Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1885-10-29
N AND
No Violence Intended-Gencral sherman
Calling Attention TO Papers in
His Possession.

lalliuS Atteutitu 70 fApCrH IN
His Possession.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 24:-7Hs Globe Demo
erat to-day contains a long interview with
General Sherman In regard to the Grant
johnson matter. The General starts out
by saying:
I do not wish to say anything in regard
to this controversy, but ! have all the
documents pertaining to 1t in my posses
sion, and I assure you 1t has not been for
gotten. l think the papers are getting
badly mixed up over It, and the more
testimony given the more complicated it
becomes. / meyer understood General
Grant TO express any fear that Mr.. John
son contemplated any violence. Mr..
johnson firmly believed that the Consti-
tuition and the laws then existing were all
sufficient for the reconstruction of the
Southern States. Congress thought 9TH
erwise, and in the quarrel between that
body and the President, Grant was in
danger Of being made a scapegoat.
General Sherman here produced a large
bundle of letters from General Grant and
continued:
These letters cover the period in ques-
tion. They are all Of a friendly and con-
fidcntial nature, but there is nothing in
them which would go to show hat Grant
apprehended any National danger.
When Stanton was restored to office, Mr..
johnson accused Grant Of having surren-
dered his Office without resistance. That
was the cause Of the quarrel. 1t was a
fight between President and Congress and
General Grant was not willing that they
should wage it over his shoulders. Mr..
Stanton being backed by Congress. Gen
eral Grant retired. Mr.. johnson was hos.
tile to Mr.. Stanton and he did not want
him In his Cabinet. General Grant con
| cluded that the best way out Of the dill.
Guilty was to let the President, Congress
and Mr.. Stanton fight 1t out among them.
selves. | think the papers are making too
much of this controversy. 1t is simply
an effort to rekindle the embers Of a fire
which has long since died out. do moi
believe MI. Depew intended to do more
than to report from memory the state
ment made by General Grant at the din.
ner table. He is an honorable gentleman,
but he no doubt thought there was some.
thing in this matter. But there was moth
ing more in Mr.. Johnson's attitude than
ordinary political differences which exis,
between men Of different parties. re,
peat again that there was no violence in.
tended. Everybody was sick and tired OF
war. Nobody thought of fighting except
on paper. After Mr.. Stanton was remov,
ed, l wanted President johnson to nomi
nate General Jacob ID. Cox as Secretary
of War, and his confirmation by the Sen
ate would have settled the whole contro
versy. Reverdy johnson conceded witt
me In this particular. but President John
son would fight 1t out in his W way
As / have already stated, Mr.. johnson
was impressed with the belief that will
the Constitution and laws he could sue
cessfully reconstruct the South. Mr.
Lincoln, | think, was of the same opin
ion. Congress, however, wanted to pro
vide the machinery and dictate the term
by which the States that had secede,
might be admitted into the Union. BE
tween Congress and the President Gener
al Grant had m unhappy time for abou
o year. Then when the question wa
asked "who will be President Johnson
successor" the answer invariably wa
General Grant" OF course, there wa
the desire on the part Of some to crus
General Grant, as there was, after tn
Mexican War, to defeat General Scot
which they did. and General Taylo
which they did not. When Gener,
: Grant was elected President In 1868, the,
8 things ceased to be talked about, but the
are being stirred up again now. All Ii
correspondence and documents relatin
to that controversy have been saved, hoy
ever. and they will yet be made public.