The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-10-29
FIGHTING A PRESIDENT.
An Interesting Story Of the Re.
construction Period Retold by
Chauncey NJ. Depew.
Gen. Grants Unwavering 0pposition
to the Alleged Disloyal P.oh
Of Andy johnson.

OF Andy johnson.
New York telegramI
The Hon. Chauncey M. Depew has fur
nished to the press the following open let
ter to Col. +. ID. Grant:
NEW YORK. Oct. II, 1885.
ny DEAR COLONEL: In answer to your re-
had with your tather,. and to which alluded in
q speech before the Chamber OF Commerce. the
following is my best recollection;
About four years ago sat beside Gen. Grant
at dinner. There were many courses, slowly
served. and the entertainment lasted several
hours n we ssa nrS ad
things he said to me that when In China Prince
Kung. who was Regent and real ruler during
their controversy with Japan. War was
about to be declared. and the Prince
thought it would be long and bloody one. and
asked General Grant IL he would act as arbi-
traitor. The General declined for want OF time.
but principally because he was PR, a'e person
and had no power to enforce his decision He
suggested, however. the terms OF compromise.
When in Japan shortly after, the Mikado's Min
listers told him their side Of the trouble and re-
ans se
on both sides. hoping to benefit by the war; The
same request was made to him on the part OF
the Japanese Government-to act as arbitrator
and In again declining he stated the substance
OF the compromise he had advised for China
The two nations adopted substantially the
terms proposed by General Grant, and disas-
trous conflict was averted.
The conversation drifted into consideration
of his relations with President Andrew john
son. The narrative of this period was one Of
the most graphic to which ever listened, and
1t is unfortunate for history and sterity that
IL cannot be preserved as IL was told 1t had
the local coloring of conversations with and
statements made by, the chief actor s, and the
situations of parties and persons as the events
occurred invaluable as portraiture and estl-
mate of the times. said in my address that
Gen. Grant performed services to his country
which were unwritten quite as important as
any that were recorded, and think this nara
tive will bear me out. This is the substance Of
the story:
of Mr.. Lincoln, to loudly proclaim at all times
and places, with constant reiteratiop the shiDbo-
leth, Treason is odious and must be punished.
and the chief rebels shall be hanged" To give
effect to this sentiment, as soon as he was in
augured he insisted upon the United States
Courts in Virginia finding indictments against
all the leading members of the Confederacy.
He also wanted the officers In the rebel army
who had left the regular army to Join the rebel
lion to be summarily dealt with by court
martial These movements OF the President
produced the greatest CONSERVATION through
out the South The Confederate leaders APP
psesled to Grant tt, to protect g,Ssn them her on
Johnson on the subject, only to be in
formed that the President was by the Consti-
tuition commander in chief of the army, and
that anything done by the commanding General
on the field was done subject to his approval or
rejec ion, and he rejected the terms General
these conditions, disbanded their orr anizations.
submitted universally to the situation. and were
carrying out in good faith their part Of the
agreement, and every consideration OF both
honor and expediency demanded equally good
faith on the part OF the Governments The other
course would have led to an endless guerrilla
warfare, conducted In country admirably
adapted for II by desperate and hopeless men.
johnson obstinately adhered to his view. and
Grant fatty told him that If there were to be
any courts martial one must be called to try
General Grant first: that he would by every
peal to Congress and the country. In the halt
called by this attitude or General Grant very
remarkable change occurred in the views
and policy of President Johnson. General
Grant discovered that the most frequent and
favored visitors to the White House were the
the Generals opinion Johnson's loyalty was
subordinate to, IL not entirely dependent upon.
his entire enmity to the slaveholding oligarchy.
He was a roor white. had been journeyman
tailor, and. notwithstanding the distinguished
public positions he had held, he could not
break through the class barrier. and was treat
ed socially with contempt by this proud aris-
tocracy. When they plunged into rebellion he
saw his opportunity. He believed IN the power
OF the Government. and thought that the time
had come when he could defeat his enemies,
confscate their property, humiate their pride,
and possibly destroy them.
The absorbing ambition and passion Of his
life had been to be received end treated as one
OF them by the oligarchy. Having failed in
that and suffered insult and ind gnity in the
men. He saw them foiled in their rebellion,
defeated and impoverished, and now he wanted
TO kill them While he was devising means to
overcome General Grants resistance to this last
purpose, the leaders of the old feudalism called
upon him They admitted their former treat
ment and justified II. They said that in all
ages and countries where caste distinctions ex-
listed, conditions were always possible which
promoted men who had achieved success from
the lower into the noble order. AS President
OF the United States, he became regardless of
birth and ancestry, not only member of their
order, but its leader Johnson was wild with
delight; ambition and pride were both salts
fed. He became as anxious to sustain and
perpetuate in some form system which had
given the highest social and political dstinc-
tion to few great families as he had been
TO destroy 10. Grant did not have long to
wait for the formulation OF his plan. The Pres-
dent sent for him, and sad that the radical
measures of Congress were revolutionary and
would destroy the country. The war was over,
and the Republic wanted peace. and that was
possible only by union of all sections. The
rovisional governments provided for the Sc
ceded States were temporary expedients without
constitutional authority, and the states had all
the rights and should possess all the powers
they had before the war. He had perfected q
scheme 10 accomplish this result, and with Gen.
Grants assistance 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 assur-
ances from enough members from the North
who, united with them, would make a quorum
OF one house at least, IL not both The
Congress thus formed he would recognize
anQ lnstdll AT Jne CaIlUOl. III the Otner North
ern members did not choose to join, they
would be poweress 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 be the rebels, but
IL YOU sustain me. resistance will be impos-
sible"
He appealed to Grant to stand by him In the
crisis and they would be the saviors of tho Re-
public. After endeavoring for a long time in
vain TO convince the President of the folly of
such course and it's cert ain failure, no matter
who sustained IL, Grant finally told him that he
would driye the CONGRESS- 80 constituted out OF
the Capitol at the point of the baynot. give pos
session OF the building to the Senators and
Representatives from the loyal States, and pro-
tect them. III necessary. he would appeal to
the country and to the ARM re had so recently
mustered out Of service. Mr.. Johnson asked
IL he did not recognize the powers vested in the
President by the Constitution. an IL he would
refuse to obey the COMMANDMENT Chief. Gen.
eral Grant said that under such circumstances
M most certainly would
Shortly afterward the President sent for Gen.
Grant, and said TO him that the relations OF our
Government with Mexico were very delicate.
and he wished him to go to the City OF Mexico
at once on very important mission. The Gen.
eral knew that this was to get him out Of the
country, and put II In the power of the Presi-
dent to CALL as his successor to Washington.
some officer upon whom he could rely. He re-
piled that II the appointment was a diplomatic
one he declined It; IL It WAS a military one he
refused to obey, because the General of the