, 1880-02-04
GRANT,.
Talk by the General on Some Very In.
toreating Points.
How lIc Tried and Failed tn Conclllatc
Democratic Generals.
His Lack Of Interest in Military Matters
Third-Termism in 1876.

FINN John Russ,'l 1nunts "A,ound the trartA"
"Wllcn took command Of the army" said
Ten. Grant Oh ono occasion, VI had n dream
TINT tried To renlizc,-tU rc,tMlte untl rccrc-
nte the w1,ola army. talked II over with
Sherman. Sherman and knew so tnnny
fine, brayc officers. We knew them In West
Point anti tho army. 1vu lnd the sympathy
Of former comrntlcship. Neither Sherman
nor had been In my WY concerned In
Eastern troubles, md We knew tlat there
were no better soldiers III tic army than
some Of those who were Under c'oud with
Mr.. Stanton. Then I wanted 10 make tho
War as NntEonal as possible,
10 BRING IN ALL PARTIES.
Wis anxious especially To conciliato and
recognize the Democratic element. Tile
country belonged as we'll to the Democrats
NJ 10 us, and 1 lid not believe In Republican
wnr. felt that we needed 0yery m,tskrtanl
every sword to put down the Rebellion. So
when came Easl I came prepared mud nnx-
lous tn assign Mcclellan, Buell., anil others
10 command. Ind confidence III their mill
ity and loyalty, confidence which, notwitll-
standing our differences III politics, las never
falteretl. But WIS disappointed"
The question was asked rs to whether Lin
colii's Administration prevented Gen. Gratt
from carrying out this purpose. mot at
nI,n said the General, "the difficulty was not
with tho Administration. The Generals were
not In II llulnor TO be cunc1liatcd. soon saw
my plan WIS not feasible, md gave It up. I
was very sorry, MS I should have liked 10
hnve Ind Mcclellan and Buell., md others /
could mine, III important commands.
"l,l looking back Mt tho War; said the
General, "1t seems Most unfortunate for
themselves ard the country TINT these off.
GERS should not have madO the place III tic
War which their abilities would have conl-
mnnt1ed, and that they should not have ren-
drrctl their country tho service which every
GREETED that. We Ind work for eyeryboiy
| during the War, for thusp especially WHO
knew tho business. What intcrforcsl will,
our officers more than anything else ,Wns NJ
| lowing themselves n political bihs. Tint IL
FATAL TO 4 SOLDIER.
I War a1ltl politics nra so different. I rclnen,-
her my own feelings about tho Wnr when It
! commenced. could l,otCMttllrc tho Thought
Of tho Union separating; WHen was IL s..
nude nv blood run COLI to lirar frlcnts II
mine, Southern men, ms many OF n,y friends
Of the Union as though Il wcr, II tariff
,oh n; could oq = not ns snars n,,d t. TS o, ysry
lss lsys ts q country si L dslnio'; @ was ] seeo.
pished. | cotlld not hive lived III the
Gn,lntry., It wns this feeling Tint inpellcd
nc e volunteer wns :. & rnar -, '!att. With ii,,
l ll,at feeling carried me tlirougil tho War.
never felt any special pleasure III my promo
tions WINS natura!lyg|ad when 1 n!oy caine.
PIT never thought p i, Tic only @ promo. mo
mntte AlaJor-t;cneral IN the regular army, |
wus happy over that BECAUSE 1t made nc the
junior Sfalor: GcnoIsl, and hoped, Wien tlle
return to Cnltfornia, ard saw 1t IN tint pro-
Motiq1l. Wien l was given n higher con!-
innlit. w!!s sorry, bccitlSe u Involved! Il resi-.
HnS ,ss III wasns" + 'ss oIx wie sHsI IL fat tina an f t
dissolved my lioprsnf n'rct,,rn 10 the Pacific
Cuust cniilo 10 like Washington, liuwevcr,
when ! knew #. Ny only feeling III tho War
| WIS DESIRE IL
SEE IT OVER AND THE nEnEL1.loS STU
rHEssEn.
do mt remember over 10 have considered
tic FEASIBILITY Of dissolution. 1t never ell
tered into ny head. for Instance, to tnl,sl:cl
tho terms We should take fEnnt tho hsnNt IT
such 4 thing, md DO not think 10 ever con.
siderc,l 1t. When the Commissioners ca1!e
to lIampton Ioa,l* to talk peace, !!n sn''l n
peacG could only be tn!ket! about on tl!o basis
liitom Of slassry. That I wiz NY w oniy piat;
form, md whenever Generals went beyond
that to tulk Of coueltatlon, and hurting bretll.
lcii, and Statc'rIFhts, md 80 OIL, tlGy n!loi !!
ar .n1a }ha.o ;ra Soef ILL., ttS s i" !. ~ estry I
,,n;, ao'n "u af' u. ,,ossi, uavir luWy
e.s an:s ~ ~ Kay n9.r ~ S luSst Hyn,,, ,io ihe Wnr
With Mli!ical idcaS who s'lcccGletl. az iiot
e eocdntar LII n o,,i. .ous ,rsn .tssts ;,n1,
w. Mrti,~ NJ we n,,auninat"n @ Hv"'1 ,msu,nat1ons ind
nnttG, MlttMtG ,a1. eAM'vspe .Mp,rns t} c"vrrn',cms.
and invading canatla ~ Gan,a ,I,t 70 g,;, gri,G,
~ HTciy ns M t!1Sg w!o enese 5stt I Ig mln,. 'i.
ogIeGt q % o WE t,'a ws 'aetocs ~ u wnrR IN tho
efty n hse ' III taIr mostcrS ~ wv vrra nff in
ne slelIlot,: aa H1y steMS a f hit ~" nny;,, tys,
hiin!eeiS, ~ heci4et ~ s 1.'''' WV "0'e'
alioM;G ;;: then, y ll'ne"n w. H. NV. /, norouour, !,
s,,. tn .,'ara sier ri know w tic m str1isrlo Win
y eoise.enc9 e s,,r n..s ~ for,.; nH's ,nvsf so1
ane >ereT t ntqssiLI III ,rv strnu - 1nnI,,nma
going INTO ilat 'as' vetS hats,E W.'i.mns III,