Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-10-14

Why Gen. Grant w aS WltllnS ~
be President AgaIn--The Inside
History of Order No. 40-His
Views About Hancock-Presi-
dent JOhnsOn-What the Lou
Islana Rebels Offered for One
Day's POwer-The LeYee Bond
JOb-PhlI. Sheridan-SenatOr
Conkling. yffSSI&
Letter from Rev. G.. Ii. Fowler, d. D.
GALEsA. ILL.,, Sept. ILL have just
returned from q prOtracted call upon
Gen, Grant. i went with Brother
Cramb. Grants Pastor, When we were
introduced into his library we found
him at his desk writing. He rose. and
calling my name, said, 81 have not seen
You since we met at Chautauqua sun
day School Assembly," He was very
free and full of talk. He talked about
the political situation, canvasstng the
country and the men with great free
dom. When 1 said to him, 81 suppose
tells you that he wanted to
see YOU on the track" he said, "fes,
many, but not everybody. If every
body had wanted to see me on the track
| would have been there" 1 said, 81
am sorry for the country that you are
not there; not for your comfort or fame,
but for the country" He said, "NOf
for nv comfort, | am glad to be releas-
ed from the care. There were three
reasons why | would have accepted the
nomination:
First-On account Of the character of
the men who urged it. esteem their
respect and confidence more than the
nomination.
Second-I believe | could have broken
up the solid South. Many lifelong
democrats In the South had given the
stron gest assurance of their cordial
support. believing that could deliver
them from the evils of a solid South.
Florida is a Republican State, II they
had a fair chance. The Republicans
are so distributed that they can secure a
fair count, except in the northwest cor
ner of the State where the negroes are
chiefly centered, and where the society
is like Georgla-is really part of Geor-
oia. While would have received
probably but 200 or 800 more votes from
the State than Garfield will receive,
those few are so located as to secure
fair count in that northwest corner.
These are the substantial reasons.
Third-There Is another partial rea-
son. | believe that l could have in.
duced, from my knowledge of our con-
sulates, the enactment of certain laws
touching our commerce that would have
given us control of much desirable COM
merce-fOr instance, in MeXicO-instead
OF people who use only slave labor, nd
receive little or nothing but sterling in
exchange"
He next discussed Hancock with
great minuteness. He said: 81 have
known him for forty years. He Is a
weak, vain. man. He is the most sci.
fish man | know. He could never en-
dure to have anyone else receive any
credit. Though he received all the
mention from his superiOrs he deserved,
he was always displeased that he was
not praised more, and that anyone else
was mentioned at all. He is the most
selfish man | know. He was very
GOOD corps commander. He was am
bilious, and had courage and a fine
presence; but he is vain, selfish, weak,
and easily tiattered. He cannot bear tc
hear anyone else praised, but can take
anV amount OF HatUery.
Down to 1864 he seemed like man
ambitious to 90 his duty as an officer'
But in 1864, when Mcclellan was nom.
mated, Hancock received one vote, and
that greatly excited and changed him
He was so delighted that he smiled all
over. You could not sit behind him
without seeing him smile. He smiled
all over. It crazed him. Before that
we got on well. After that he would
hardly speak TO me. / was working tt
enforce the laws of Congress, and he
was working for the Presidency. Per-
haps he thought 1 did not praise him
enough, but anyway he hardly spoke te
me. 1t was on my nomination that hi
was made Brigadier General In the
regular army. When | was made Cen
eral, Stanton told me it was compli'
ment to me, and that could name the
men to fill the vacancies in Lieutenant
Generalship and Major GeneralshiE
caused by my promotion. l nominated
him for the vacant Major General
ship in the regular army. He ac
knowledged it manfully. He was ,
very fair corps commander, but wal
never thought of for any great place
When the Army of the Potomac WA
hunting for commander, it tool
almost everybody-even came ovel
into the west for officers-but NJ
one ever even suggested Hancocl
for the place. After he had re
ceived that vote i'm 1864 he had the be-
i'm his bonnet and shaped everything
to gain Democratic and Southern favor
He has watched, and planned, ant
waited, till at last he has received thu
Democratic nomination"
general, do you think he is In sym
pathy with the South"
she is crazy to be President. He i
ambitious, vain and weak. They will
easily control him."
s'Do you think, General. that his eel
ebrated Order No. 40 represents th'
direction of his sympathies ?'
"Well, will give you the true innel
history of Order No. 40. Congress wa
striving to prevent Andrew johnson
from undoing the reconstruction laws
Whenever Congress passed law John
son bent his energies to defeat Its en-
forcement, and would find pretexts t.
dodge round it. Then Congress woult
pass another law to hedge him up there
So it went on until Congress had takel
from him all control Of the General
commanding the seven districts of tn
South, except the power to recall then
and appoint others in their places
These commanders could remove an
civil officer of any grade, Judge o
Governor. When was made Genera
and they were determining my power
and duties, they gave the General, b
accident. think, or without seeing a
1t involved, coordinate power wit
these district commanders, and ss wa
senior 1t gave me authority.
! Gen. Sheridan was sent to the Depar
ment of Louisiana, covering Louislan
and Texas. He is very shrewd and yer
able. II he is in charge of any fell
and there is anything he ought to kno
in that field, he is sure to know 1t, 3
is as able and vigilant an officer as I'll
country has, or as any other counti
has. He kept his eyes open, learnin
rapidly the men who were not worth
to occupy their places, and discoverin
competent and worthy men to put
. their places. He had good list and
black list, list.of unworthy officer
fr hor ~ ~. g.. r,