The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-10-22
RECALLING THE PAST.
SOME INSIDE HISTORY OF THE TIMES
OF ANDREW JOHNSON,
As Told at a banquet by Gen. Grant--in-
terc.tiBg and Important Facts Hinted
at Heretofore but Never Before
Confirmed.

Gen. Grant and Mr.. Depew sat
together during the whoie time
of the banquet, which lasted
several hours, an during the conversation
the general, after giving some details of his
trip around he world, notably the influence
his advice had in preventing war between
China and Japan, poke Of his experience
during Andrew Johnsun's presidency.
Gen. Grant referred to the we'll known
fact of Johnson's bitterness against the
southern rebel, an his desire that treason
should be made oiious," and said that:
10 give effect to this seA timent, as soon as
he was inaugurated he insisted upon the
United States court in Virginia finding IN
dictInents agaiu4t all the eailng meuUers
Of the Coniederacy. lie also wanted the
officers in the rebel army who had left the
regular army to JON the reDelilon to be
summary dealt vita by court martial
These movements OF tie president pro-
duced the greatest conservation IN the
south. Tho Con ederate leaders appealed
to Grant to protect item on ne parole no
had given. He Jaw Johnson only to DO III
formed that the president was, by the con-
stitution, Commander -in-chlet OF the
army, and that anything done by the
commanding general ON the field was done
sub ect to his approval or rejection. and he
re- jected the term. Gen. Grant urged that
the rebels had surrendered ON these condi-
tons, disbanded their organic atoms, suit
mitted universally to tie situation, and
were carrying out in good faith their part
of the agreement, AMI every consideration
Of both honor and eXpodiency demanded
equally good faith oil the part of the gov
eminent. Johnson obStinately al cred to
his view, and assumed the authority of
commander, when Grant fatty told him
that il there were to be any court-martials
one must be- called to try Gen. Grant first;
that he would by every means in his power
protect his parole aud appeal to congress
and the country.
In the halt called by this attitude OF Gen.
Grant a very remarkable change occurred
in the views and Icy OF President john
son. Gen. Grant discovered that the most
frequent and favored visitor. to the White
Hou.e were the men whom tho president
had prescribed. In the generals opinion
Johnson's loyalty was subori mate TO- If not
entirely dependent upon, his entire enmity
to the slavehoding oligarchy, lie was
poor white, had tsen journeyman tailor,
and, notwithstanding the distinguished pub
lie positions he had held, he could not break
through the class barrier, and wa treated
socially with contempt by this proud aris-
tocracy. The absorbing ambition an pa
sion of his life hal been to be received and
treated ono of them hy the oligarchy,
but they had rsbuifsd him and insultsd him
and now that they had rebeled and failed
he wanted revenge upon them for their
treatment Of HIM
While he was devising means to overcome
Gen. Grants resi- lance to this last purpose,
him. They admitted their former treat
ment and justified it. They said that in oil
ages and countries where casts distinctions
existed conditions wore always possible
which promoted men who had achieved
| success from the lower into tho noble order
AS president Of tho United States he be-
| came, regardless of birth or ancestry, not
only n mamber of their order, but its
leader johnson was wild with delight,
ambition and pride were both satisfied. He
became as anxious to sustain and perpetuate
in some form system which hal given the
highest social and political distinction to q
few great families as he had been to de-
stroy it,
Grant did not have long to whit for the
formulation OF his plan. Ths resident sent
for him and snil that the radical measures
of congress were revolutionary and would
destroy tho country. The war was over
and the republic wanted peace and that
was possible only by union Of all sections.
The provisional governments provided for
tho seeded states Vere temporary expedi-
ents, without constitutional authority, and
the states had all the rights aud SHOULD pos
sess all the power, they had before the war.
He had perfected n scheme to accomplish
this result, and with Gen. Grants as
sistance its success was assured. He
would, by proclamation direct the rebel
states to send to Washington their full
quota of senators and representatives.
He had assurance from enough members
from the north who, united with them,
would make Il quorum Of one house at least,
if not both. The congress thus formed he
would recognize and install at the capitol
II the other northern members did not
| choose to join, they would he a powerles'
| rump meeting in some hall. To the generals
suggestion that this would start the civil
| war afresh, the president replied: "They
| who do it will DO the rebels, but il you sus-
tain me, resistance is impo ssible" He APP
| pealed to Grant to stand by him in the
crisis and they would be the saviors of the
Ptat ,r,-;,,c Ion
| time in vain to convince the president of the
| folly of such a course and its certain failure,
no matter who sustained it, Grant finally
| told him that he would drive the
| congress so constituted out of the capitol at
the point of the bayopet, give possession of
| the building to the senators and representa-
| tives from the loyal states and protect
| them. If necessary, he would appeal to the
country and to the army he had 50 recent!
| mustered out of service. Mr.. johnson asked
him if he did not recognize the powers
vested in the president by the constitution,
| and if he would refuse to obsy the com
| mander- in-chef Gen. Grant said that un
| der such circumstances he most certainly
| would.
Shortly afteward the president sent for
| Gen. Grant and said to him that the rela-
| tions of our government with Mexico were
very delicate, and he wished him to go to
| important mission. The general know
| that this was to get him out of the country
and put 1t In the power of the president to
| call as his successor to Was hington some Of
| ficer upon whom he could rely. He replied
| that if the appointment was a diplomatic
| one he declined it, if it was a military one
| he refused to obey, because the general of
| the army could not be ordered to n foreign
country with which we were ut peaca. The
| interview was stormy one, but the subject
was dropped. One day the general was sent
| west on tour of inspection He knsw that
Gen Sherman was to be his successor, nna
in him he had absolute confidence. The
| out polleu loyalty of that great solaie, pre-
| vented the subject ever being renewed.
Mr.. Dcpaw says the above was gvon most
graphically aud had the local colorng of
| conver5ation with and statements Of the
| .'tef actors, together with the situation of
ri cS AMI PERSONS at tho time, making it
lnahia as portraiture and estimate of
| tunes; and it is unfortunate that it can
| -, tie preserved as told. He concludes:
/! /. ,.t this date needless to speculate upon
| aunt might have happened had Gen. Grant
,';veiS assisted or passiveiy obeyed thl
rai lent No one doubts tho courage and
' macy Of Andrew johnson, and only a
| nf equal trmness and determination
.,u'.l have prevented a most calamitous and
r'9"rttInae strike at the most critical period
| reconstruction of the republic
,s... Grant writes Mr. pepew that he has
| verified his statements in tho above by
| reference to documents, letters and personal
| recollections.
Regarding the above matter The Herald
says:
This correspondence is. of course, only the
prelude to further revelations concerning
one of the most pcrilous episodes in our na,
tional history. Among the disclosures that are
to come We wait with special interest suf-
hc'ent explanation why the reasonable
proposition Of President johnson, which
Grant relsted to Mr.. Depex and which Col
Grant certifes that ne has letters and docu-
ments to attest, were omitted from the arti.
Gle of impa cl meut praSautei avainSt tha