Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-06
GRANT AND THE POLITICIANS.

WhaG VIII the New President Have
Congress Dos Let ns Have Penec.''
As the time for Congress to assemble sp-
| proaches, great many anxious politicians
of the responsible party are calling on Mr.
Grant to learn what he wants to have done.
All the Radical Senators and Congressman
who have beer at Washington this winter
have called on him for that purpose. In
| deed, not a few have travelled from their
distant homes to Washington expressly to
find out what Grant wants to have done.
The interest on this subject among Radi-
cal politicians rises TO a degree Of great
anxiety. 1t is essential that the party
should be united. 1t is essential to unity
that the party should act with a common
understanding. 1t is essential to a common
understanding that the party leaders should
know what Grant wants TO have done.
Of course, every leader has his own
opinions as to what should be done. Bot
every leaders opinion differs in some par
ticular from every other leaders opinion
There is no possible way Of reconciling
these differences ofopiuion bat TO ascertain
what the leader-in.chief wants to have
done.
The interviews between the sublesdeis
and the leader-in-chief are sometimes more
amusing than instructive. Upon a recent
occasion, there were assembled 10 the par
lors OF the latter a goodly number of sub
leaders, of very divergent views, all
anxious TO find out what Grant wants to
have done, and none knowing exactly how
to Get about making the much desired die
c0very.
Senator Morton, a man Of more bold
ness and face than the rest, was the fore
most speaker. "The people" said Senator
Morton, "manifestly expect that the present
Congress will not put of the financial
question to its successor. | think, Gen
eral. that the people desire speedy return
to specie basis, as the only alternative
they are willing to accept for paying the
bonds in lawful money. 1t seems TO me
all important that we should head of that
proposition, as the only way Of preventing
it from taking our heads off,"
'GeneralP cried Mr.. Jay Cooke, leap
ing to his feet before the last observation of
the Indiana Senator was fairly cut of his
mouth General l can hardly conceive
Of the possibility that distinguished Re-
publican Senator should allude to the
heresy of paying bonds with greenbacks as
a thing possible. Not only is it a nathe-
matical impossihility but the pledge OF
the national faith given in my advertise
ments-"
beg the genileman's pardon, inter-
rupted the Indiana Senator, with some as.
berity =" but would he be kind enough TO
mention the authority that made BIN the
custodian of the public faith ?"
al onorn % n thu hnr1 hro kor hI do
test the spirit Of technically nay, APP
peal against that spirit TO you, Gen. -.
Gentlemen" said Gen. Grant, "let
US have peace p
81 quite agree with the General" said
Mr.. Boutwell, what we want 70 do is
to get peace. And to get peace we want
reconstruction. have already prepared
bill to eacL more stringent"
The prevailing stringency in monetary
affairs" interrupted a Western member
warns us, think, that what the country
most wants is something LEES stringent. |
am afraid we have already pushed the
stringency business about as far as the
country will stand"
"Does the gentleman propose TO desert
the cause Of justice and humanity p de-
manded the RECONSTRUCTION.
"The gentleman does not think it adj
visable to incite the people to desert that
cause, in order to carry out fanatical
whim," retorted the other.
"The word fandticdL," said the recon
structor, may be intended for an insult.
II So
Gentlemen" said Gen. Grant, "let us
have peace"
"As was proceeding to observe" said
| the recOnstructOr-
with the gentleman's permission"
interposed New York member. Il
would suggest that the state Of the coun-
try is such renders it impossible 70
evade the financial question, even If such
evasion we're desirable. Does the same
impossibility appear in the reconstruction
question ? / appeal TO Gen. Grant to
know if, in his opinion, the States already
RECONSTRUCTED could not be left to manage
their own affairs at their own cost, and
thus relieve the Federal treasury at least
to that extent"
Before the General gives his opinion"
the declaration that the gentleman's sug-
/ RtrAlOu luNOiNtS u B<GC AiiiA ECGLCduN aOahN
onment Of the high mission of the Rspub-
| lican party-a cowsrdly-"
Gentlemen" said Gen. Grant, DIET Va
have peace" B..
1T has been, in all ages of the world"
said Mr.. Charles Sumner, taking the floor,
and producing a vast roll of manuscript,
"the doctrine Of history"
"The doctrine of history be id !" cried
an irascible little congressman from south
ern Ohio; 1--WE don't want any of that /;
we want to know how we debtors out
West are going to pay you creditors down
East"
Treason !" calculated the reconstruction I;
the very language Of Horatio Seymour, the
chief among traitors"
On my section" said the irasciblc, I'VE
are not habituated TO being called traitors.
VIII gentlemen please stand back"
'Gentlemen, said Gen. Grant, let Us
have peace"
At this juucture, the Indiana Senator
again took the floor. As he did so, the
Vice President elect was seen looking for
his hat; the irascible member was elbow
ing his way through the crowd toward the
reconstructor, who, for some reason, had
changed His place, and now stood, hat IN
hand, in front of an open window. The
reporter, being person in favor Of peace
left about the same time. As he passed
the corner, he says he saw man, resem'
bling the recoustructOr, leap huTrledly
Trough a window and make of, while thu
!; fists of a smaller person were gesticulateC
violently through the easement. At tn
same time he thinks he heard the voice o
t Gen. Grant, in tone of much earnestnesp
saying, Gentlemen, let III have peace -
| (hicnno TiInes