National Republican., 1877-03-05
EX-PRESIDENT GRANT.
rIs LAST SUNDAY MORNING TALK.

In which He Rovivos old Memories and |
Gives Expression to his Thoughts Cpon
Various Matters Of Interest.
The following dispatch was telegraphcd TO
the Philadelphia Press last eveaing by Its
Washington correspondent, MIR. Neim:
The President, with tho different members Of
the Cabinet as is customary durlag tho last hours
OF the session of Congress wns nt the Capitol this
morning ready to sign such bills as he approved.
As your correspondent entered the luxurious
apartment set apart for tho exclusive use OF the
President of the United States upon his visits to
the Capitol, the Chief Magistrate was seated
alene upon q sofa, the members Of the Cabinet
awaiting his directions at distance. Little would
1t have been supposed that within the brief
space of sixty minutes the public
career temporarily, It may be prophetically said
Of this eminent soldier and citizen, would be at
On end. He seemed engaged, as was always
his wont, i'm profound meditation when alone,
perhaps reviewing In retrospect the eventful Pc
riod Of his career Just closing. In sympathy
with this was your correspondent, for II was hf-
teen years ago, as a correspondent Of the New
York Herald, that he first met and
entered upon agreeable relations of friendship
with this distinguished citizen, then serving his
country upon the distant fields Of Western Ten
nossee, leading the army Of the Union from con-
quest to conquest. To-day, there in the mighty
Of State, and upon the eve Of his civic admins
tratlon, II was but natural that there should be
some thought Of the past, and indeed q mutual
bond Of sympathy. Tho President said that even
the now few and Aeeting moments
still left OF his public services
seemed to move with laggard pace, and that he
was impatcntly awaiting the last moment no.
near at hand, SO as to enjoy once more the pleas
urcs and immunities of IN humble citizen OF the
Republic, freed from the cares OF State, and un-
disturbed by the opportunities Of men and the
yexatlons OF politics. In roverting to the past
eight years OF his exercise OF the Executive func-
tions Of tho Government, he woll said that the
questions upon which he most rested the plan
Of his administration in history were wol known,
| and had already stood the test practiced. When
he entered the Presidential oifice he said he
| found the condition OF things most unsatisfac-
| tory. The public finances were In most un.
satisfactory condition, the animositics which had
| been engendcrcd In the war, AMI under the in
| nucnces attending the subsequent administration
ofthe Sou hcrn States still alive the relations
between the United States and Great Britain
were Of an extremely delicate character, growing
out Of the depredations OF British CT iisers, and
between Spain and the United States of an
equally serious nature, on account Of the dis
turbed situation In Cuba Tho Indian question
was. provoking much dissatisfaction, and in.
| deed, in almost evory braeh Of tho Executive
there was more or less to be done to to the
Government that efficiency Of Naturalization and
| exercise Of power which was necessary to
| Its authority and success at home, and respect
| and influence abroad. Upon these general fca-
| lures President Grant inaugurates the policy of
his administration. In taking a retrospect OF the
success which attended his efforts in this direc.
ton, the President said to-day that he was salts
fed with the results accomplished. On the sub
| jcct of his financial policy he said that he had
| succeeded In efccting reduction Of hundreds OF
had at the same time accomplished mil.
lions Of reduction in the annual burden
| of taxation, and now, as his admInIstra.
tion was about to close, he had the salts sfaetion
Of seeing the credit OF the United States second
to no nation in the world, their bonds In demand
| and the Government ready and able to resume
| specie payments. In regard to his Southern
policy he said that his wish wa. always to secure
afree exercise Of the elective franchise to every
class OF citizens, and to suppress every
| kind OF violence against the rights
| OF every citizen within the Southern
borders. IN this he admitted that thore was still
much to be done. He felt that there was much to
perpetuate the state Of feeling which has existed
| In the South, but that he could see even now, IN
the near future, wiser counsels prev ailng in tho
| Southern States than had had tho ascendaucy
| during his administration This was evidenced
he thought, in the action of the Southern Demo
Gratis Of weight and influence In the disposition Of
| the Presidential question. On the subject of tke
foreign relations Of the United States, he said
| that his first action towards the settlement of
the Alabama question was suggested by his faith
in Sir Edward Thornton, who always exhibited a
desire to adjust the differences existing between
| the two Governments, In which also Secret ary
Fish and the Englsh Government heartily
Joined. The result of their efforts has since be.
come a matter Of history. In regard to Spain
there was, he said, great pressure to secure the
recognition Of Cuban Independence, but he wished
to avoid war as Spain was we'll pre-.
pared, and It would be q struggle IN
which there would be no glory
except In the triumph OF our arms, and he did not
believe in war for glory, but for principle. In re-
gard to the Mexican border troubles, the Presi-
dent said that lie was always disposed to act the
part OF leniency with them, as the Mexican Gov.
ernment was not strong cnoughto prevent the
depredations from that side, nor could we alway:
justify the acts Of our own people. So far as q
pretext for war was concerned, the President said
we had that at any time. In reference to his In
dian policy, the President said that II
was not we'll sustained, but that
It would ultimately succeed, and would
ultimately bring about breaking up of the
tribal relations, and would make the red man a:
responsible as the white man.
In the less conspicuous acts Of his admInlstra.
tion, the President said that they were not mat
ters Of record, and would bo taken as part Of the