The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-09-12
Is GRANT A DRUNKARD9


Letter of hIr. j. NJ. Usher. the Distinguish
ed Temperance Leader OF fhIassschusetts,
10 the Hon. Henry Wilson,
Henry wilson.
DEAR SIR: read your letter to the
Rev. Charles w. Dennison TO the Bos-
ton Journal of yesterday with sur
prise and pain. ] have known you as
g believer in the doctrine of tofalab-
stinence from everything that can in
toxicate as q beverage; that there is
real safety only by abstinence; that
to me any intoxicant as q beverage is
an evil. Mr.. Dennison said: In a
conversation with Senator Wilson last
winter, that gentleman said to me.
President Grant drinks too much,'
and concluded with the remark, 4
have told him so' Senator Wilson
will not deny this I" To this you re-
ply, 81 do deny in the most emphatic
language, that ever said anything of
the kind to you or anything that re-
sembles ii. Your statement is I'M
QuaIifiedly false" This, my dear sir,
is very remarkable language when
compared with what yon admit you
did say at that interview.
You remark, ST did say to you
what / have said TO others, that [ re-
GREETED that the President used intox-
icating liquors at all, that / wished he
WOnld take the pledge, and that had
Q mind to ask him to join the Con-
gressional Temperance Society. p
Now, my dear sir, / ask, was Mr..
Dennison's statement unquahtiediy
false, taking your own explanation
into the account? Do yon not be-
lieve in total abstinence? If used at
all as beverage by the President,
does he not use too much? Why did
you regret that he used intoxicating
liquors atsall2 Why did yon wish
him to take the pledge? Why did
you have a mind TO ask him to join
the Congressional Temperance Soci-i
ETY. that would serve asan aid to keep
him from drinking "too much
believed the pledge would be re-
straint, and, that if he were q member
of the Congressional Temperance So
ciety? Was il not honestly because
yOu had good reason to believe that
he could not use it at all without u.s.
ing it atoo much ?" Do You not adj
init. substantially, every statement at
tributed to you by Mr.. Dennisonp !
No man can fairly read and Impartial
ly Judge without believing that he
stated the facts. if he did not use your
words. e1gs
Your position is q peculiar onea
Senator from Massachusetts, in the
National Congress, candidate for
Vice-President on the ticket, with
Gen. Grant. You desire to shield the
General. But submit that you have,
over your own name, by your own
hand, admitted the whole that Mr..
Dennison charged. Time will deyel-
op the facts in the case. The Ameri-
can people are quite forbearing SO you
wei know; they will hide the faults
of their public men when they would
be helped and the public good served
by frankly condemning the wrong.
You my dear sir, would not have
made the confession which appears in
your letter; you would have no oc-
casion to regret that the President
used any intoxicating liquors If, he
did not use too much s17i yslsis8sl
II is well understood that the best
temperance men in the country have
felt alarmed at the drinking habits of
President Grant. l have 1t ON the
best authority that Wm- II. Dodge, of
New York and President of the Ma
tionaI Temperance Society, visited the
President with view to persuade
him to take the pledge. Why was
this? Undoubtedly because it was
well known that he used intoxicating
liquors. That in the fntnre we may
haye the chair of State none bht.t6tal
abstinence men is my desire, and
doubt not it is the earnest desire of
the American people. Then it will
not be charged that the President
drinks sstoo much, and if it is, his de-
tenders will not feel to s'regret that
he uses it at all = nor will it be necs
essary for him to take the pledge as a
guarantee of his personal sobriety.
The thought that the President of this
great nation drinks Intoxicating Sliq1 !
uors so as to excite anxiety on the
part of his friends, brings mortiiea-
tion to the hearts of every American
citizen who seeks the honor of his
country. Upon this subjectx there
SHOULD be no occasion for regrets or
special need of pledges.
j. M. USHER.