Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-03-10
From the Cincin 1Ati Enquirer, March /
Rich. RARE AJD RAGY Z!
STARTLING DEVELOPMENTS.
Jesse L.. Grant. Father of the President
nn Office Broker
Money VS.. Honesty.

Republican and Federal soldier, was ap.
pointed by President johnson Assessor for
the Cincinnati district, who was retained
in Office by President Grant, until yester-
day. when Colonel Weitzel entered upon
the discharge of the duties of the Office,
| Captain Stors having been removed. The
| following facts were ELECTED by reporter
of the Euq,sirer in conversation with
/ Captain 8.
Tomorrow, if we mistake not, Colonel
| Weitzel assumes possession OF your Of
| flee
Captain Stoms-Yes, sir and l am glad
that am to be succeeded by SO worthy
and competent gentleman. Although he
has not been familiar with this branch of
the revenue, bis knowledge of the law will
soon make him feel perfectly at home
Mr.. B. Why, Captain Stoms, was not
awsre, until l saw the reported converse
tion III the Times, that the Grant and
Stoms families were not on the best terms
At the outset of the Administration there
| Were certainly cordial relations between
them
Captain Stoms-There was as you say,
good feeling at one time. Father was a
Delegate to the Presidential Convention at
Chicago that nominated General Grant for
President. Old Jesse and his danghter-
now Mrs. Corbin-accom panied father to
Chicago, and afterward he procured tick
cts for the Presidents father and mother
to attend the Inauguration at Washing
ton.
Mr.. B.-Old Jesse claims, in that Times
report, that it was through his influence
that you were retained in Office by his son,
and that you repaid him (Old Jesse) for it
by writing abusive letters to Washington
against him-copies of which letters are
now in his possession
Captain Stoms-I did think at one time
that Old Jesse was my influential backer
at court, but have since learned to my
= satisfaction that it was not him who pre-
vented my removal at all, aud that my
head would have rolled on the official
block and into the official basket, bat for
the influence of General Jacob d. Cox,
the Secretary of the Interior, who at that
time enjoyed high favor with Grant, and
who had known me in my early admins ra-
tion of tho Office. But for him 7 would
have been removed. In regard to what
the Prosident's father says about my treat
ing him with iDgratitude, and writing
It letters to Washington vilifying him, there
was never bigger falsehood made out oi
whole cloth. [ never wrote but one letter
: respecting him, and that was after my re-
moval had been determined upon by his
= son. 1 directed that letter to the Presi-
n dent, who, l presume, from the Times
-. statement, sent it on to his father.
- should like to have him (Jesse Il. Grant
> publish that letter If he dare, and see il
it will sustain his charge against me-
repeat, most emphatically, Mr.. B., that he
8 and not [, las cause to be ashamed of tina
letter.
Mr.. B.-Have you copy Of it, and
r would you have any objection to shown G
{ it to me. as an old friend of yours and
your family
We were here shown copy of the let
ter, but, as Of course, we took no copy,
t we can only give its sI bstance, which we
= have done, and no doubt, correctly, as the
letter was a short one. IT read substan.
TALLY as follows:
CINCIENATI, o., Jan. 16, 1871.
GENERAL u. S. GRANT, President-ISn
: I understand that, through the influence
] of Mi. Jesse r. Grant, Messrs. Pulan and
q Weitzel have been appointed as Collector
and Assessor of the First and Second Ohio
Consolidated Districts. Mr. Jesse r.
: Grant has favored my removal for over a
: year for the following reasons, viz: He
requested of me tho reappointment of a
removed Gauger-displaced for miscon-
II duct III noffice-accompanied with n propo-
= sition which I sincerely trust may never
r be compelled to disclose to any ono but
!. yourself. He (Mr. Grant,, in converse.
ton with me, made use of these words,
substantially: $50 and SO has offered me
: five hundred dollars for a reappointmen Mt
0 as Gauger. He is rascal; but if you will
9 recommend him l will take his money and
8 give you one half of it," [ declined, hence
! his opposition.
y My friends are curious TO know why Mr..
Grant, my supposed warmest advocate,
t did not secure for me either the Assessor
: ship or Collectorship of the new District.
9 L trust when hear from YOU l will be en-
III nh fn 10 hat hnr il fin fhnr
casion to interrogate ne upon the subject.
Q (Signed) II. G.. SToMs.
Captain Stoms-In order to under and
9 t. e letter L have shown to ynu it will be
D necessary to go back htt and narrate
8 the events that brought upon me the
q enmity Of old Jesse. and, IL their results,
y led to my election from my office. YUu
J see my duty required me, on after the
q commencement Of the Graut Adl4inistra.
. ton, to recommend the whisky gaugers OF
!, my District. 1 did SO with great care and
s caution, although l was Immediately over
e whelmed with applications. The most
, persistent in his opportunities was old
II Jesse X. Grant he pursued me like q
= shadow. He baunte1 the Office at all
: hours, aud if be could not find me or my
0 brother he went to the store and annoyed
e my father. Although put ou my let CIV Q
e Of bis names, thtt did not content him,
e and he was as .e'entless as the horHe-leech,
e whose cry was Give lgive On one occA-
e sion Mr.. Grant called upon me and re-
Ie qutsted an interview. After some pre-
i liminlTy talk lie asked me why / had re-
moved Gang Peas? Nv answer was,
Is mainly b cause yu told ma that his Cffca
y record a>rus5 the river Los all nigh,
a. and that lie tcoDa bc 1" froHchioJ He said
Is ''Peas5 has bett + blood Ia hrs veins thar
10 any Stoms that ever lived" I replied,
a know DO'hing If his geuea:ogy. bnt fee
1t some iitCle si'Isfactlon in believing The
Stomses are htn tn"st / regret that eanno
say as much for J n a. this the old gen
g, tleman's finger, twitchel. and he ner-
lr vously grssped h1s cane, bnt said not
m word)
Mr.. l. --pDD y"u think Jesse F.. Gran
), had any prcuGIars expectations IN Mr.
a Pease's retention
Q. Answer can not sag to that, bu
i be was even more persistent about Pease
ut appointment (for he had been removed q