The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-23
GRANT AND JOHNSON.
Interesting Interviews Concerning
"Johnson's Conspiracy"
What Generals Sherman, Sickles
and Porter Say About 1t.

NEW YORK, Oct. 22.-The Herald printed sew
| eral columns this morning. under the captiol
| 'Johnson's conspiracy" giving interviews with
! number OF parties supposed to have been CONVEX
| SAINT with the matter alluded to in the letter o
| Chauncey Depew to Colonel Fred Grant
| General Sherman was visited at his residence il
st. Louis last evening, and asked to contribute
chapter to the very interesting volume of national
history opened up by Mr.. Depew on Genera
Grants relations with Andrew johnson. The gen
eral fatty refused to open his mouth on the sub
ject further than to say that he was perfectly ia
mliar with the condition of affairs at the time re
ferred to, but that he thought the events OF those
stirring times had better remain unWritten thai
they might the sooner be buried in oblivion. TC
all direct questions the general returned fiat re-
1usal TO reply. HIS manner OF refusing made Il
very evident that he thought that Depew wrote
the truth but only part OF it. .'Why,' said the
general, 81 have papers and letters, a great mass
of documentary evidence proving just what trans
pired in relation to the matter, but / will never
allow any one but myself to read them and the in
formation possess will never impart to a living
General Daniel L. Sickles was interviewed al
his residence in this city last evening He
had just read Depew's letter with great interest
He said:
ut is not surprise to me- for President john
sons attitude toward the South and Congress was
Grant and Secretary Stanton at the time. The
most concern was felt by the frlends OF recon
struction. was placed in command OF the de-
partment of the CarolinaS, afterward known as
the second military division, ltWas generally un-
derstood that President johnson was intensely
hostile to the South and to Mr. Lineoln's plan OF
reconstruction. l favored what was known as
Lincolns policy. General Grant had similar
views President johnson, however, was so much
opposed to peaceful reconstruction that it was
great surprise to me when was assigned to the
department of tbs CarOlinas, and was so fearful
that there would not be harmony between myself
and the President that asked for written instruc-
tions. | knew johnson well. We had been in
Congress together before the war, ana we were
both Democrats. II was General Grants aid
johnson was vindctive and hated the slave hold
ers because they had no sympathy with the work
ing class from which he had worked his way up to
the White House.
seTenaded in Washington, stating that the VIC
tors should be magnanimouS toward the defeated
Southerners and aid them to regain their prosper
ity. l was so much in harmony with Gen. Grant
that he requested me to speak at Albany, Niagara
and other places. In those days General Grant
would not express his views before puDllc assem-
bles and as was with him constantly | knew
his sentiments fully. He distrusted President
johnson.
s.The reason that asked for written nstruc-
tions when was assigned to the command of the
Carolinas was to get definite idea OF what Presl-
dent johnson wished carried out, for intended
to resign, if disgraceful policy should be pro-
posed. My instructions were such that accepted
the command of the Carolinas. In the following
year, johnson changed his entire course, and his
relations with Mr. Stanton and General Grant
were not cordial In fact, neither Grant nor Stan
ton visited the White House or went near the
President, but they kept an anxious eye on his
movements. was afraid that his vindictive poll
cy would make it impossible for me to get along
harmoniously with the CarolInas Presently, to
my surprise, johnson refused to sustain my acts
because he thOughtme teo severe land was as ienl-
ent with offending Southerners as he had previous
ly been vindictlye.
"a man was murdered under the shadow of
South Carolina court house. removed the sher-
iff and coroner who claimed that the murdererS
were unknown, when the fact was that they were
well known and influential men, and should have
been punished. johnson protected them His
policy became 50 dangerous that begged TO re-
tire and General Candy, of MOdoc fame, succeed
ed me. But his administration was the same as
my own. 1t was simply military necessity TO
have murderers punished, the innocent protected,
of Congress should be enforced, free labor upheld,
and ali citizens, white or black, allowed their
rights at the polls and in their daily avocations.
There was no difference of opinion between
Grant, Sherman Thomas, Meade, Sheridan, Han
cock and myself In regard to reconstruction and
the enforcement of the law. President johnson
was opposed to our views. He had policy OF his
own, which was well understood and the subject
of private discussion among the generals, Ihey
were all generous to the South and loyal to the
government
Later when President johnson began his luke
warm policy, he was sustained by such men as
Raymond, Evarts and Horatio Seymour. When
they prepared to hold peace meeting, or what
was called brotherly love convention, at Phila-
delphia, Mr. Stanton wrote me about IL, is ana
sdered. l wrote back that it would not be sue
cessful; that the country preferred General
Grant and his policy to HOratio Seymour and the
policy proposed by his, co-opera-
tors. The people wanted neither vlndlctlveneSs
nor gush. General Grant had the right idea OF
the situation, and the generals of the army were
fsigshty s aha sRdh gBaGtpg 4e Rs %as sure Gt
General Horace Porter was aide-de-camp to
General Grant at the headquarters OF the army
in Washington during the IL ba ba6t
OF talking with him about affairs as tney pro-
gressed, so that General Porter was additl0nally
posted as to all that happened Generai ror'er
aft was Just about two months after the war
ended that General Lee applied Tor amnesty anu anu
nardon The application was sent to General
Grant who put the following endorsement on y,
Respectfully forwarded through the Secretary
of War TO the President with the earnest recon-
mendation that the application of Gen. Robert E:
Lee for amnesty and pardon may De granted MN.
