Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-05-19
GENERAL GRANT.
A Posthumous Letter Too Late for
Good or Evil.

NEW York, May 19.-The following
letter from ex-President Grant to Senator
Jones, of Nevada, is published here;
CITY OF Mexico, April "a.
My Dear Senator-I see by the latest
dispatches received here from the capital
of our country that the deadlock in organ
izing the senate is not yet broken, and
that nothing has been done by the presi-
dent TO allay the bitterness which must be
engendered by his most recent appoint.
ment When the first batch of nomina-
tions for New York was sent in | was de.
lighted. l believed then that the presi-
dent had determined to recognize the re.
publican party, and not faction, but
his nomination of to-day convinces
me that his first act was but
the spirit OF a laid scheme by somebody "a
punish the prominent leaders for being
openly friendly to me. cannot believe
that General Garfield is tho author of this
policy. l give him credit for being too
big a man to descend to such means for
the punishment of men who gave him
their hearty support at his election, and
who are disposed to give him the same
support now, for the offense OF having
had n former preference for some one else
for the office which he now holds. But,
Garfield is president, and is responsible
for all acts of the administration. Conk-
ling and Platt are the chosen sena-
atois from the great state of
New York, and that, too, against
all the opposition of the administration
created by the same party that elected
them. This should give them all the
stronger claim to be consulted in the
matter Of appointments in their state.
When it comes to filling the most impor-
tant office in their state without consult
ing these senators, it is a great slight.
When he selects the most of
fensive man to be found it
becomes an insult and ought to be resented
to the bitter end. sincerely hope the
president will see this and correct his mis-
take himself. and restore harmony to the
party. He owes this to himself and to
those without whom ne could not have
been elected. Nobody believes that he
could have carried the state Of New York
without active support. Had the present
senators shown passive support it would
not have answered. Without the state
of New York GENERAL Garfield
would not now be president.
His rewarding Robertson is not only
offensive to the New York senators, but it
is offensive to the New York republicans.
The change of Badeau and Cramer, the
two appointments in which felt strong
personal interest, was very distasteful TO
me-the first, because of personal rela-
tions and my wish that he should be kept
where his Office would support him until
he finished some work he is engaged upon
and which he could do notwithstanding
with his public duty; the second, because
it was at the expense of removing the son
of my old secretary of state, who proba-
bly, never had his superior, certainly never
for moral worth in his department. 1t is
true Fish resigned, but he did this from a
sense of honor supposing it to bo the duty
of representatives abroad to give new
administration on opportunity of saying
whether they were wanted or not
Very truly, yours,
us. GRANT.
To Hon. j. p. JONES. United States Senator,
Washington, d, Q.