Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-04
General Grant as President and What He
.tebiFcl1 VIII Do. cta1 d0ea ea''

the Government ana IN OLD politician
The following is the story, which is in
teresting, IT, not sensational, In these
extraordinary times:l - - ihisl 'iia
I had q few days since very impor-
tant interview with an old politician, a
man whose word, il were permitted to
mention his name, would add immense
weight to the statements / am about to
lay before your readers In regard TO the
quiet but steady revolution upon which
we have already entered. This gentle
man has been for several years employed
by the United States Government as q
secret aud confidential agent both before
and during the war. His powers OF OBJ
scrvation sxrpass those of ordinary citi-
zens, and his acquaintance with leading
men In Washington. As such i asked
him few leading questions, to which /
received replies, which prefer to give
| in his own words. Not being permitted
to make use of his name, i will desig-
nate him as "agent" The following is
the substance Of the conversation had !:
Correspondent Who do you think
will be President? hna SD t,i'gec IL.
Agent-General Grant, beyond perad-
venture. The Democratic party can do
nothing to prevent il. Even if the Gene.
raj cannot receive full number of
votes, there are already plans on foot to
make him President sli cturo.g
|. Correspondent-Do you think the peo.
pie are opposed to himY
| Agent--Y es, do. But the misfortune
is that the Democratic party has no great
man to oppose him. There is no jack
son or Douglas in its ranks there is no
man who can give wise counsels to the
party in these extraordinary times; none
to keep the party on the initiative With
a lack of great men nothing remains but
organization and old party traditions,
with nothing in the prospective to make
it successful. The Republicans not only
have one, but many great names, and the
| greatest of them all is General Grant.
Correspondent-What do you think of
General Grant2 gee % -wo
Agent have had several converse
| tions with him. / made him a present in
the name of self and other citizens, of
house in Thirty-sixth street, subject to
certain mortgage, which was subse-
quently taken off by the Union League
Club. This brought me in close contact
with him, and must say that, consider.
| ing all outward appearance, l never saw
a more commonplace man; aye, even his
horse talk was very common. But, never
theless, / tell you he is vastly UNDER
rated. There is more stuff in him than
in any other man living. Gen. Francis
Blair only the other day told me that
Grant proposes to be President, and when
once in the White House he proposes to
stay there. He thinks himself as great
as Cromwell, and has not the least doubt
but things will shape themselves in
fashion that will keep him in the Presi-
Dental chair as dictator. ..e1
Correspondent-What indications do
you see of all this? hgs
, Agent-A short time since, while in
the cars from Washington to Baltimore,
General Banks gave, me his wife to take
care Of while he was looking after some
baggage. Now. you know all women will
talk, and Mrs. General Banks is no ex-
ception to the rule. In the course of
conversation she said, General Grant
makes mistake; when he has some
thing to do he never consults, the states
men--he never asks the opinions Of lead
ing civilians or prominent Congress
men he only talks to his staff, and has
no relations whatever with the lead
ers OF the Republican party. Now
this does not relate to General Banks,
for after all he is an army officer. But,
do you know" continued Mrs. Banks,
"that the reign of the lawyer statesmen
will be at an end when General Grant is
in power The Wilson's, the Trumbulls,
the Summers, the Colfaxes will have to
make room for the Shermans, the Cam
bys, the Sheridans, and the Meades.
His method of reconciling the Southern
States will not only be the restoration of
States, with all their rights aud privileges,
but the elevation of the Lees, the Long
streets, the Beauregards, as true repre-
sentatives of the Southern people .dsi)
r7 With their aid, military men North as
we'll as South, he will form govern
ment that will be government Well,
sir" continued the agent, in a pensive
tone, with General Grant in the Presl-
dental chair, good-by to lawyers, good
by TO negrophilism. The man on horse
back will be there, and you will have
q strong. powerful government gov
eminent that, while robbing the people
of their inherent rights of liberty, will
nevertheless be exceedingly popular,
owing to its audacious policy, which will |
embrace nothing less than making the |
United States the greatest and most
influential power on earth. The |
annexation of Canada, the absorp- |
ton of Mexico, the seizure of the 18th |
mus of Panama-all these questions will |
be sprung upon the people, and attention
will be distracted from domestic to for
eign affairs. A strong feet will be sent
to the Chinese and Japanese waters, and
for the first time the United States will
be recognized as the srbiter of the vast
interests concentrated in Asia. Foreign
affairs will occupy a large portion OF the
attention of bis administration, and the
United States will demand to be heard en-
ell questions affecting commercial and
political changes in Europe and Asia,
which enter into the discussions of Eu-
ropean potentates. ilrII ca 90 oi 4
Now, then, you may shake your head
about Grant not having designs so ex-
traordinarily ambitious Why, then,
has bis man Friday, Washburn, of
Illinois, made q most important move in
the House q few days ago, which has
been entirely overlooked, even By the
Argus eyed press Of the country 2 Wash
burn proposed TO abolish the washing
ton police department, and to let soldiers
attend TO duties now performed By the
police. Fortunstelyl his game was
blocked for the tine being, bat on being
asked the object Of such a scheme he did
rsallv not know how to reply. and finally
stammered out the word ecoaomy.
Economy. forsoo,hl Why, just think Of
n. 10 put soldiers around The White