New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-31
SOUTH CAROLINA LNSULTED.

PRESIDENT GRANT LOSES HIS TEMPER.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF TIN
SOUTH CAROLINA TAX-PAYEHs AND THE PREsr
DENr-THEIR NEEDS OyERsHADOwED BY HIs
PERSONAL FEELING.
(YRoM AN occ AsIoNAL CORRESPONDENT TRtBUs.i
WASHINGTON, March 28.-Ihe interview between
the President and the representatives oil the South
Carolina taxpayers yesterday morning was in some
respects remarkable incident. None of the report
ers or correspondents who usually haunt the White
House on such occasions were present, and the
accounts Of what took place published tins morn
ing made up entirely from hearsay and are very
far from giving correct idea of what was really
said either by the South Caronans or by President
Grant
The truth is that the President in something
like a passion 1t came about in this way. Among
the delegates chosen to the recent Taxpayers Con-
vention was harum-scarum ex-Confederate officer
named Gary, who prides himself Oh his undying OPP
position to the order of things in the South, and
who's while enjoying a certain personal popu-
larity in his county, has long been tho
enfdnt terrible of those Carolnians who really
want to see things set to rights IN their State
on basis in harmony with the Congressional
reconstruction. Gary in spite Of the circumstances
of friends, who vainly urged that the lax
payers Convention was strictly non-partisah anu
in that body, in which, with bad taste and worse
rhetoric but with undeniabe yigor he pitched into
Grant. Congress, and the Republican party gene
rally. The Convention in rebuke to the sentiments
of the speecb at once and by overwhelming vote,
recommtted the report which had been made tho
pretext for its delivery and the snubbed orator sub
sided The local Ring organs i'll South Carolina.
however, eagerly caught at Garys ebullitlon as
proof that the complaints of the taxpayers were
only rebel muterings in disguise, and, though the
speech was violent and foolish enough in all con-
science they altered and garbled some OF Its worst
sentences in q way to make ii ten times worse, and'
n that FORM kept them standing for several weeks
in large type at the head Of their editorial Columns
| When the delegation sent by the Convention with
the Memorial to Congress appeared in Washington
several days ago. there is good reason to believe that
the President felt kindly enough toward them. lie
told Secretary Fish that although he was going 10
Philadelphia on Friday he would make it point to
give IT, m an audience before he went; and the Sec
retarv who as Presdent-General of the Cincinnati,
| cordially sympathized with delegation which ln-
| cluded several members of that famous old order.
| among them Gen. James SimOns, the Nce-President'
| General was probably much surprised as any
body at the reception which the South Carollnians
finally met. 1t seems that sly Senator Patterson,
| who for reasons of his own, did not relish the well
come which seemed awaiting the delegation got ac-
cess to the President few minutes before the prom
sed interview and called his attention to the garbled
extracts from Gary's speech. He timed his visit so
we'll that he came of the Executive Mansion just
as the delegation entered il, and they were ushered
into the presence of Gen. Grant while he was proba
bly, still smarting from the vexaion GasfH oy as
ner during the ceremony OF presentation PLAINLY
showed the struggle between Unsurpassed anger
and desire to be dignitied and courteous.
The Hon. w. ID. Porter, the spokesman OF the dele
| CATION and one of the most polish advocates OF
| the Charleston bar, made "a calm and bret bus
striking and very pathetic presentation of the shock
ing condition of his State The President listened
with marked attention and replied slowly bnt WITH
ygor and without any of that hesitation when ns
| is said usually to exhibit when making a speech:
His words which have not so far been fully reported
| in any of the papers, were these: .,,
do not that there is anything that can be done,
by the executive or BY the legislative Oranch inc
National Government 10 better the condition OF things
which you have described. South Carolina mas nova
complete existence as sovereign state ana mn' Wiss
/ her own laws IL those laws are Oppressive 70 nor
people it IS Very much to be depored But what tne
cause OF evils In your State may be question worm
yourselves whether 1t il not due to the extreme views
which you have held, whether your own ae,om nas
nSsr so@@nay 'S asanss yca
when leave for yGi6r S SM people who are
feel great s.r syp" and cvertaxed as the
in louisiana AID as also seems TO be the cond9a OF
the fUe Presdens manner hardened visiOly that while
have watched the proceedings OF your taxpayers Con
yention with little interest. portion OF my 1m.
pathy has been distracted by the perussl Oh vera
speech delivered during its deliberations, NheI auu
more sanderous than anything nave ever expert
enced before, even among my worst enclnes IN tho
Nor-a speech bitter in It's personality anu false
hood than anything have ever seen even III me Ae-
York sun. VI. -.
Here the President paused. His visitors, werd
completely taken aback by his words, and stu nore
by the unpleasant vehemence with which they were
uttered. Several of the delegates fastened TO eX-
plain the circumstances connected with the speech,
which have already briefly noted, but their ex-
plantations seemed To fall unheeded The Presi-
dent met everything that was said with some fresh
reference to the irritating subject. l quote hrs
words in reioinder 10 the expostuations OF one DEL
egate: ,. 4. a., .,,,,
have never seen speech equal 70 10 In maligny,
yeness falsity, and SANDER When think OF IT, can
scarcely restrain myself"
AS this very painful and embarrassing interview
closed Mr. Porter ventured TO suggest that 1t was
hardly lust TO hold whole community who were
SEEKING relief from intolerable oppression
responsible for the improper utterance OF single
Individual But the remOnstrance scarcely
noticed by the President, and the delegation sadly
and silently withdrew. panied and deeply mortimer
that the respectful prayer OF the whole body Oh SUI
fering payers in of the old thirteen States Oh
the American Union should have been presented "a
the President of the United States only TO DO out.
weighed in the balance by tho foolish TRADE VI
crack brained politician.