The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-14

low inc pain Wlllcn tNHIH1hy pVihu0 '"''
GRANT was the most popular ana JOHNSON
the most unpopular man In tho united
States. The country was disposed to believe
tho former, even against evidence that aJ
other times and In other cases would be
thought overwhelming. Ten years have
given the nation some familiarity with a
character which had not been found out in
1868 and the facts in the once famous JOHN
soN-GRANr controversy may servo to
strengthen the public judgment respecting
GRANTS present attack on Mr.. SUMNER.
In tho first month of 1868 ANDREW JoHN-
son was In the thickcst OF his fight with the
Republican Congress, led by BEN WADE In
the Senate and by TuADDEUs STEVENS In
the House. He had suspended Secretary
STANTON and had put GRANT In tho War
Office. The Senate sustained STANTON and
under the Tenure Of Onicc act dccrccd his
reinstatement. When STANTON presented
hlmsclf at the War Department GRANT sur
rendered the portfolio without resistance
and without having notified JOHNSON OF his
intention The President thorcupOn as
serted that this action Of GRANTS was n
breach Of faith, the General having promised
| him not To surrender the department to
STANTON, except upon mandamus. without
| first consulting JOHNSON and giving him
time to appoint another Secretary al interim.
Furthermore President JOHNSON charged
that GRANT had not only made this promise
explicitly, but had also subsequently, ad-
mittcd ii i'm the presence OF all the members
of the Cabinet. Tho General of the Army
interposcd square denial. He had never
made such an agreement with the President
and had never admitted tho existence OF
such an agreement la the presence Of the
| Cabinet.
Thus there came to be an issue Of veracity
between the two most prominent men in the
country. In the lively correspondence which
ensucd. JOHNSON vigorously accused GRANT
of trcachery and falschood, while GRANT
stubbornly persisted In his denial. The
question borrowed importance from certain
aspects of the political situation. In few
months both the Republican and Democrat
IT, parties were to nominate their candidates
for President. GRANT, though n Democrat,
was coquctting and bargaining with the
leaders of each party. The breach between
himself and Mr.. JOHNSON strengthened his
relations with the Republicans, who speed
ily made his cause their own, battered the
personal vanity of the man by maintaining
, that his word was better entitled to crodenco
; than JoHSsoN's and finally secured his
, name and popularity for use in the Prcsi-
Dental campaign of 1865.
l Now. did the weight Of evidence lie with
; GRANT or with JOHNSON in this conflict OF
statements JOHNSON declared that GRANT
, at private interview, had made him a Ger
! tain promise. SO important in its eNpccte,
| consequences that there was no room for q
MISUNDERSTANDING. GRANT declared that h,
had made no such promise. As no thirc
D party was present at the interview, JONI
a SONS unsupported word was confronted bl
= GRANTS unsupported word But this wa
n not all. JOHNSON also declared that GRANT
b, being subsequently, intcrrogated as 20 TIN
i promise at a meeting OF the Cabinet, hn'
: explicitly admitted IL. GRANT likewise de
n MED this assertion. Mr.. JOHNSON then pr
Il cured and published statements from cac
y Cabinet ofi""r present at that mcctin.
Il GIDEON WFLLES wrut" that the prosidcn
al had correctly stated the conversation wit
p GRANT. Mr. MCCULLoCH, Secretary of IN
N Treasury. wrote that the President told TIA
p truth. Postmastcr-Gcncral RANDALL r.
y peatcd the conversation in detail, clcarl
10 testifying to GRANTS admission of tn" a
io legged promise, and Secretary BROWNING
the Interior Department also distinctly n
~ mcmbcrcd that admission. The diplomat
u SEWARD was the only member of the Cab
le net who did not say, In effect, that GRAN
te had lied. SEWARD 80 shaped his reply
III the Presidents request for statement
q" his recollection Of the facts that neither
,c the partr. 10 the controversy could po--
~ bly, take offence lie thought that GRNN
e. had mother denied nor explicitly admitt'
e. the promise; that his admission was rath
IL Indirect and crcumstantal; but that GRA:
ct did not intend to be- "va-ivc.
We In regard to the subsequent admission
the promise, therefore, there was suilicc
cr confederation Of Johnson charge To- c-ta
Is fish it in a court Of law. Against GRASr
is unsupported word, In this instance, stO0
Of the concurrent testimony of five calrf
tc and honorable men, to say nothing Of Il
er evidently unwilling corrohoration AFFORD
e. by Mr. SEWARD This personal issue VI
IA speedily forgotten In the excitement attcn
eel ing the Impeachment proceedings. and
ct the Presidential campaign Of the folloWll
Is. summer and autumn. The record rcmair
IA however, and it seems to Us that since
so lapse of the partisan bias and party pn-sio
As which prevailed ten years ago no one "a
D. canlidly review the ease without coming
h" prctension~ to veracity.
lac Werccall two later instances in which the
Oh was grave reason for douhting Gen. GnAN
nd truthfuluces. W" refer to his affidavit
-. the nAB,uCK Whi-kcy Ring case, and to
- cquivocaton in the matter OF accept
In- BELkNAr's resignation, whom he pretend
He to know nothing Of the charges broug
FRS against the dishOnorcd secretary of "
on although those chargcs and the certainty
no BELKNAP's impeachment were notorious
by the time. Both instances are 80 recent II
PH there is no need Of recounting the circu
i'm stances
zen GRANr moy safely attack the honor
nae CHARLES SCMNrR, who is in his grave, a
,d- cannot answer him; but the attack IT,
ten this reason, all the more cont rmptihle.
rf-
err stock Brokers in PANS.
ono Of the most Important questions u
:" Discussed i'm France IS the need Of radi 'tl