The New York herald., 1871-11-23
TNE ANTi-GRANT MOVEMENT.
Views Of General Butler, Senator
Wilson and ThurlOw Weed
on the Subject.
The Essex Statesman's Early
Explanation.

BOSTON, NOV. ~, 1871.
Tbat little story which came from washington
the other day telling all about the organized oppo
sitlon OF leading republicans against General Grants
renomination; how they were to meet and consult
at Harrisburg on the day set apart for q national
thanksgiving, ana how they were to set q trap for
disancctcd or progressive democrats. was really
laughable In every feature. According to the
luacrous dispatches the second nomination
OF Geueral Grant would have seemed to have been
an impossibiity; but when the matter Is really
penetrated he Is round TO be the favore In the race,
even among those who have been charged with
taking lively interest among the whole held Of
popular competitors who willing to be entered
| against him. The story, 1t has been published
here and there, has been TO the effect that the
3oth OF the present month"; four days before the
assembling OF Congress, a secret council
was to be held In Philadelphia, Baltimore
or narrisburg-nost probably In the latter
place-which would be composed or General Bcnja-
min +. Butler, OF Massachusetts,; Senator Carl
Scnur1, OF Missouri; Jacob b. Cox OF Ohio; Senator
Spencer, Of Alabama; W. NJ. Eyarts, Thurow Weed,
Horace Greeley c. A. Dana and George Wilkes, Of
New YORK; Senator Trumpul, OF Illinois. and some
half dozen or more others Of the ant-Grant repub-
lican managers; that Senators sumner ana wills on,
OF Massachusetts, would also each have finger In
the pie, but would not be present on the momen.
occaslon and that The object Of this cxtraord
nary assembage would be to arrange programme
for the coming Congress to head on General Grant
and 10 unite the republicans opposed to his nomlna.
ton upon some general plan OF operation.
such startling announcement inspired one Of
sought an interview with General Butler, the seem.
ingly alleged chief In this organized conspiracy
against The prolonglng OF the present executive
branch OF the national government went to the
Generals Office, and asccrtamcd that he was
gagged on the government side In the important
government swlndiing cases lately exposed in los
was ,Hc only alternative, and when he at length
arrived the HERALD corresponding made known Inc
i have called General" said the HERALD rep
resentalvc after the usual prcllminarles, "tO find
against General GRANTS renominarivn, which it IS
said, you arc az he head Of Can you give me some
The General bursting into hearty laugh, replied,
well, the whole affair seems to pc very clever
N e ees M Gof
but when saw that some OF the papers aud por-
statement should be contradictcd, and 'iAf nave ave-
already taken measures to denouDcc the story as
es e appss 10 am no, os,on,snea
az aDytning nowadays, out having seen this
strange statement ouSn ho, Woald ascertain
In my correspondence to the HERALp.n
IL am heartily glad" answered the General, '1hat
you have zone so, Tor only this morning prepared
and forwarded TO some OF the leading papers of the
country letter denying the whole story especially
so Tar as II refers TO mysefO
''iiave. you a copy OF that letter." inquired.
"Ies;n answered the General, "but / sent COPY
20 the HERALD this moInlng.n
How, by mail or telegraph ~ asked.
"by man. ne answered.
"0h wcln replied the HERALD correspondent.
that VIII never do for the HERALD. can't you let
me have a copy OF 1t 10 send by telegraph The
people OF the country are deeply Interested IN the
future Oh American politics, and are exceedingly
ANXIOUS 10 know whether or not there Is any truth
IN the story or an anti-Grant combination. win
General Butler as leader.n
Certainly, you can have copy and here IL is.p
said the General as ne pro iuced the folowing:-
To Tny EDITION oY THR HxEALD:- - '
sia-A ally paragraph stans that am engaged some
conspiracy with certain eminent gentlemen
10 defeat the rcnomnaon OF Grant 10 80 exxn
Gicllun
have neither said thought nor dreamed OF such thing
done when make conspiracy any purpose Is wi. NOT
apRss n a5e as"sFape' unu the @ea sSs"
read the letter over carefully, and then asked the
General II he did not believe that there was some
sort oi an ani-Grant movement golug on, and II he
aia not Know mat George Wilkes was in Boston,
). ''It would be very strange,n he answered, If
G'ner.i siant ha Nc epponehts.s Bat there is one
about = secret council ia Harrisburg is absolutely
anJ uLsSuaUcdly Ialae, and nothing more or less
than q ieAe upon some unsophis;icated correspon.
deLt. wIo mas served u up seriously and piauslbly
Ior lhe puoiic from beginning 10 END. II the lead.
iLa feploncans OF the country, sucn as are men,
uoIed IN connection with this conspiracy, were
easdged Ii any such movement, they wonld be
i.kcy To wat until after the meeting oi the National
LoAmlttef, and probably Until alter the assembling
~ ,v oeiaIe thcy made any public or o.en-
The balance Of the interview was upon matters
nef .; psrlis interest except perhaps an ailusion
ooDyrnuon Lpon ihls subject The General hAd no
Psrlca.ay wl,n or idea where Il would be he'd but
he lid lOt tn.lk II would be heid in Boston.
gFN.>ToR WILSON GipKs Ms VIEWS
Later Ia the Gas Jour correspondent met Senator
wilson, one VI tpe a..fsed Ap.i..aLt consplrstors