The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-10-31
WAS ANDY JOHNSON A CONC0CTER OF
TREASON

lhhhSUNf
The Hon. Chauncey Depew, of New
York, has suddenly gotten his name into
the newspapers in way that must bring
to his notoriety. loving soul an ocean OF
comfort 1t is In connection with charge
of reasonable designs against President
Andrew johnson, during his troubles with
the radical republican leaders in 1867
The story of Depew is about this That
some four years ago, at a banquet at which,
together with many others, he and Presi-
dent Grant were present, and at which 1t
was his happiness to be seated by the side
of Gen. Grant, the latter had told him Ode
pew that during the trying period of
1867, when Andy johnson and the Re-
publican L. S. Senate, as we'll as the Re.
publican majority in the House, were at
loggerheads, johnson concocted scheme
to admit at once all the rebel states to the
| full rights they possessed before the rebel
lion, intending to issue a proclamation
directing the rebel states to send to Wash
ington their full quota of Senators and
enough members from the North, who,
united with them, would make quorum
of one house, if not both. The Congress
thus formed he would recognize and in
stall at the Capitol. If the other northern
members did not choose to join they would
hold a powerless rump meeting in some
hall" All he needed to carry out this
scheme was the promise of Gen Grant to
stand by him with the army in case the
north should undertake to oppose it.
"But," says Mr.. Depew, latter Grant had
endeavored for long while to convince
Johnson of the folly of such a course and
its certain failure, Grant finally told him
that he would drive the Congress so consti
Ituted out of the Capitol at the point of the
bayonet, and give possession of the build
ing to the Senators and Representatives
from the loyal States and protect them
# necessary, he would appeal to the coun-
t'y and the army he had SO recently mus
tered out of service"
All this occurred during the summer
and fall of 1866, when Grant and johnson
ware on the most intimate and friendly
TENS, and when johnson, having removed
Stanton from the war office, had installed
Grant in his place, with the full eXpecta-
ton that when the Senate met in Deem
bel, that body, under the new tenure of
Office law" would refuse to confirm the re
mo,al of Stanton, and would restore him to
office, but with the understanding that in
spite of it Grant should hold on to the of
flee until the question of the constitution
ality of the tenure of office act could be
brought before the Supreme Court for de-
cision. 1t is known, however, that when
the senate met and in January, 1861, re.
fused to confirm StantOn'5 removal anu re
stored him to the war Office, Grant, instead
of standing by his alleged agreement with
johnson to hold on to the office, promptly
surrendered it to Stanton; out of which
grew the famous question of veracity be.
tween johnson and his cabinet and Gen.
Grant and from which dated the enmity
that ever afterwards existed between John.
son and Grant.
Afterwards-in lSG1-were begun the
famous Impeachment proceedings against
Andrew johnson, and one of the first and
principal witnesses at that trial was Gen.
Grant Fresh in his bitter enmity oJohn-
son, and fresh as he must have been in his
of JohnSOn's reasonable pur-
pose, revealed to him less than year be
fore, surely Grant, as a witness at this trial,
to pointed questions as to the plans and
purposes of Johnson could not have Iailed
to remember and reveal all he knew about
his treasonable designs But the Official
report OF the evidence at that tra! makes
Grant talk in this way;
Question TO Graut-iIave you at any time
heard the President make any remark in
reference to the admission OF members OF
Congress from the rebel states into either
house?
Answer by Grant-Iscannot say positive
" what have heard him say on that sub
iect have heard HIM say as much, per
haps, in his published speeches last sum
mer as ever heard him say at all upon
that subject. have heard him say, and
think | have heard him say twice in his
speeches, that if the north carried the
elections by members enough to give them
with the southern members u majority,
why would they not be the Congress of the
United States? have heard him say that
several times.
Q. When you say the north you mean
the Democratic party of the north, or,
IN other words, the party favo-ing his pol
icy?
A. | mean If the north carried enough
members in favor of the admission of the
south. | did not hear him say that he
would recognize them as Congress. |
merely heard him ask the question why
they would not be the Congress. | heard
hlm say that IN one or two speeches, Do
not recolect where. | do not recollect
having heard him say anything private on
that subject especially. never heard him
allude to the Executive Department of the
Government; never heard him make any
remarks looking to controversy between
the Executive and Congress.