The Leavenworth weekly times., 1876-08-17
AN INTERVIEW.


puplisbes an interview between President
Grant and its Washington correspondent
According to the report Of the interview,
the President stated that there were many
misapprehensions made in connection with
official communications between him and
ex-Secretary Bristow and ex-SOlicitor Will
son. As an illustration of this, he said that
he never asked for the resignation offered,
but several times when he voluntarily pro-
posed to resign and was anxious TO do 20,
he (Grant) had prevailed upon him to stay
in Office. Once Bristow insisted uDon the
acceptance of his resignation, because he
said he could not undergo the ordeal OF
superintending another discharge or cutting
down of the Treasury employees. Again,
and for a third time BristOw rendered it
and fixed the date OF its occurrence. On
the second occasion the President prevailed
upon Bristow to remain because
a new order If things in the treasury De-
partment was about to take place, with the
substitution of silver for fractional curren-
cy, and he thought it would need the su-
pervision OF Bristow. So far as anything
had been elected in the Congressional ex-
animation, bearing upon himself, or the at
taches heretofore OF the White HCuse, the
President was willing to leave the whole
matter to the judgment OF the country.
From the testimony given by Ex-
Solicitor Wilson, before the Congress
sional investigating committee, in
relation to that part Of Bluford
Wilson's testimoney, when he charged
Generals Bsbcock and Porter with being
concerned in the Black Friday speculations,
the President said he once put a lot Of pa
pers, rolled up for the moment, in private
drawer in his desk, and subsequently took
them out, handing them to his son, who was
acting as his private Secretary, for exam
ination. He found, when they were re-
ported upon by U. s. Grant, Jr., that
they did not show any connection
whatever of Gen. Babcock with the
Black Friday affair at the time stated, be-
cause they could not, a. he was then in
San Domingo, and before Gen. Porter's
connection with the Black Friday scandal
He could not find that he had ever bought
a dollars worth of gold in his life, but he
had purchased one or two small pieces of
property on Washington heights, in New
York city, through len. Butterfield, which,
from all he could learn, was q perfectly
honorable and straightforward transaction.
When these many and frequent reports
were made about those bearing near and
intimate official relations to him, it was
natural that he should accept them with
great caution and suspicion, but he always
signified Ia the most distinct and emphatic
manner, a. ke did in the letter endorse
ment, "Let no guilty man escape"
He did not desire that any persons-no
matter how high officials they might be,
even if they were his own intimates-
should enjoy immunity from responsibility
or punishment for wrong-doing, if proved
upon them.
At first, when hints were made to him,
he was led to believe they meant Casey and
others. He was told by those attacking
Gems. Babcock and Porter that the facts
would be given by Gen. Geo. Z. Sharp, sur
veyor of the port of New York, and those
papers examined by young 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 full, earnest |
and honest examination and prosecution of |
any wrong g-doing among his friends. As for |
Rristow the President added Notwithstand- |
ing doubts and expostulations Of my friends, |
l always regarded him with the fullest con- |
fdence, goodwill and respect, but my
friends laughed at me when l gave it |
finally as my opinion, from facts and in |
formation brought to my knowledge by |
pr rsons whom thought reliable, that there |
was q conspiracy on foot in which he took |
part, pertaining to the presidential candi- |
dscy, and l regret the conclusion forced |
upon me now that there was more than |
seeming truth in the supposition. Conce. n
ing himself, the President said the question |
OF his integrity or probity, as it might be
judged now or in the hereafter, gave him |
no emotion of conrern, at least in the way
of doubt, because he knew that he
had never been impelled BY improper mo-
tives and he did not believe that there was
the slightest thing to the contrary on the
record. With the light OF events and ex-
periences of earlier times, there were many
things that he could see now which he
might do if again necessary in q different
way, but they pertaiDed more to matters of
as to individual. than to ques-
tions of policy. In everything he did he
had always adopted rule through life to
examine into what was submitted to him.
and without anything but the
principle of doing right, 90 far as he could
Judge, to guide him. He had always spo-
ken and acted in that direction and in the
which he thought came up to that
The President to-day signed the legisla-
live, executive and judicial hill and the
Indian appropriation bill. All the regular
annual appropriations have now been ap-
proved.
WASHINGTON, D. c., August 15-Intel-
ligence has been received here that +. p.
Smith, President Of Howard College, and
late Commissioner Of Indian Affairs, died
1t Accrea, on the west coast of Africa,
Turing the latter part of June.
A son Of Speaker Kerr telegraphs from
Rock Alum Springs, Virginia, this after
noon, that his father is failing very fast.
We expect worse every moment.
Speaker pro tenn Saylor received dis
patch. dated Rock Alum Springs, saying
Mr.. Kerr's condition is very critical, but
he has been no worse during the day"
The Senate has confirmed the nomination
If o. NJ. Clapp to be Public Printer.
NOMINATED.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, August 15.-The Re
publican Congressional Convention of the
Twelfth District this afternoon nominated
Hon. d. L. Phillips BY acclamatioa.
UNDER ARMs. II
IxDIANAfoLp. August l5.-Three COM
'enies Of soldiers ase under arms here to-
light awaiting Gov. Hendrieks' orders. TO
nove 10 Seymour Or Vinceanes, - hs may