The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-02-11
Grant and Stanton.

The controversy which is now in pro-
gress relative ID the opposition by Mr..
stanton to General Grant, when the latter
had command in the West, recalls TO our
mind events which transpired after Gen
eral Grant took command of the Eastern
armies. Whatever may be the truth in
regard to Mr. Stanton desiring to super
sede General Grant and place the Western
armies under the command of Mr.. Banks,
there is no DENYING the fact that subse-
quent action of Stanton furnishes at least
circumstantial proof that hose charges
are true. Still further events prove that
Stanton never gave to Grant the full as
sistance of the War Department until he
was obliged to.
Soon after General Grant took command
of the Army of the Potomaca controversy
took place between him and Secretary
Stanton, in reference 20 the former order
ing the troops, which were stationed
around Washington and Baltimore, to the
front, to assist in the active operations
against General Lee. A large number of
troops were lying idle at Washington,
which Grant desired to add to his army
then fighting in the Wilderness, and
ordered them to the frort. Secretary
Stanton, still clinging to his cid nightmare
about the danger of the capital, which he
used for the purpose of weakening General
Mcclellan, insisted and demanded that
General Grant should order those troops
back to the Washington forti6cations.
Grant refused. Stanton reiterated his de-
mand, finally declaring that he outranke0
Grant, and would order them back him
self Grant appealed TO Lincoln, and the
latter sustained him. The details of this
controversy were published in the Herald
at the time, and extensively copied by the
press throughout the country.
After the close of the war, and during
the winter of 1865 and 1866, when the ex
IRENE Radicals in Congress were working
up their fight and laboring to widen the
breach between them and President j. Ohm
son. they became alarmed at the prospect
Of General Grant taking sides with the
President. To prevent this, and for the
purpose Of securing a breach between
these two officials, an extensive intrigue
was commenced to get up a quarrel. AL
most nightly caucuses were held at the
rooms of well-known politician at the
National HOTEL where a programme was
cOncOcted 10 secure this breach between
Grant and Johnson. These caucuses were
attended by such Senators as Chandler,
Wade, Cresswell and also by members OF
the House. A programme was marked
out for certain parties, who had the con-
fidence of Grant, to poison his mind
against the President, and at the same
time to prevail upon him t, commit some
act or issue an order that would enable
Butler and Stanton, who had been select
cd for that purpose, to use with Johnson
against Grant At this period Butler was
az swords point with the present Presi-
dent-elect, and was only too anxious to
get him into a muss The scheme of the
intriguers worked well until the point was
reached when an open rupture appeared
inevitable. Grant and Johnson had COM
menced to denounce each other, and the
time arrived when il only needed some
overt act to insure public breach that
could not be easily healed. at this juno
ture Grant was prevailed upon to issue
the order suppressing the Richmond Er
0miR6r.
This act was taken by those in this in.
trigue as the turning point, and certain to
insure their triumph. They became sc
elated over the success of their plot that
they were unable to keep it to themselves
and commenced talking about it publicly
The result was that the details became
known to Senators Dixon and Ooolittle
who immediately called upon the Presi-
dent forthwith sent for General Grant, and
related the circumstances as they had
come to his ears The latter saw at once
the trap that had been set for him, modi
fed his order in reference to the Examiner
Joined hands with the President against
the plOtters and they were foiled. Mr.
Bennett, of the Herald, has the details OF
this intrigue among his private papers un-
less he has DESTROYED them, from WHOM
we have no doubt, General Grant can 90
tain copy if he desires to refresh
his mind in regard to who were engaged
in the plot.
This scheme being frustrated, another
was started, and as part of the programme
Secretary Stanton issued orders over
Grants head, and held back soma Of those
which Grant issued through the Adiutani
Generals Department The General was
annoyed, and submitted as long as he
could, when he demanded of the Presi
dent that Stanton should be compelled to
stop his interfering or go out of the Cabi
net Stanton placed in this alternative
as matter of course, yielded and remained
ut his post These facts go to show the
probabilities of the truth of the charges
that Stanton tried to supersede Grant
when on the Mississippi and place his
command under Banks They also show
that Stanton never yielded Grant his full
support, except when he was obliged to
either by the emergencies of the campaign
or through the Intervention of the Presi
dent. Still further, that if he had been al
lowed his own way he would have encom
passed the overthrow of Grant just IS be
did McClellan.-Netc York Citizen.