General Grants Recommendation was not COM
piled with, and soon after it was found that fres,
tdent Johnson was endeayoring to have Lee and
the officers who surrendered with him at Apo
mattox indicted for treason Lee was very mucn en-
disturbed, and in his trouble again applied 10
General Grant by letter. General Grant 1or-
warded General Lees letter to President johnson
with this Endorsement, IN my raatl oplnotn
tox Court House and since, upon the
same terms given to Lee, cannot be tried 1or
treason so long as they observe the terms OF tner
parole The action of Judge Underwood in Nor
folk has already had an injurious enect, ana 1
would ask that he be ordered TO quash an lnulet-
ments found against paroled prisoners, ana 10 ae-
sist from further prosecution of Them Mr.:
johnson was in perfect frenzy on this suDlect az
the time and sent for General Grahf 70 Gof u tbe 70
stand Won take. when is the hanging of rebels
ever to beginq' Gen. Grant, replied to him, very
calmly and very logically. and went into tne fea-
sons which induced him to give Lee such terms at
Appomattox as he did. He said that as condl-
tion of these terms Lee naa n n5
as he had expected by the other Southern armies.
A guerilla warfare had thus doubtless been pre-
vented and the whole war brought to sudden den
termination; that these officers had all kept their
paroles honorably; and that until they Vlolatea
them they could not be arrested or punished Thls
led to a very heated discussion, and Gen, Grant
went so far as to say that he would resign his
position in the army if he could not proteet MS
prisoners Gen Grant related the lnterVtew te b 70
said that he wanted to spare the country the NOR
tcaton Of 50 gross ID bTeac tSs oi Ia as THAT
President johnson not long after this changed
his whole attitude in regard to the South, and
commenced to curry favor with the higher class
of people in that section. He evidently intended
to see that Southern representatives were ADMIT
ted to Congress, and was determined 10 use iorce
if necessary to install Southern members; Gensr,
al Grant became very apprehensive and fearful
that we were on the verge of revolution;
'The President exercised good deal OF adrolt-
ness i'm attempting to win General Grant over TO
his views, but in this he utterly falled Inc ten
eral was frequently invited to cabinet meetings
ence and he was treated in manner that would
easily have 1attered and controlled weaker
man. The General was entirely frank M with the ne
would have to take as general OF the army IN
case of any proceedings that he considered revo-
The President directed him to make a trip to
Mexico under pretence of wanting him to ascer-
tain the true situation there. 1t was perfectly ey-
ident to General Grant that this was mere eX-
cuse for getting him out of the country at this
crisis and he declined to go. He was sent for Dy
the President during q cabinet meeting. Inc
President said to his attorney general, i nave
given General Grant orders to proceed to Mexico,
which he declines to obey. want an opinion
from you as to whether the general of the army
cannot be compelled to obey my orders General
Grant spoke up at once and said, MI. President,
/ think can give you as good an opinion on tnag
point as the attorney general. We are at peace
with Mexico and as cOmmander-ln-cnlef OF tne
military capacity. You have rendered me simply
diplomatic mission, and have but avalled my
self of the right which every citizen is entitled to-
that of declining such mission Mr.. Seward
noaded his head approvingly to General Grant as
he made these remarks. There was no coerelVe
measure taken as far as this mission was con
cerned. The matter ended there
But curious complication lay in the fact thai
General Sherman had been ordered to Washing
ton to take General Grants place, it being taker
for granted that General Grant would go upon
this mission, and General Sherman was already
on his way to Washington. General Grant commu
ncated with him, as soon as he arrived in Wash
ngton General Sherman arrived in the morning
and went to Grants house, where the General
told him of his alarm in regard to the state o.
things in Washington, mentioning what nad Trans
pired with the President, and the stand ne nae
taken in the matter. General Sherman'S patriot
ism was at once aroused and with the prompt
said,'f did right Grant, you did exactly rlgnt.
The Commercial Advertiser prints an interview
with ex-Congressman Ashley of Ohio, known fol
years as Impeachment Ashley who is credited