Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-16
GRANT TALK =.
misrepresentation Made-Bris'OW Pre-
vailed Upon 10 RemHin-The Rea.
son his Resignation was
Accepted.
Babcock and Porter Believed Innocent
Their Connection with the
S'BIack Friday" Scandal
The Rule Adopted
Etc, Etc.

NEW York, August 15.-The Herald
publishes an interview between Presi-
dent Grant and it's Washington CORE.
spondent. According to the roper. Of the
interview the President stated that the 9
were many misrepresentation made in
connection with offi:ial communica-
lions between himself and Elk Secretary
Bristow and Elk S Jlicitor Wilson. AS
an Illustration Of this, he never asked
for the resignation offered, but several
times when he voluntarily proposed TO
resign, and was urgently anxious to do
so, be president Gfant) prevailed upon
him to stay In Office. Once Bristow in
sisted upon the acceptance of his resig.
nation, because he said, he could not
undergo the ordeal of experimenting
another discharge or cutting down Of
treasury employees; and again, and for
third time, Bristow rendered it, and
fixed the date OF its occurrence, as he
would like it to be upon June 81, be-
cause, he said, that was his forty-fourth
birthday, and he would be glad to close
his official life upon that day. On the
second occasion the President prevailed
upon BristoW to remain, because new
order Of things in the treasury depart
ment was about to take place, with
substitution of silver for fractional cur
rency, and he thought it wCu need the
supervision of Bristow. So far as any
thing had been elected in the congress
siOnal examination bearing upon himself
or the attaches Of the White House, the
President was willing to leave the whole
matter to the judgment of the country
from the testimony given by Elk Solic-
itor Wilson before the congressional in
,1ff ksVNns v,Ostf In oil of 70
that part of Bluford Wilson's testimony
which charged Generals Babcock and
Porter with being concerned in the
Black Friday speculations, the President
said he once put a lot of papers, rolled
his desk, and subsequently took them
out, handing them to his son, who was
acting as his private secretary, for exam.
ported upon by .. s. Grant, jr., did not
eral Babcock with the Black Friday az
fair at the time stated, because they
could not, as he was then in San Domin-
go. Before General Porter's connection
With the Black FRIDAY sea dial he could
not find that he had ever boughta dol
lars worth of gold in his life, but he had
purchased one or two small pieces
of property on Washington flights
and in New York city through, or in
connection With, General Butter
field, which, from all he could learn, was
a perfectly honorable and straightfor-
ward transaction. When these many
and frequent reports were made about
those bearing near and intimate rela-
tions to him, it was but natural that he
should accept them with great caution
and suspicion, but he always signified,
in most distinct and emphatic man
ner, as he did in Letter of ind 0rsement,
"Let no guilty man escape, (Which Blu
ford Wilson was endeavoring to abstract,
together with other papers, from the
treasury department; that he did not
desire that any persons, no matter how
high officials they might be-even il
they were his own intimates-should
enjoy immunity from responsibility or
escape punishment for wrong doing if
proved upon them. At first, when the
hints were made to him, he was led to
believe that they meant Casey and 9TH
ers. He wss told by those attacking
Generals Babcock aud Porter that the
facts would be given by General George
II. Sharpe, surveyor of the port OF New
York, and those papers examined by
young Mr.. Grant were left by him;
but at no time did the President stand
in the way, or intimate anything but
his strongest desire to have q full,
earnest and honest examination and
prosecution of any wrong-doing among
his friends. AS for Bristow, the President |
added that Notwithstanding the doubts
and expostulatiops of my friends l al
VI avs regarded him with the fullest con-
fidence, good will and respect, but my
friends laughed at me when I gave il |
finally as my opinion, from facts and |
brought TO my knowledge, !
Oy persons whom l thought reliable, |
that there was conspiracy on foot in |
which he took part pertaining to the |
Presidential candidacy, and regret the |
conclusion is forced upon me now there |
Tas more than seeming truth in the
Concerning himself, the
President said, the question ofhis integ-
ity or probity, as 1t might be judged
low or in after years, never gave him
N emotion Of concern; at least, in the
way Of doubt, because he knew that he
lad never been impelled by improper
motives, and he did not believe there
vas the slightest thing to the contrary
N record. With the light OF events and
Experience OF earlier times there were
many things he could see now which he
night do, if again necessary, in a diff
erent way. But they pertained more
D the matter of disc elton as to indi.
iduals than to questions of policy. In
he did he had adopted the
1le through life to examine into what
Tas submitted to him carefully, and
Tithout anything but the principle OF
DING right, as far as he could judge, to
uide him, had always written,
ooken and acted in that direction and
manner which he tn ought came up
, that standard.