The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-10-21
GEN.. GRANT.

AAAAxA 1S ID INdU CT8XeO Win 1xeSAs
Dental Ambition, Who Has Had
This Particular Bee i'm His Bonnet
Ever Since 1S64-The General Gives
the Inside History Of h Celebrated
Order No. 40, Showing How Ham
cock Tried to Undo tho Reconstruc.
ton Policy. I!
The Cincinnati Gazette prints the re-
port of an interview between the Rev.
G. II. Fowler, D. D., and Grant, which
gives some startling points in connection
with the inside history Of Hancock's
Order No. 40. Gen. Grant talked freely
to DR.. Fowler, and, after the interview,
gave his written consent to it's pubica-
ton under certain restrictions as to time.
The conversation took place in Grants
library at Galena On the 21st of Septem-
Der. Speaking Of Hancock, the ex-
President said: "Down to 1864 he
seemed like a man ambitious to do his
duty as an officer. When Mcclellan
was nominated, Hancock received one
vote, and that greatly excited and
changed him.. He vas so delighted that
he smiled all over. It crazed him. Be-
fore that we got on we'll. After that he
would hardly speak to me. I was
working to enforce the laws Of Con-
+ gress, and he was working for the
Presidency. Perhaps he thought I did
not praise him enough; but, any way,
he hardly spoke to me. It was on my
nomination that he was made a Brigadier
in the regular army, when I was made
General. Stanton told me it was q COM
pliment to me, and that I could name the
men to fill the vacancies in the Liuten-
ant G~eneralship and Major Generalships
caused by promotion. Nominated him
for the vacant Major Generalship in the
regular army. He acknowledged it
manfully. He was q very fair corps
commander, but was never thought of
for any great place. When the army of
the Potomac wa hunting for a comman-
der it took almost everybody, and even
came overtinto the West for officers, but
no one ever even suggested Hancock for
the place. After he received that vote
in 1864, he had the bee in his bonnet, ,
and shaped everything to gain Demo
watched, and planned, and waited, till at
last he has received the Democratic
nomination"
General, do you think he is in sym
.pathy with the South?"
"He is crazy to be President. He is
ambitious, vain, and weak. They will
easily control him"
edo you think, General, that his eel
ebrated Order No. 40 represents the di.
rection Of his sympathies :"
"Well, I will give you the true inne,
history of Order Nc. 40. Congress was
striving to prevent Andrew johnson
from undoing the Reconstruction laws
Whenever Congress passed a law John
son bent his energies to defeat. its en-
forcement, and would find pretexts tx
dodge round it Then Congress would
pass another law TO hedge him up there
So it went On till Congress had take1
from him all control of the General
commanding the seven districts Of Thu
South except the power to recall then
and appoint others in their place. Thes,
commanders. could remove any civil off
Ger Of any grade, Judge or Governor
When I was made General and the,
were determining my powers and duties
they gave the Generally accident,
think, or without seeing all it involved
coordinate power with these distric
commanders, and, as I was senior, j
gave me authority. Gen. Sheridan wa
sent to the Department Of Louisian
and Texas. He is very shrewd and yer,
keen. He kept his eyes open, learninI
rapidly the. e. who were not worthy t
occupy their places, and discoverin'
competent and worthy men to put i