. Stewart, as they did in the re-
flsal to repeal the Tenure of Office act.


The law Of 1889, which has been exhumed
be operative. 1t was framed by Hamilton, to
suit his own purpose at the time, and, though
it might have suited the aristocratic notions Of
its framer and of the politicians Of that period,
it is not adapted to our republican institutions
or the spirit of the age. The governing class
in Hamilton's time was o sort of aristocracy,
composed of the lords of the soil, great slave
holders, prominent lawyers and professional
politicians. The business community had little
to do with government beyond voting, and was
looked upon by such men as Hamilton as
of lower order. But in this practical and
broadly liberal age such notions do not pre-
vail Business men now are the most prac-
tical, have larger views Of affairs, and, from
the magnitude of their operations and inter-
ests, are naturally more conservative than pro-
fessional politicians. They are best suited for
high Offices in the government, and General
Grant, in composing his Cabinet, has recog-
nized this fact. How absurd, then, to keep a
law on the statute book which excludes from
Office such class of men! How absurd, too,
to expect or require men to give up large
and profitable business for the barren honor of
holding Office few years! In fact, there are
few in this active age and country who are
not engaged in some business, except limited
number of professional politicians; and to
exclude men of business from Office is to pro-
scribe the bulk of the intelligent community
and to deprive the country of their
services. But, as we said, this law Of 1889
has long been dead letter and imperative.
Very many of our prominent ofice-holders have
had some kind of business and held on to it
while in Office. There is scarcely q member
of Congress who is not banker, railroad
director or engaged in something else; yet the
laws he helps to make may bear directly upon
his interests. It is all bosh talking about a
man not being fit for Secretary Of the Treasury
because he happens to be engaged in trade or
commerce. The law Of 1889 ought to be
repealed.


General Grant should stick to Mr.. Stewart
and flight it out on that line if it takes all
summer" or longer and Mr.. Stewart should
not resign. 1t is good appointment and has
the confidence of the capitalists aud business
community of New York and the country gene
rally. 1t has had the best effect in Wall street,
where every one speaks Of it favorably. If the
radicals of the Senate did not intend to make
war on and to control the President they would
remove the seeming disability at once. If the
President yields in this instance he will
strengthen their power, will make them more
exacting, and it will be difficult for him to
break up the whiskey ring and other corrupt
rings, the power of which is centred in these
very radical Senators who have commenced
war on his administration. Perhaps the ques-
tion might be carried to the Supreme Court,
and il so the President should stand by his
Secretary and let his enemies carry It there.
The Senate has confirmed Mr.. Stewart; the
President has taken him accordingly into his
Cabinet Councils. lie has asked the repeal
of this law of 80, in regard to this officer.
Let him wait for the answer of the Senate
to this request. A caucus dodge like that
Of yesterday does not meet the case. At
all events he should not yield to the faction
of radical politicians, but should stick to his
appointment of Mr.. Stewart and make the fight
on him test of loyalty in Congress to his
administration. He has the people with him
now, and they will go with him on this ques-
tion If he maintains his accustomed frmness
and carries out his resolution to purge the