American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-08-10
A Question of Veracity


dent and Gen. PleasantOn in the
matter of the President offering a
bride to Senator Schurz through
Gen. Pleasanton for that Senator'S
support of the Santo Domingo
scheme and speculation. From the
statement of Schurz and the letters
of PleasantOn any person looking at
the matter from perfectly disin-
terested standpoint, as an inte'li-
gent foreigner, for instance, the
question of veracity would be de-
cided against the President. What
motive could Gen. Pleasanton pos
sibly have had to approach Senator
Schurz with such overtures, with
such propositions of patronage, ETC.,
unless he had been authorized to do
so by Gen. Grant, 1t is not pre-
tended that PleasantOn had any
personal interest in the Santo Do
mingo scheme-he was entirely a
disinterested person, and could only
have approached Schurz at the sug-
gestion and in the interest of some
third person, and that third person,
Gen. Pleasanton solemnly AYERS,
was the President oil the United
States!
1t is exceedingly unfortunate for
the President, We think, that he
should have raised question of
veracity between himself and Gen
Pleasanton, or any other man of
even average reputation for hon.
esty, honor and truth. Gen. Pleas
anton, in his last published letter,
says: eff the President denies
having had any such conversation,
l can only regret it. 1t is the first
time any statement of mine has been
called in question; whereas, the
President has before now had Occa-
sion to doubt the accuracy of his
memory" This is the substance
we quote from memory.] Gen.
Pleasanton here has reference, no
doubt, to the question of veracity
between Gen. Grant and President
johnson, which most of our readers
will probably remember, in which
the General of the Army, and the
man to whom that pure and spot
less patriot and soldier, Robert E.
Lee, surrendered his sword at
AppOmattOx, came out at the small
end of the boneiferous or metallic
instrument, commonly yclept a
horn! Andy johnson had deter
mined to remove Mr.. Stanton-that
heartless trickster and marplot of
taryship of the War. He looked
about him to see upon whom, in
those times of trouble, treason and
treachery, he could bestow the
Office for a short time, with the as
surance that the incumbent would
not betray the trust reposed in him.
Soldiers-especially those who have
won distinction and high rank-are
generally supposed to be men of
truth, honesty and honor. Taking
this view of the matter, President
johnson appointed the General of
the Army, the highest military Off
Ger in the Government, Secretary of
War, ad interim, with the distinct
understanding between them, in
the presence of the entire Cabinet,
that it was only temporary APP
pOintment - that the Presidents
purpose in making it was to get rid
Immediately of Stanton, a highly
member of his Cabinet
of his political family and that
Gen. Grant was to resign the Office
again into the hands of the Presi-
dent at the slightest intimatiOn that
it was desirable that he should do
so. He accepted the War Bureau
with this understanding; but when
asked to resign By tho President,
what did he do? Instead of com
plying. he proved false and faith
less he held ON to the office at the
instigatiOn of the arch devil, Stan
ton, and finally turned over the
bureau to Stanton, the very man to
get rid of whom the President had
bestowed the office upon him! Not
only SO, but he had the brazen
effrontery to deny that there was
any understanding between himself
and MIR. johnson that he was to re-
sign the Office when requested to do
so! Amazed and astOundcd that |
6 the General of the Army of the
United States could not only thus
prove false and treacherOus, but |
that he could prevaricate and lie,
MIR. johnson summoned a full Cabi-
net, before whom he laid the whole
matter, and by every member of
which he prOced, beyond the scin-
lila OF doubt, that Gen. Grant dbl
accept the Office upon the well un
lerstOOd and distinct conditions
above named! There was not dis
'enting voice in the whole Cabinet.
Seward, the willy old fox, hem'd and
had, and beat about the bush a lit
lie. but even his halting testimony
was in the Presidents favor, and
'nly showed that he wanted to "run
With the hare and hold with the
,OundSV at tho ANNA fiu,o ooJ ti,ox |