The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-08-18
PRESIDENTIAL PLEASIyRE
TAkIPS-WHAT BUCHANAN
DID, AND WHAT GRANT
WON'T DO.

The late pleasure trip of President
Grant and friends, on a government
vessel, at the Government expense,
has created feeling among some of
his supporters not very complinen-
tary to the honesty of the President.
The Radical papers make the
charge that President Buchanan once
took similar pleasure excursion on
board the Government steamer
"Harriet Lane" at the expense OF
the Government. This statement
has brought forth q rejoinder from q
gentleman connected with the Ad-
ministration of Mr.. Buchanan, who
thus, in relating the falsehood makes
the TaIlapoosa pleasure trip much
worse for Grant than If the charge
against Mr.. Buchanan had not been
made:
To the Editor Of the Morning Patriot:
I have no design to discuss the use
which it Is said General Grant is
making of the public ship ''Talla-
pOosa." But the statement that Mr..
Buchanan employed the "Harriet
Lane" in q similar way makes 1t
worth your while to publish the facts
as they occurred. They are not
generally known, and Justice to the
memory Of pure and upright mag
istrate demands they should not be
concealed,
After the ''Harriet Lane" had been
built and equipped, her commander
notified the Secetary Of the Treasury
that she was ready for q trial trip
down the Chesapeake bay, and that
he (the Secretary and such friends
as he saw proper to invite, would be
entertained on board the vessel or
laded wherever they chose during
the experimental cruise. The Secre-
tary invited his colleagues of the
Cabinett and their families, two or
three Of whom went and a large
number of other friends, including
several of the foreign ministers and
their suites. Miss Lane, for whom
the vessel had been named, was also
one Of the party. They were absent
about q week. The Presidents ap-
proval Of the expedition was not
sought beforehand, and was not
given afterwards. But as soon as he
was informed that the trial trip of q
public vessel had been turned into q
pleasure excursion. in which his own
family and the officers Of his admin
istratiOn had participated, he became
intensely dissatisfied and declared
that the expenses shouldf not be
borne by the treasury. But how to
prevent 1t was the question. TO re-
ject the account, If presented at the
proper department, would be, in the
last degree, offensive to those who
had accepted the invitation in the
improper In doing so. Mr. buchanan
dealt with the subject in the only
way which was recOncilable, at, once,
with delicacy to them, and justice to
the public He directed that the
bills should nOs be presented to the
accounting officers, but sent to him.
self TO be paid out Of his own pri-
vate pocket.
Mr.. Cobb, hearing indirectly or
the Presidents intentions, Anticipat-
ed him by getting the bill before it
reached the President, and paying 1t
himself. The bill speakOG covered
the extra expenses of the trip, or all
those beyond what the vessel would
have incurred If she had made the
trip with nobody on board except
those whose duty required them to
be there. The bill for these expenses
was not charged against the govern
ment, but paid as already stated.
]. 8, B.
York, Pa, July % 1868.