Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1880-10-07
ORDER NUMBER FORTY.

The True History of Hancock's Connection
Herewith from the Lips of General Grant
He Was Made the Tool Of Andy john
son.
The following statement, from Cincin-
natti, under date of Oct. 4, explains SUBJ
sequent kilograms published in this pa
per:
The Gazette will print to. o.morrow re-
port of an interview between the Rev. G.
5. Fowler, ID. d., and Gen. Grant. which
gives some startling points in connection
with the inside history Of Hancock order
No. 40. Gen. Grant talked freely to DIR.
Fowler, and after the interview gave his
written consent to Its publication, under
certain restrictions as to time. The con-
versation took place in Gen. Grants IL
brary, at Galena, on the 2lst of Septem-
ber. Speaking Of Hancock, the express
ident said: "Down to 1864 he seemed
like man ambitious to do his duty as
an officer, but in 1864, when Mcclellan
was nominated, Hancock received one
vote, and that greatly excited and chan
ged him. He was SO delighted that he
smiled all over. It crazed him. Before
that We 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 l did not praise him enough;
but anyhow he hardly spoke to me. It
was on my nomination that he was made
brigadier general in the regular army.
When was made general, Stanton told
me, IL was compliment to me, and that
I could name the men to fill the vacan-
cies in the lieutenant generalship and
major generalship caused by my promo
tion. I nominated him for the vacant
major generalship in the regular army.
He acknowledged it manfully. He was
a very fair corps commander, but was
never thought of for any great place.
When the army of the Potomac was
everybody. It came over into
suggested Hancock for the place. After
he received that vote in1864, he had the
bee in his bonnet, and shaped everything
to gain democratic and southern favor.
He has 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."
"Do you think, general, that the cele-
brated order, No. 40, represents the di-
rection of spmpathies?"
"Well, will give you the true inner
history Of order No. 40. Congress was
striving to prevent Andrew Johnson from
| undoing the reconstruction laws. When
ever congress passed law Andrew John
son bent his energies to defeat it's en-
forcement, and would find pretexts to
dodge around it. Then congress would
pass another law to hedge him up there.
So it went on till congress had taken
| from him all control of the generals COM
manding the seven districts of the south,
except the power to remove them and
appoint others in their places. These
commanders could remove any civil Off
GERS of any grade, judge or governor.
When l was made general and they were
determining my power and duties, they
gave the general, by accident, I think, OF
without seeing all it involved, co-ordi.
nate power with those district comman.
ders, and,a was senior, it gave me au.
thority. Gen. Sheridan was sent to the
department of Louisiana, covering Lou
lsiana and Texas. He is very shrewd and
very able. He kept open his eyes, learn
ing rapidly the men who were not worthy
to occupy their places, and discovering
competent and worthy men to put il
their places. The legislature of 1ouisi
siana passed law authorizing tn,
issue Of $7,000.OOO of levee bonds, os
tensibly for the levee. They condi
toned their sale on their bringing
to the state not less than 80 pc
cent of their face. The governor ane
three commissioners we're to place th
bonds on the market; but they 300
found out that the bonds would not brin
, more than forty per cent. To avoid tn
law they invented the plan of borrowin
, money and using the bonds as collatcra
They could borrow about thirty.four c
: thirty five per cent Of the face of th
. bonds. just at this juncturc, to prever
these men from defrauding the stat
|. Gen. Sheridan took off the heads of til
= governor and commissioners so Quic
!. that they did not know what allied then
and appointed good men in their place
For some reason the removed men wei
very anxious to be reappointed. The
employed Reverdy johnson and anoth,
lawyer to work for them, agreeing to pr
: them S25O.O00if they were reinstate
k This is great deal Of money for 70,
y men to pay for positions unless there
t. some special gain in the case. Reverb
e johnson came to me, but I was SO at
e pid and stubborn that could not be i
3. induced to reappoint them. He went
le Andrew johnson and stated his case, al
n Andrew johnson sent for me and ask
It me to reinstate those men. refused
l do so. He said: 'Reinstate them ev
8. if it is only for one day. I will promi
oe that they will resign I thought job
g. son might not know of the motive vi
ID they were so anxious to be reinstate
l. and thinking I would do him great 8,
r. vice in keeping him from great blu
q der, told him that one hour would
al those men US we'll as one day, and u
8, folded their intent; but johnson insist
Is on their being reinstated. refuse
8. and excused myself. johnson then reno
ID ed Sheridan and appointed Gen. Ha
l. cock. He called Hancock to Washin
'e ton to instruct him in defeating the la
re of congress concerning reconstructie
ID As soon as learned that Hancock v
= in town I called at his hotel, instead
p sending for him. wanted to see h
in privately in his own room. I found b
lr in his room, perhaps before he had
I'd breakfast. 1 said: General you anC
le are soldiers, army officers; we have /
IL positions; we serve under successive Z
rs ministrations, without regard to par
er 1t is our duty to enforce the laws of &C
". gress. We are not responsible for I
or wisdom of the laws; congress bears IL
l.. responsibility. We simply entol
I'D them Hesaid: Well, I am opposed
nigger domination, Isaid: General
is not question of nigger dominate,