Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-10-21
Mr.. DEPEW'S LETTER.

Mr.. DEPEw'S LETTER.
New YORK, October Il. 1885.
Ny DEAR CoIoSKL..-In answer to your request
your father, and to which 1 alluded in q speech
before the Chamber of Commerce, the following
s ssd. S Sn afsn a. TSrs
many courses, slowly served, and the entertain
ment lasted several hours. We discussed many
and, amonE other things, he said to me that when zen
ia Gina ace Kung, who was Regent and the
real ruler during the .s,s9 ae1,as " 'a IsDsn.
War was about 10 be declared, and the Prince
thought it would be long and bloody one.
arbtrator. a1d The general declined, for want of
time, but principally bec,use he was a private
He sngs estedi. however, the terms of a compro-
mise, When in japan, shortly attef, tne mi nj
BE, and revealed the fact that several Of the
European governments were actively stirring up
the strife on both Sides hoping to benent ny the M
part of the Japanese government to act as arbl-
TRAITOR, and, in again declining, ne stated me
China. The two nations adopted substantially
the terms proposed by Gen. Grant, and dises,
drfsed f into consideratiOn of his relations with
President Andrew johnson. The narrstive n.e
of this, period was one me mos'
and it is unfortunate for history and posterity
that it canaot be presented as 1t was told. II
ane "a Of the n
tions of parties and persons as the events oc-
Cured, invaluable as a po-traiture and es innate
Grant performed services tor his country which
were unwritteu, quite as important as any which
bear me out This is the substance of the. story;
johnson began, the day after the assassination
and places, with constant reiterAtion, the
shibbofetbI Treason. is Siious and must mus
Be bHr s s t6s 6 This :e Isss as
as he was szaugurAted he insisted upon the
United Statss courts in Virginia finding indiet-
ments against all the leading n embers of the
Confederacy. He also wanted the officers in the
rebel army, who had left the regular army to join
court cu martial These movements Of the Presi-
dent produced the greatest CONSERVATION through
to Grant to protect them in the parole he had
given He saw johnson on the subject on Sniy TO 70
be that the was % I tSe 'he
manding spneral in the field was done
rejected the terms. Gen. Grant urged that the
rebels hsd surrendered on these conditions, dis
ly the situation, and were carrying out in good
faith their part of the agreement, and every con
manded equal good good faith on the part Of the gov
| ernment. The other course would have led to an
| endless guerrilla warfare conducted in country
| less men. Johnson obstinately adhered to his
| view, and assumed the authority of commander,
| when Grant fatty told him that if there were to
be any court m srtials one must be called to try
| Gen Grant first; that he would by every means
in his power. protect his parole, and 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 policy Of Pres
most frequent and favored visitors to the White
House were the men the President had pro
| loyalty was subordinate to, If not entirely de-
pendent upon, his intense hatred of the slave;
holding oligarehy. He was poor white, had
| been jnurneying tailor, and, Notwithstanding
| the distinguished public positions he had held
he could not break through this class barrier,
proud aristocracy. When they plunged into the
rebellion he saw his opportunity. He believed
Hs" had %Ssn he oSa
pSSpsrty, Iamiliate s5sir pride, GSe.A and, pos
and passion of his life had been to b
received and treated as one of them by the oil
suit and indignity in the effort, he became one o
the most viudictive of men, He saw them foile6
and now he wanted to kill them. wh lie he wa
| deyislng means to overcome Gen. Grants resist
snee to this last purp3s, the leaders Of the ol'
former treatment Of him, and justified it. The!
said that in all ages and countries W here cast
distinctions existed conditions were always pos
| sible which promoted men who had achieved sue
cess from the lever into the n9bler or er. A
| President of the United States he became, regard
less of birth and ancestry, not only a member o
their order, but its leader. johnson was wild witt
delight, ambition and pride were both satisfied
| He became as anxious to sustain and perpetual
| in some form a system which had given the high
est social and political distinction to few grea
| families as he had been to destroy it. Grant di
| not have long to wait for tho formulation of hi
plan. The President sent for him and said tn
and would destroy the country. The war wa
| oTer and the republic wanted peace, and tina
| was possible only by union of all sections. Tn
provisional governments provided for the sc
| ceded States were only temporary expedient:
without constitutional authority, and the State
had all the rights and should possess all the pow
ers they had before the war. He had perfected
scheme to accomplish this result, and wit Ge-
Grants assistance, its success was assured. Ii
would: by proclamation; direct the rebel State
to send 10 Washington their full .quota of Ser
from enough members from the North, who
united with them, would mako a quorum of on
formed, he would recognize aud install at th
capitol. If the other Northern members did nc
choose to join, there would be pewerless rum
President repliel: ''Ihey who do it will be t0
ance is impossibie. He appealed
, republic. After endeavoring for long time
vain to convince the President of the folly
matter who sustained, it Grant finally tod hii
that he would drive the Congress so constituted
Of sRs % he to
and Representatives from the loyal States, an
! protect them. If necessary. he would appeal
mustered out oi service Mr. Johnson aske
| him if he did not recognize the pow,
vested in the President by the constitution
and if he would refuse to obey Il
Comm ander -in-Chief. Gen. Grant sal
, | that under such circumstances he most certaipl
would. Shortly afterward the President sent f,
| Gen. Grant, and said to bim that the relations
our government with Mexico were very delica
, | and he wished him to go to the City of Mexico
, | once a very important mission. The gener
| knew that this was to get him out of the way al
put it in the power of the President to call, b
| successor, to Washington some officer upon who
he could rely. He replied that if the appoin tmel
was a diplomatic he declined il.
it was military one, he refused
obey, because the general Of the army cou
| not be ordered to a foreign country vii
| which at peace. The interview
stormy one, but the subject was dropped. Oh
| day the general was sent West on tour of il
| spection. He knew that Gen. Sherman was to
his successor, and in him he had absolute com
= dence. The outspoken loyalty of that great sodi
| prevented the project ever being renewed. 1t is
| this date needless to speculate upon what mi &
| have happened had Gen. Grant actively assiste
or possibly obeyed, the President. No one doub
{ the courage and obstinacy of President johnson
| and only man of equal firmness and determin
, | tion could have prevented a most calamitous al
unfortunate strife at the most critical period
3 | the reconstruction of the republic. Yours We
, | truly. CHAUNCEY N. DEPEW.
To Col Frederick d. Grant.
? COL. GRANTS REPLY.
|