Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-10-30
A CHAPTER or HISTORY.
An Interesting Passage out Of q
Iohnaon AdnaInIstrallon.

| now GEN. GRANT STOOD BETWEEN JOHNSON AND
THE COUNTRY AND DEFEATED his PLANS ron
RESTORING THE SOUTH TO POWER.
Hon. Ohauncey M. Depew Of New York
has furnished 10 the press the following open
letter to Col. +. d. Grant
NEW YORK. Oct. ~, 1885.
My Dear Colonel In answer 10 your re-
quest for the particulars Of the conversation
l had with your father and 70 which allud-
ed in a speech before the Chamber Of Com
meroe, the following Is my best recollection
About four years ago 1 sat beside Gen.
Grant at dinner. There we're many courses,
slowly served, and the entertainment lasted
several hours. We discussed many matters
suggested by his travels around the world,
and among other things he said 10 me that
when in China Prince KunR, who was regent
and the real ruler during the minority Of the
emperor, told him Of their controversy with
japan. War was about to be declared, and
the prince thought II would be q long and
bloody one, and asked Gen Grant il he
would not act as arbitrator. The general de-
clined for want of time, but principally be-
cause he was q private person, and had no
power to enforce bis decision. He suggest
| ed, however, the terms Of compromise.
When he was In japan shortly after the Mi
kado's ministers told their side OF the troub-
10 and revealed the fact that several Of the
| European governments were actively stirring
up the strife on both sides, hoping 10 benefit
by the war. The same request was made TO
him on the part of the Japanese government
to act as arbitrator and he again declined
He stated the substance Of the compromise
| he had advised for China. The two nations
adopted substantially the terms proposed BY
Gen. Grant aud q disastrous conflict was
averted. The conversation drifted into a
consideration Of his relations with President
Andrew johnson. The narrative Of this Pc
riod was one Of the most graphic descriptions
to which 1 ever listened, and II is unfortu-
nate for history and posterity that II cannot
be preserved as IL was told. said in my sd-
dress that Gen. Grant performed services to
his country which were unwritten quite as
important as any that were recorded and /
think this narrative will bear me out. This
is the substance Of the story:
johnson began the day after the ssssssina-
tion Of Mr.. Lincoln to loudly proclaim at all
times and places with constant reiteTation,
the shibboleth treason is odious and muet
be punished and the chief rebels shall be
hung" To give effect to this sentiment as
soon as he was inaugurated he insisted upon
the United States courts in Virginia finding
indictments against all the leading members
Of the Oonfederaoy. He also wanted the Of
| hcers in the rebel army who had left the reg
ular army to Join the rebellion to be summaS
rily dealt with by court martial. These
movements of the President produced the
greatest condemnation throughout the South.
The Confederate leaders appealed to Grant
| to protect them on the parole be had given.
| He saw johnson on the subject, only 10 be
informed that the President was, by the con-
stitutioD, commsndsr.in.o chief Of the army, and
that anything done by the commanding general
| on the field Was done subject 10 his approval
or rejection, and he rejected the terms. Gen.
Grant urged that the rebels hsd surrendered
OF these conditions disbanded their orRani-
cations, submitted universally 10 the situa-
tion and we're carrying out in good faith their
part Of the agreement, and every oonsideTa-
| ton Of both honor and expedienoy demanded
good faith on the part Of the government
The other course would have led TO endless
guerrilla warfare, conducted In q country ad-
mirably adapted for it by desperate and hope
less men. johnson obstnAtely adhered 10
his view, and assumed the authority Of CON-
mander, when Grant hatly told him that IL
there we're to be any courts-martial one NUT
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 Gene
raj Grant, q very remarkable change occurred
in the views and policy Of President johnson.
Gen. Grant discovered that the most frequent
and favored visitors 10 the White House we're
those whom the President had prescribed. In
the Generals opinion, Johnson's loyalty was
subordinate to, IL not entirely dependent
upon, his intense hatred Of the slave-holding
| olgarchy. He was poor white, had been
journeyman tailor and, notwithstanding the
distinguished public positions he had held, he
could not break through the class barrier, and
was treated socially with contempt by this
proud Rristocracy. When they plunged into
rebellion, he saw his opportunity. He believ.
ed In the power Of the government, and
thought that the time had come when he
could defeat his enemies, conhscats their
property, humiliate their pride, and possibly
destroy them. The absorbing ambition and
passion Of his life had been to be received
and treated as one of them by the oligarchy.
Having failed in that and suffered insult and
indignity in the effort, he became one Of the
most vindictive Of men. He saw them foiled
in their rebellion, defeated and impoverished,
and now he wanted TO kill them.
While he was deVising means 10 overcome
Gen. Grants resistance to this last purpose,
the leaders Of the old feudalism called upon
him. They admitted their former treatment
of him, and justified It. They said that in
all ages and countries where caste distinctions
existed, 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, re-
gardless of birth or ancestry, not only mem
Der of their order, but its leader. johnson
was wild with delight; his ambition and
pride were both satisfied. He became as anx-
ous to sustain and perpetuate In some form
q system which had given the highest social
and political distinction TO q few great fami-
lies as he had been 10 destroy II.
Grant did not have long TO wait for the for
rnation nf hia rlan Tha PraaidaNk aank for
him and said that the radical measures of
| Congress were revolutionary and would de-
| stroy the country. The war was over and the
republic wanted peace, and that was only
possible by union of all sections. The pro-
visionAl governments provided for the seced-
cd states were temporary expedients without
constitutional authority, and the states had
all the rights and should possess all the pow
ers they had before the war. He had perfect
ed q scheme to 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 assurances from enough members
from the North who united with them which
would make quorum OF one house at least
| II not both. The Congress then formed he
would recognize and install at the capitol. II
the other Northern members did not choose
/ W lOlut tuo1 MOulu pOWoNAoub
meeting in some hall. To the Generals sug-
gestion that this would start the civil war
afresh, the President replied "They who do
| it will be rebels but II you sustain me re-
sistanoe is impossible" He appealed to
| Grant TO stand by him in the crisis and they
would be the saviors Of the republic.
After endeavoring for long time in vain
to convince the President Of the folly Of such
course and Of its certain failure, no matter
who sustained IL, Grant finally told him that
he would drive the Congress so constituted out
of the Capitol at the point of the bayonet,
| give possession of the building to the SenA-
tors and Representatives from the loyal states
and protect them. II necessary he would
appeal to the country and to the army he had
so recently mustered out OF service. Mr.
johnson asked him il he did not recognize
the powers vested in the President by the
| Constitution and II he would refuse to obey
the OommAnder-in Chief. General Grant
said under such circumstances he most GER
tainly would.
Shortly afterwards the President sent for