Daily Los Angeles herald., 1880-10-08
Yos amseles Atrxld.
GRANT VS.. HANCOCK.

GRANT VS.. HANCOCK.
Grant Gives an Acrimonious Review Of Haa-
eock's Actions in the South--Ths Presidential
''Bss In His Bonnet "-Oharges Of Corrspt
colluslon Between Andy johnson and the
Department Commander.
NEW YORK, Oct. 5.-The Times
prints the following special from
Cinclnnsti: The Gazette will print
tomorrow report OF an interview
between Rev. G. H. Fowler, d. D.,
and General Grant, which gives
some startling points In connection
with the inside history of Han
cooke Order No. 40. General
Grant talked freely to DIR. Fowler,
and. after the interview, gave him
. written consent to its publication
under certain restriction as to time.
The conversation took place In
General Grants library, at Galena,
on the 2lst OF September. Speak
Ing OF Hancock the ex-President
said: Down to 1854 he seemed like
= man ambitious to to do his duty
a. an officer, but in 1864, when Mo-
Clellan was nominated, Hancock
received one vote, and that greatly
excited and changed him. He was
/. 90 delighted that he smiled all
over. 1t crazed him. Before that
he got on we'll. After that he
would hardly speak to me. / was
working to enforce the laws Of
Congress, and he was working for
the Presidency. Perhaps he thought
that / did not praise him enough,
hut any way he hardly spoke to
me. 1t was on my nomi-
nation that he was made
Major-General in the regular army.
When was made General, Stanton
told mo that it was a compliment
TO me, that 1 could name men to
all the vacancies in the Lieuten-
aut-6eneralship and the Major.
Generalship caused by my promo
tion. I nominated him for the
vacant Major-G Generalshlp In the
regular army. He acknowledged it
mAnfully. He was very fair corps
commander, but was never thought
Of for any great place. When the
Army OF the Potomac was hunting
for . Commander, 1t took almost
everybody; 1t even came over into
the West for officers, but nobody
even suggested Hancock for the
place. After he received that vote
In 1884 he had the bee in his bonnet,
aud shaped everything tn get
Democratic and Southern favor.
He has watched ard planned and
waited till at last he has received
the Democratic nomination.
General, do you think that lie is
In sympathy with the Southr
He is crazy to be president. He Is
ambitious, vain and weak. They
will easily control him.
Do you think, General, that his
celebrated Order No. 40 represents
the direction of his sympathies?
y Well, / will give you the true in
ner history Of Order No. 40. Con-
gress was striving ito prevent An
drew Johnson from undoing the
reconstruction laws. Whenever
Congress passed II law johnson
bent his energies to defeat its en.
forcement, and would find pretexts
to dodge around 1t. Then Con-
gress would pass another law to
hedge him up there. So 1t went
on till Congress had taken from
him all control of the Generals
commanding the seven districts OF
the South. except the power to re.
move them and appoint others In
their places. These commanders
could remove any civil officer Of
any grade, Judge or Governor.
When was made General aud
they were determining my powers
and duties they gave the General,
by accident, 1 think, or without
seeing what it involved, co-ordi-
nate powers with these district
commanders. Sheridan was sent
to the Department of Louisiana,
covering Louisiana and Texas.
He was sbrewd and very able. He
kept his eyes open, learning rapid
ly the men who were not worthy to
occupy their places, and discovering
competent and worthy men to put
in their places. The Legislature of
Louisiana passed a law authoriz.
log the issue of $7,00O,O0O
Of levee bonds, ostensibly for o
levee. They conditioned their sale
on their bringing to the State not
less than 80 per cent. of their face.
The Governor and three Com mis-
stoners were to place the bonds on
the market, but they soon found
out that the bonds would not bring
more than 40 per cent. To avoid
the law, they invented a plan of
borrowing money and using the
bonds a. collateral. They could
borrow about "a or 35 per cent. of
the face of the bonds. Just at this
juncture, to prevent these men from
defrauding the State, General Sher-
1dan took off the heads of the Gov.
arnor and the Commissioners so
quick that they did not know what
allied them, and appointed good
men In their places. For some
reason the removed men were very
anxious to be ereappointed. They
employed Reverdy Johnson and
another lawyer to work for them,
agreeing to pay them $3.50, 900 il
they were reinstated. This Is a
great deal OF money for four men
TO pay for positions, unless there is
some special gain in the case.
Reverdy johnson came to me, but
was so stupid and stubborn that
/ could not be induced to reappoint
them. He went to Andrew john
son ard made his case, and Andrew
johnson sent for me, and asked me
to reinstate those men. 1 re.
fused to do so. He said:
"Reinstate them, even If it Is
only for one day. 1 will promise
that they will resign" thought
johnson might not know of the
motive why they were so anxious
to be reinstated, and thinking !
would do him great service in
Keeping him from n great blunder,
1 told him that one hour would do