The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-04-30
Presidential Courtesy.

and an influential, highly respectable commit
tee of New York merchants, wherein the latter
were incontinently snubbed to their great dis
gust and modification. A delegation from the
sacred precincts of Boston, on a similar errand
and composed of the most aristocratic element,
met with like rebuff from the President only
few days before. These delegations were
endeavoring to impress their financial views
upon the head of the nation, in opposition to
the infationists, and although the veto message
is in exact accord with their sentiments and
wishes, we can very we'll imagine that they are
not rendered more comfortable in their private
feelings, which were lacerated by the undigni
fled action of the President The treatment of
the New York merchants is more fully detailed
in the newspapers, and shows that arrange
ments were made for the interview at certain
hour, when the committee were punctually in
their places at the White House, and were in
vited at once to the reception room, where the
President awaited them. Immediately after
the committee entered the room, and before
the members were introduced to the President,
Gen. B. F. Butler made his appearance through
side door, and begged the privilege of saying
word to President Grant upon important
business. Instead of replying that he was en-
gagged, Grant withdrew to the recess of q
neighboring window, and listened to Butler for
fully ten minutes. The conversation was in
low, inaudible tone, but Butler was earnest
and energetic in his manner, and made the
impression upon the committee that he was
upsetting their views in advance, since he
was known to be opposed to the objects of their
mission. The members were left standing
during this interruption, which was annoying
and discourteous. When Gen. Butler left, the
President advanced to the end Of the long
table, and intimated that he would hear the
committee. Hardly had the introductions
taken place, when second interruption was
made by the entrance of person from Gen.
Babcocks adjoining room, who whispered his
wants to the President, and soon thereafter
Senator Logan, Ferry and Carpenter entered
from the same direction, and with cigars in
their mouths stood by while the remainder of
the interview proceeded. The committee had
expected that the interview would be private,
and the presence of these Senators is regarded,
under the circumstances, as an act Of great
discourtesy.
The Presidents treatment of the taxpayers
delegation from South Carolina, only few
weeks before, was looked upon as an unprece-
dented and stupid disregard of the proprieties
of life, for which there was NO apology from
his blindest adherents. His conduct towards
these delegations from Boston and New York,
representing important interests of the business
community, and embracing the wealthiest,
most influential merchants Of those cities
must receive even stronger condemnation, for
there was no pretext that another Gen. Gary
had excited his angry passions, and unbalanced
his Judgment by personal abuse Of his family.
It must be concluded that these acts of dis
courtesy and lack of gentility proceed from a
chronic inability to appreciate the require
ments of an exalted station, or else that the
three delegations were unfortunate in selecting
the time for their interviews, which the counter
delegation from South Carolina avoided by a
more perfect knowledge of the habits and
moods of President Grant. The Indignation
of the merchants and their friends is embodied
in the annexed extract from the New York
Journal of Commerce:
The Presidents manner toward the mer-
chants committee of New York was designedly
cool and insulting. Among them were some
gentlemen who gave literally for the Presidents
election and reelection, and have been fore
most in his support Their ears must have
tingled as they received their snubbing! But
they have this comfort, that the contumely put
upon them was not so much meant for them
personally as, through them, for the business
classes of New York The merchants of this
city are not in favor at court, except when they
give dinners to the President, or buy houses or
horses for him. Had they gone to the Presi-
dent to make him handsome present they
would have been very differently received. No
Butler would then have cut them out from their
appointed interview, and button-holed the
President for ten minutes in q window recess,
while they waited expectanty and twirled their
hats. We know it is great hardship for the
President to put down his cigar for few min
utes, but we think he would have stopped
smoking long enough to hear what the commit
tee had to say If they had brought something
for his acceptance more valuable than petit
ton The Presidents reply to the addresses OF
Messrs. Low aud Chittenden was longer than
his usual efforts, and very awkwardly strung
together. The President should stick to short
speeches, decidedly. Tho longer he talks, the
more he blunders. Gen. Butler, who forced
himself ahead of the committee and found a
willing hearer in the discourteous President,
may have prompted the points of the speech,
but he is not ponsible for its clumsy arrange
ment.
The only thing plain in it is his design to
snub the New York merchants Note this
sneer-"They (the committee) show very we'll
what they want and may imagine, as he might
were he citizen of New York, that the whole
country want what they do" The committee