Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-07-31
VTFRIOL-A LIE our, AND GESERA Al
PLEAsANFON DID NOT TELL m

before the people, werepublish the whole
statement of the Grant-SchUrz affair, in
1.-THE following succinct and condensed
form. The ASSERTION, DENIAL and
PRooF Sufficiently explain themselves.
In the course Of Senator Schurzis speech
atSt. Louis, hemade the following re-
marks:
When the Santo Domingo matter was
pending, W gentlemen, in somewhat
intimate relations with the White
House, came to me, each one separately
soliciting my support to the project, and
telling me that | could have all the pa
tronage ] wanted if 1 would aid the
President. In January last, having
been slandered by the Administration
press, and tainted Oh the floor of the
Senate concerning the motives of my
opposition. inquired of n OF these
gentlemen whether his remarks COM
/ corning the Sant0 Domingo scheme and
the patronage were authorized by the
President. l quote the language of his
reply, referring to this subject Re
aGarding the conversation you refertoin !
ayour note, IremeInbeT it was with the
Uknowledge and consent and afterI had
Haeonversation withhimethe President)
THAT | called upon you and had the
"a conversation you spoke of. My im-l
u preston at this time is, that the Presi-
" dent desired your support for h eSanto
q Domingo scheme, and wished to be
4" on such terms with you that your sup
''pOrt could be obtained. Il de net now
I" Remember any particular language
q used at my interview with the Presi-
. dent and would not hazard doing him
- an injustice by attempting to quote
+" from memory, buttbe impression made
ttupon my mind by the Interview was
q fixed and 1distinctN This statement
seems to indicate that [ had a good
chance, for more patronage than ]
wanted, had / concluded to serve the
President at the expense of my convic-
items of duty. If one of us was in the
market, it was mott.
Immediately after the appearance OF
the above, the Cabinet met without the
direct call of the President, all being
present except Delano and Robson.
The greatest CONSERVATION prevailed,
and after a most animated discussion il
was decided by the Cabinet that the
President should give a fiat denial to
The whole affair. Hence the following
from Grants organ, the New York
Times of July oath:
We are authorized by the President to
state that the above assertion is totally
untrue. He never instructed or encOur-
aged OF advised anyone to make the pro-
Dosals which Carl Schurz alleges were
made to him. He has no knowledge
whatever of the proposals referred to.
The statement of Carl Schurz is a delib-
crate invention, so far as the President
is concerned.
TMr. Schurz's story is to the last de-
gree improbable on its face, We chal-
ienge him to produce what he calls his
proofs" of it; and as he cannO&dO so,
we have no hesitation in saying that he
has rendered himself responsible before
his fellow-citizens for a deliberate false
hood"
This called General Sehurz to his feet,
who introduced in "proof' the following
ineontrovertible assertion of an honora
bic soldier:
Ef.r. NEW YORK, July %, 1872.
DEAR GENERAL-Of course have no
objection to your giving my name to the
public in explanation of the facts. /
would say that being a friend to the
President as well as yourself, l desired
you should be on good terms, and that
YOU should understand that there wasno
personal feeling in the way OF relations
mutually satisfactory. Our statement is
correct that the President wanted your
support for his San Domingo scheme,
and that you could have had the patrons
age of the government for giving it.
That was the distinct impression of the
Presidents conversation ~madeIpOn my
mind, and / communicated it to You at
the time. If the President positively
having had any such converse
ton, / regret Il. / may console myself
with the reflection that this is the first
time that any statement Of mine has
been questioned, while the President
has had occasion before this TO distrust
the accuracy of his recollection. Truly
yours,
~Isigned5 A.PLEASANTON.
All remember that General Pl~easanton
did more to save the Federal army from
destruction at charlottesville than any
other Federal officer. 1t was in a con-
iiet with him that StonexalI Jackson
lost his life. a
The lie is 10 PROFESSIONALLY fastened
on Grant; and it being direct lie number
two, he cannot escape it, as in the first
instance, by getting up the fury of an
other impeachment trial of Andrew
Johnson Nor does it all relieve him of
the damaging consequences by making
this question of veracity between HIM
self and Schurz under Cabinet advise
.ent General Grant sadly needs in :
.5truction in mnemonics, or the art of ,
memory. Andrew johnson gave him a
lesson which he only forgot that Schurz
turn pedagogUe and lash the liar :
naked around the world.