The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-10-28

A Talk with Gen. Hancock ON the
Subject of the (srant-FOWIer Inter
view-The Words Put Into the Ex-
Presidents Mouth Not Such as Sold
iers Arc Wont to EmplOy-A Promise
that the Charges Will He Met IL
They Were Made by Gen. Grant
Army Officers at the Capital sur
priscd at Grants Descent Into the
IIire of Politics.
New York Telegram to Chicago Times.l
Gen. Hancock, when asked if he cared
to say anything for publication about
Gen. Grants conversation with the Rev.
G. II. Fowler, replied: 81 find it hard
to believe that ex-President Grant should
have said such harsh things about me.
cannot say that I believe he has said
them. have no positive proof, for ex-
ample, OF his saying that 1 am vain,
ambitious and weak, or that I have
been 'crazy to be President for the last
sixteen years All that I can interest
myself about at ell is the fact that
Gen. Grant has partially confirmed, in
Chicago paper, the report previously
published of language said to have been
used by him in conversation with DR..
Fowler, so that, as you see, 1 really
have nothing but what must be called
hearsay or secondhand evidence as to
any of the things which ex-President
Grant is reported to have said OF me or
about me to the Rev. DIR. Fowler"
"Do you think it necessary for you to
take any notice of these statements,
General ?"
4" 1t might be necessary for me to take
notice of statements deliberately made
to my prejudice by ex-President Grant,
but think I have grounds for hesitat-
ing to believe that Gen. Grant can have
attacked my character. In the first
place, neither he nor any man has any
| true foundation on which to attack my
motives or my character; and, in the
second place, ex-President Grant is an
old soldier and graduate of West
Point. I am and must be slow to be-
ieve that an old comrade in
arms would attempt to blacken
my motives or my character, even in
conversation not intended for publica-
ton. That is not habit of soldiers"
"H you should deem it necessary to
reply to Gen. Grants alleged statements,
assuming it to be proved that he made
them, in what form would you couch the
reply"
Smiling, Hancock replied: "1 really
cannot say"
"Would you put it as a letter ?"
"To whom should such letter be
addressed?"
elbow have you supposed, hitherto,
that Gen, Grant felt toward you person
ally, General?"
"I have always supposed that he was
a man who would never allow any i'll
will he might feel, if he felt any, to in
fuence his conduct toward brother SOL
dier in ordinary conversation. I shall
not be inclined 10 change my opinion,
unless am compelled to do SO by the
most indisputable evidence. Of course,
I understand that the ex-President may
desire to promote the Republican cause
in politics but there are two ways of
promoting the cause which man es-
pouses in politics. One way, if he is Il
Republican, is to advocate the Republi-
can candidate another way is to attack
the Democratic candidate. The news
papers, I prefer to think, do ex-Presi-
dent Grant injustice in assuming that
he has chosen the latter course. OF
course, if ex-President Grant has wrong
fully assailed me, the public will not be
long in finding it out; but I shall not
make undue haste in the matter. This
is all have to say at present.