The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-10-21
GEN. GRAM.
THE uNwRlrrEN HISTORY
orr Days of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT How tho
General stosd Between the Confsd-
crate Leaaers and Andrew
Johnson's Vengeance
Traitsrous Schemes

NEW York, Oct. 20 Hon. Chaunoey
M. Dspew has furnished to tho psssi.
dent the following opsn letter 10
Colonel Fred Grant:
New Yorl, Oct. 10 1885
Ally DEAR CoLoNEL-In answer TO
your request for The particulars o. the
conversstion had with your father,
and to whi:h l alluded in speech b9
fore the chamberoi commerce, the to-
lowing is my best recollection:
About four years ago | sat beside Gem
ersi Srant az dinner. 1hera were
many courses, slowly served, snd the
entertainment lasted several hOars.
We discunsed many matters,
suggested by his travels sfOuuc
things he said to mo that
when he was in China Prince Kung,
who was regent and the real ruler dur
Ing the minority OF the emperor, told
him OF their controversy with Japan.
War was about to be declared and
the prince thought IL would
be long and bloody one, and asked
General Grant If he would act "a arhi-
traitor, The general declined for want
OF time, but principally because be
Was private person and mad no pow
, or to enforce his decision. He
suggested, however, the terms
pan, shortly afterwards the
Mikadn's ministers told them their
sido Of the trouble aud revealed tho
tact that several of the European GOV
ernm9nts were actively engaged in
stirring up the strife on both sides,
hoping TO be hene fitted by the war. Tho
same request was mazda to thu
general on tha cart OF tho Jsp7D
, government to act aa arbitrator, inG
In again declining ho stated the sub
stance OF the compromise no had nd
vised for China. Tho Gwo nations
, adopted substantially tho Terms pro-
I posed 10y General Grant, md dis4s
, tr6us conflict was avoided.
1.-The conversation then drifted
into consideration of mis-
relations with President Andrew
johnson. His narrative OF this period
WAS one OF the most graphic 6escrip-
tons 20 which i ever listened. 1t is un-
fortunate for history aud postsrity
that 1t cannot be preserved
az it was told. IL had the local color
, ing of . conversation with and state
ments by Que OF the chief actors, end
OF Tho situations eff parties and
persons as the events occurred,
and would have bean invaluable
~ portraiture and estimate Of
the times. / said in my address thai
General Grant performed services for
his country, which were unwritten,
, quite as important rs any that were
recorded, and ] think this narrative
Will bear mc out.
"rhs is the suhsteucs of the story:
"Johnston began, the day after the
assassination Mr.. lincoln, TO loudly
proclaim, at ali times and places, with
constant reit0rattou, the shibboleth,
Treason is o3ious and nu {
be punished, and tho chief
rsbols shalt be hung To
give effect to the sentiment, az soon
"a he was ineugarate6 hs insistad
upon the United States courts in Vir-
giuia finding indictments against
OIL the Leading members of
the Contedsracy. Ho also wanted
the officers in bhb rebel army, who had
lott tho segulsr army to join mo ys.
Oellion, to ba sumnarily dealt with by
court mgrtial.
"rhese movements of the president
produced the greatest Consideration,
throughout tho South. The Confeder
ate leaders appealed to Grant TO protect
, them on the parole ha had given. He
saw Johnson or tho subject, only To
be- Informed thai the president was.
, by tina constitution, commandments
CHIEF oi the army, aud that anything
done by tre commanding general on
the iioli was done suhj5Ht To his ap-
pro7al NJ rejection, and he rejected
,, tAo ierMs. General Ora vt urged that
the rohels had surrendered on these
lnnMn.Ifnnl al al lad
zion, submitted universally TO
the situation, and were car
rying out in good faith
tAelc part Of the agreements, and
, every consideration OF both honor and
expediOncy demanded equnl Coon
faith on tho part of taseovernment.
The othor course woIld hsvo
led TO an endless guRrrills
warfare, conducted in country
admirably adapted for l.,
by desperate and hopeless men. John
, son obstinetely adhered to his view,
. and Grant fatty told him IL there were
to be- any oourtmaItisls one must b.
called to try, General Grant
/, every measure in His mower.
, protect his parole, sud appeal TO
Congress and the country. In the
. halt called by this attitude Of General
Grant q very remarkable change oc .
CURED in tho views aud policy of
T Pfosideut johnson, and General Grant
soon discovered that tho most frtuuei t
ana favored VISITORS 10 the White
House were the men whom the presi.
, dent had prescribed. In the generals
, oplAton, Johnson's Loyalty was sub-
, ordinate to, IL not entirely depend emit
: upon, his intense hatred of tho slave
: holding oligarchy. He was n
noor white, had been journey.
, man tailor, and, notwithstandi,iu
the dis inquished public position he
had held, h could not break through
the glass barrier, md was treated go
cially with contempt by the proud
arlstocracy Of the South.
"Wheu they plunged into the
rebellion no saw his opportunity,
hes believed, In the power
OF tho government, and thought thu
tho timo had come when ho could de-
feat hN enemies, conhschia their prom.
otty, humiliato their pride aud pcssib. v
destroy them. The absorbing AZ. Uition
end passion OF his ITO had been TO nr
received aud treated rs one OF them,
, br the oliearony. Having failed a,
! that aud suffered insults end indisua
ton Ia The ifprt, he became ono OF h.
! most indicative OF men. Hs ssw
thom foiled IN their rebelii IN,
: ds!os'od aud imprl o0el, and now he
= wanted TO kilt tnoW. White he Wa.
dovisiug uiesns to overcome the gen.
srnl'H fosi ttence. 20 this Lass purpose, ths
leaders Of the feudalsm called unon
him. Thoy admitted their fnrmer
. treatment of him and justified a.
| rhsp a Ia tHat tn oil a,v.l 49,. -.