Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-02-14
Spirit ut g9sfstsuu.
ehaTleslowD, Va, February IA, 1871,
Ex-President johnson on President
7'' .Lrr Grant.

zdrA correspondent of the Cincinnati Com
an.1ciut has visited Ex-Presideut johnson at
his home in GrecOvilIc, Tenn, aud elected
fron him tie following very caudid remarks
coEcerniug General Grant: ..-.
"Ihe intelligent men of the party don't
know whatI dOWuh Grant. IL rwould gratiTy
them much If he would resign, but he wont.
So far fr0m resigutug, he's working aud iu-
triSuiUg Cor second term. lie will never
get IL. lie is no more Ii for President than
u goose. lie has got no ability noiiiny bur
i'tie low cunning. His cunning Is vi u poor
sort l; is mcan cunning lie neycr had an
original idea IL his lie. He is au IuSignifi-
cEut !itt!e-tcliUw, a buUdle Vf peFs, nai Iiuucs,
petty s!htes, ana Pr jIdice. He is u selfish
as tie uays are long. He u.ed tie hi,,!es,
"tnce Iva tne gift OF the people IL uGvuuce his
private eHds aui those OF his family, aud
lLirignr Tor second term lie knows a little
something about horses. ba, las not braius
enough 10 make i irst.c.asS horse Jockey If
turnG' Vut to the business, uilhpu.n that is
aIoat ali he Is IL iur. II We are to have
hose jockey Tor the hi.i est vthGe in the land
We ought 10 have good one. .----.
"Grants cUmln.s to IAe sui face il the result
OF un ucc'dcuI nay, Il Is au accident. You
may search history from the foundation of the
world TO the present, aud you will not fiud n
case like his-a man vino rose solely by the
power of accident. lu The boiling cau!drou
ut war, the scum rises to the top. In the
bubbIiGg OF lie came up from the bottom, aud
run oh, as scuG' always will, or we should
never have heard Of him. By a series Of nc.
cldents he rose 10 the command OF the army.
lie was he creator Oy peculiar combination
Of circumstances
'lIe rose to the top in the general turmoil
aud throwing up. Tho rebellion would have
been suppressed without him. lleWas an in.
cIdcnt to the estrugg.e-Hke "a baggage. wagon.
for example. y baggage wagon had "A part to
perform, but without the war sentiment and
patriotism ia the north, it could have done
nothing Neither could Grant. Every,hipy
was furnished him tha. he wanted. His
armies largely Outnumbcred the rebels
Every engine OF war was placed at his dis
posal. The rebellion went down while he was
III command. II any body else had been in
command ut the time il would have been the
same, although the result would most likely
have been brought about with less loss Of !ilo
iis wilderness campaign was a perfect mas
sacTe. Ills road was paved with skGIIs aud
washed with blood. lis conduct ia regard
to the exchange of prisoners was inexcusable
In his correspondence on the subject he let
ole sentence drop which illustrates his chnr-
acIer. ray Of light passing through Il
cEcVIce Will often light mp whole room. So
il is with the character ufl man. .
I'VE frequently get clear insight into his
heart, as it were, by single sentence that he
may write or speak. He is utterly remorse-
less. Objec'ipg to tOexchungius prisoners with
the rebels because our men in their hands we're
weak aud emaciuted, while the rebel prisoners
were strong and able to go right iuto the army
and fight US. wen
Grant, sir, is a small man; he is little
every way you take him. lie is u .GuGdic Of
small, contemplate prejudices. Tie docs not
rise to the dignity Of. u man. He lacks cour-
age we'll discrimination. lie thinks he
is making tools OF certain politicians, when,
IN truth, they are making tool Of'him. But
he does not know it /; he is 90 be pi,ied.
Before / would 20 into Grants Cabinet,
either iu 1872 or any other rime,I would get
ne situation as assistant hOg-d or. as
nu old mau IN the country used to say, 1 would
tic sroPe around my meek aud then around q
tree, aud walk of" .a