Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-09-14
GRANT AS A BUMMER.


The New York World says /; "There is
story which has long been current in
military circles Of certain captain of the
Fourth United States infantry, who being
stationed on the Pacific coast somo twenty
years ago, repeatedly disgraced himself by
being found drunk while on duty. His
superior officer, long unwilling to ruin him,
finally found it necessary to take decisive
steps. Hecalled the delinquent before him,
aud insisted upon his givingfiu his written
resignation. shall not use this said
the colonel, unless you compel me to by
again publicly bringing scandal upon the
service. In that case will instantly for.
ward it to Washington The story runs
that after no great lapse of time the un-
happy captain once more lapsed. The
threat was executed. The army lost an
officer and st. Louis gained citizen. To
no man in the country can this story be
better known than to President Grant"
We are able to state. tho facts alluded
to above with exactness, and we think it
our duty to do so. While scjourning at
Washington in 1867, We met a gentleman
who was an officer in the regiment at the
time referred to. Its commander was COL
onel, afterwards general, Buchanan, who
commanded at New Orleans for some time
during the war. The " captain" referred
to was Lieutenant Grant. His dissipa-
tion was shocking and perpetual, and fn-
ally eliminated, at public dinner Of the
officers, in an offense-nameless here-so
Aagraut and revolving that Col. Buchanan
gave to Grant the alternative of resignation
or court. martial. OF course he preferrd
the former, and resigned as affirmed above.
The colonel agreed to hold it until Grant
got drunk, again, which was very soon,
and it was then forwarded to the depart
ment. Our informant says that Grant left
the camp, and lived for some time in
most abject degradation among the neigh
boring Indians. Then he went to San
Francisco and opened billiard saloon,
which he kept till he "run himself out"
when he sailed for New York. Now let
US meet him in New York: Ho arrived
without dollar. He sent to an officer in
command of, the harbor-and we have
this from the officers own lips-to come
to the city and meet him. He did so, and
supplied him with money to reach his
wife's friends in Missouri, and not one cent
of the money was ever refunded. His ca.
reer in Misonri, while living on the farm
with his father in law, was simply awful.
We will not say what We know to be true
in regard to it. We only add, if required
to "match it," in depravity and degreda-
tion, We could not do it in the limits Of our
acquaintance. We know hn carried the
same habits into the army, and we believe
that hundred thousand of his own men
were necdlessly sacrificed in consequence,
and we can show when and how, with
abundance Of contemporary testimony,
which we will produce if any body wants
it. We sincerely believe that Mr.. Grant
is not fit for any public position whatever,
intellectually or morally, and that if our
people knew the simple truth in regard to
him, he would not get an honest vote
Let such voters make it their business to
learn before they commit the fatal error Of
voting for him again.