National Republican., 1880-10-06
The Interviow win rev. DIR. Fowler.


The following are tho portions Of the talk
with Rov. DR.. Fowler in September last as
reported by that gentleman, TO which Con-
oral Grant mainly refers in tho above inter.
view
When was made general and they were detor.
mining my powers aud duties. they gave the gen.
eral-by accident, think, without seeing all 1t
involved-,coordinutc power with these district
authority. General sheridan was sent 10 the de-
partmett Of Louisiana, covering Louisiana and
Texas. lie is very shrewd and very able lie
were not worthy to occupy their places and dis dis
covering competent and worthy men to put III
their places Tho legislature of Louisiana passed
lcyee bonds ostensibly for the leyce. They
conditioned their sale on their bringing to the
Ths governor and thrco Commissioners were To-
place the bonds OH the market, but they soon
found out that tho bonds would not bring more
than 40 per cent. TO avoid the law they invented
the plan of borrowing money and using the bonds
rs collateral. They could borrow about 81 or IS
per cent of the face of tho bonds Just at this
juncturo, TO prevent these men from defrauding
the state, General Sheridan took OIL tho heads Of
the governor and commissioners 50 quick that
they did not know what allied them aud appointed
gOod men In their places. For some reason the re-
moved men were very anxious to be rcappointed.
| They employed Reverdy Johnson and another law
yer TO work for them. agreeing TO pay them $780,
| 900 If they were rcnsutcd This Is great deal OF
money for four mon topny for positions unless there
Is some special gain in tho case. Revcrdy johnson
came to me but was so stupid and stubborn that
| could not be Induced to reappolnt them. He
went to Andrew Johnson and made his case and
Andrew Johnson sent for me aud asked me to re-
| istato those men. refused TO do 50. He said !:
"koinstate them, even If II Is only for one day |
Johnson @ msh 'ns ma. Syy nSy T he resg y thought
were so anxious to be rcinstated, and, thinking
would 90 him great service in keeping him from
great blundcr, told him that ono hour would
| do those men as well as one day, and | unfoldod
their intent. But Johnson insisted on their being
reinsiated. lrelqsed and excused myself. John.
| rpmDyal har 1a Ia "A int nd
| General Hancock. He called Hancock To Washing
ton to Instruct him in defeating tho laws ofcongress
that Hancock was in town called at his hotel in.
stead OF sending for him. | wanted to soc him prl.
yately In MS room | fonnd him in his
| fast. l said: General. you and / are soldiers
| army officers. We have life positions. We serve
under successive administrations without regard to
party. 1t Is our duty TO enforce the laws Of con.
gresi. We are not responsible for the wisdom OF
the laws congress bears that responsibility We
posed to nggcr domination" l said General II Is
not question of niger domination. Four millions
OF ex,slayes without education or property, can
hardly dominate 30OO0.0O0 of whites with All the
our sworn duty" lie said SS SSWei Tm a0t,Is op!
posed to Niger domination" saw that my only
| chance to influence him was by the remnant OF
authority len in my hands He was determined
| TO please the democratic party and the south. Ho
| missioner that General Sheridan had appointed.
Instantly telegraphod him not 10 appoint TO Office
| ANY nhcH VINO nul Decu removed, ana 10 give me
his reasons by mail, for removing the men. He
| telegrlphed In long reply costing the govern
ment $3.50, his reasons ] tecgraphGd him that the
| reasons were not suhlcent-to send by mail other
reasons lio again teegraphed about the same
points, only not quite so long, costing only
el50 lie tolegraphcd that If he could not have
freedom 10 act his usefulness would be destroyed
and that he would have to ask to be relieved.
teegraphed him 10 revoke his order. He asked
Johnson to relieve him, as no one else could Tha,
is the inner history and spirit Of his celebrated
order No. 40. This order resulted In the loss o
many lives. know of cases and can give them
His statement that the civil authorities are supreme
is truth admitted by all in time of established
pence, but can demonstrate that he did not sub.
jcct the military power 10 the civil but that he
used his military power % overthrow the civil