The Republican journal., 1871-01-05
The Ex-Presidents Opinion Of President
Grant

Democrats need hardly express an opinion
of their own, nowadays, about President
Grant and the Radical managers, for they can
find so many pungent opinions expressed by
| Grant & Co. of one another.
| In another place we refer to Grants opin-
ion Of Sumner, as stated by the Washington
correspondent of the Gazette, while below
we give EX-Prcsident Johnson's opinion of
Grant, as we find it in n letter from Green
vile, Tennessee, to the Commercial. John
son was interviewed with the following re-
suit as to Grant and his message:
GRANT AND Ills MESSAGE
l presume that it is generally known that
johnson does not like Grant, and that Grant
does not waste any love on johnson. The
unpleasantness arose some time ago, when
johnson accused Grant of prevarcating. He
sticks to it that he caught him in q falsehood
and thinks that he will tell an untruth as
| quick as a truth to subserve his ends.
| | asked him what he thought OF Grants
message
"Well" replied he, '.it's about the weakest
document that was ever under the necessity
of being called State paper. Tn fact, it is
no State paper. 1t is as weak as water
There is not a point in it. You can't tell half
the time what he is driving at, and it is doubt
ful if he knows himself. | see that great
many Republican journals are condemning
it.. The fact is, they are tired of Grant. The
intelligent men of the party don't know what
to do with him. 1t would crafty them much
if he would resign, but he won't. 50 far
from rcsigning, he's working and intriguing
for a second term. He will never get it. He
is no more fit for President than goose.
He has got no ability-nothng but Il little
low cunning His cunning is Of poor sort
it is mean cunning. He never had an original
idea in his life. He it an insignificant little
fellow, a bundle of personal piques, pettyspites
and prejudice. He is as selfish as the DAYS
are long. He Nsed the highest Office in the
gift of the people to advance his private ends,
and those of his family, and intrigue for a
second term. tie knows q little something
about horses, but has not brains enough to
make iirst-class horse, Jockey, if turned out
to the business, although that is about all lie
is fit for. If we are to have q horse Jockey
for the highest office in the land, we ought to
have a good one
"Grant's coming to the surface is the re-
s'll OF an accident; nay. II is the accident of
an accident. You may search history from
the foundation OF the world to the present,
and you will not find q case like hs--l man
who rose solely by the power OF accident.
In the boiling cauldron OF war, the scum
rises TO the top. In the bubbling off he
came up from the bottom and ran off, Us
scum always will. or we should never have
heard Of him. BY 4 series Of accidents he
rose TO the command of his army. He was
the creature OF a peculiar combination of cir
rumStances.
He rose to the top in the general turmoil
han I
been suppressed without him. lIew an in
cldent to the strugge-like baggage wagon
for example A baggage -wagon had :: part
to perform, but without the war sentiment
and patriotism in the North, it could have
done nothing. Neither could Grant Every
thing was furnished him that he wanted His
armies largely outnumbered the rebels
Every engine of war was placed at his dis
posal. The rebellion went down while he
was in command. If any body else had been
in command at the time it would have been
the same, although the result would most
likely have been brought about with less loss
OF life. His Wilderness campaign was per-
feet massacre. His road was paved with
skulls and washed with blood ills conduct
In regard to the exchange of prisoners was
ineXcusable. In his correspondence on the
subject he let one sentence drop which Illus
trates his character. A ray Of light passing
through q crcvicc will often light up a whole
room. SO it is with the character of a man.
We frequently get clear insight into his
heart as it We're, by a single sentence that he
may write or speak. lie is utterly remorse-
less. Directing to exchanging prisoners
with the rebels because our men in their
hands were weak and emacatcd, while the
rebel prisoners were strong and able to go
right into the army and fight us.
"Grant. sir, is a small man he is little cv-
cry way you take him. He is u bundle of
small contemplate prejudices. lie does not
age as we'll as discrimination. He 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 to be pitied."