Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-21
Street Fight Between Grant and Senator
Chandler in 1851.

From the Augusta Sentinel.I
In the winter of 1901, Gen. Grant was
stationed with his regiment in Detroit,
the home of Hon. Zach. Chandler, Sena-
tor from Michigan, the man who, in
1861, thought the country needed little
blood letting. At that time Grant was
lieutenant in the service, and was de-
eidcdly a very fast young man. He had
little Indian pony he used to ride up
and down the street on clean jump. 1t
80 happened that, on one occasion, he
slipped and fell on the icy sidewalk in
front Of Zach Chambers house. There.
fore he brought suit against Chandler for
neglect to clear his sidewalk, to which
complaint Chandler made answer that
Grant would not have fallen had he not
been drunk. In view of the present POI
sition of the parties toward each other,
the story will bear relating. We find it
in the Chicago Times:
=" Chandler lived humbly great in his
peculiar line at the time of Ulysses
advent in Detroit; shortly after which,
upon keen cold morning, the tempest
was shrieking through the streets-the
TEMPEST born in the land of the Ojibbe-
WAYS, produced in the laboratory of
storms far off toward the North pole, on
PURPOSE to do honor to the incident we
are about to relate. The reader will
perceive that nature works hard for her
faSorites. Well, the tempest was there
in the streets of Detroit. So was Ulysses;
while behind his counter, standing like
Joye with his thunderbolts, was Zachary,
armed with his yard stick. So, probably
the sun and moon stand, unconscious of
approaching eclipse. Upon this tenn
pestuous day, form enclad in military
ovcrcoat might have been seen walking
with martial dignity over the iron-clad
surface of the sidewalk in front Of
Zachary's domicil. This form was a
man, and smoked q cigar. Concealment
may now be dropped, for the reader has
recognized Ulysses A close view Of his
features disclosed an expression of
determination and heroic air, betoken-
ing the future friend and ally of Stanton.
He glared at the ice bound walk and
the ice-bound walk glared back at him.
His feet slipped, but he executed q flank
movement and regained them. They
slipped again; he hsnked egsin--butin
vain. He fell toths ground and lost his
cigar. The tempest howled around him,
dashed into bis face, whirled hiS hat off,
hove away his cigar, and whisked his
illustrious hair on end. His eminent
overcoat was torn; his grand shoes we're
split; his sacred breeches we're preached,
and the ged-like calf Of his lofty leg was
confused. He lay there, spectacle of
dignity and honor. Hal he muttered,
I'll fight il out on this line--will p
He clenched his teeth, was picked up by
a pedestrian, and disappeared. So ''
1.-THE next day the following complaint
was lodged in the Mayors Court of the
city of Detroit;
Estate of Michigan, City of Detroit,
ss.-Ulysses S. Grant, being duly sworn
deposeth and ssith, that, on or about the
10th day of January, A. d. 1851, and
for twenty FIVE days previous therto,
Zachary Chandler did neglect to keep
his sidewalk free aud clear from snow,
10 and on Jackaop avenue, in front OF
the house occupied by him; and did
then and there commit many other acts
contrary to the ordinances OF said city.
Further deponent saith not.
az. S. GRANT.
"Sworn TO and subscribed before me,
this 10th day of January, A. d., 1851.
81. VAN RENSSELAER,, City Clerk"
THE reader will perceive by this COM
plant that Zachary, even at that remote
day, pFscticed the doctrines of contempt
for law, which have since made him
Radical great man. Under this COM
plant, his sacred person was seized by
vile tip-staf, and be was carried into the
dread presence Of justice but he was
unabashe6, aud seofned any aid save his
0za. De appeared as his own counsel,
aud Ulysses and be stood face to iaes
Imagine the meetipgl Il was tke the
sun and moon hob-Dobbi5s. Zachary
denied that be has A hessei add asserted
that il he bad one, there was no walk IN
fISnt Of It; And that, il there was a walk,
Ulysses was never on IL; end that II he
was on il, be fell down because he was
drunk.
" sacA vas zschary't defence, and it
flled Grants maruarsoul with such ire
that be forthwith proceeded 10 a saddlers
and purchased a rawhide-a strong, tough
supple. singing implement--With which
be went forth 10 meet Zachary. They
net--"'twas in q crowd ION jefferson
avenue Ulysses approached on Zach
ary's centre and gave him y cut which
Zschary eVaded b. q fauk movement, IN
executing which be exposed his rear,
which his wary enemy Immediately at
tackled With such vigOr that Zach san