Year: 1869

| The National Ltelligencer in comments
ing upon the criticisms INDUCED in by
Republicans upon the hesitancy of Gen
eral Grant to advise with the leaders OF
the party which elected him, and referring
to the Endorsement of these criticisms by
the World says:


! We are inclined to take view exactly
different from that of the Uorld. In the
first place; we are pretty sure that since
the Presidential election General Grant
has discussed the public business quite as
much in conversation with prominent gen.
tlemcn Of the Republican party and mem
bers OF Congress as he ever did Mt any
time before. We take it for granted that
since the election nobody has expected
him to indulge in speech-making, writing
letters, &c. To have done so would have
done no good whatever; it would only
have lessened his dignity and frittered
away his power. 1t is not his way, as all
know who have watched his career. We
are free to say that there is no part of
General Grants antecedents which is more
satisfactory to us than his refusal to ac-
cept public reception, and the DISPOSE
ton he has shown since his election not
unduly to intrude his opinions or himself
upon the public. But, so far as members
are concerned, we have strong suspicion
that upon any question Of public business
any member of Congress who desires to
consult him will readily obtain susges-
tions as to the proper time and mode of
dealing with it. On some points it is pret
ty well known that the views of General
Grant have been expressed in conversation,
and they have found their way to the pub
lie. 1t is no secrect at all that General
Grant thinks it advisable to transfer the
management Of Indian affairs to the w ar
Department, nor that he desires the un-
qualified repeal of the civil tenure bill.
On neither point does the Senate appear
disposed to carry out his views, especially
as to the last and more important of the
two measures. Again, the opinions of
General Grant have been very pointedly
expressed in favor of retrenchment and
upon his entrance into Office by having to
carry out extravagant and wasteful appro-
priations, and on this point, as we'll as the
repeal Of the civil-tenure bill, we think he
did right to speak out. The people have
elected him President. 1t is the business
of Congress, by repeating the civil>tenure
act, to give him the real, substantial, and
rightful power of the Executive Office, and
it is no less their business to take care that
the purse they hand over to him be not
an empty one.


The Mtelligencer is likely to be well in,
formed, and there is, therefore, no doubt
that there is an important disagreement
between the President-elect and the ma
jority of the Senate. The matter of trans.
ferring the control of Indiap affairs to the
War Department is Of great consequence
that Of the repeal of the Tenure-of Office
Act is equally important to the country
and to General Grant. In consequence OF
the disagreement between the Senate and
President johnson, the former has been
enabled to keep the corrupt whiskey ring
in power, and enabled it to swindle the
government out of hundreds of millions
Of dollars, and yet make many persons
belivve that the President was the person
to blame. We can we'll believe that Gen
eral Grant does not wish to bear such
odium, and that he is anxious to have the
power where it is liable to responsibility
But the Senate is note disposed to trus
Grant. He is not pronounced Radical


He is in favor of economy. Plainly, then
the Senate is disposed to hold the power
it has, and is not desrous Of cahnging it.
present extravagant, for an economical
course. What Grant will say and do W,
i shall soon know