The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-11-05
GRANT AND JOHNSON.
Further Concerning the Misunderstand'
ing Between the President and
the General.
Gen. Sherman Interviewed-What Ben
Butler Gays If the Impeaoh-
ment Trial.
Sherman sheds Light.
ISt. Louio spcciall

lbt kOuiu bpccihLj
The Globe Democrat this morning contains
the following interview with General sherman
on the pending controversy as TO the relations
Of General Grant with President Johnson:
What was your understanding OF President
Johnson's intention In sending General Grant
TO MexicoY"
Grant was being spoken Of for the Presi-
was TO get him out OF the way. do not think.
however, that johnson feared any political foe.
1t was thought that Seward most dreaded the
power OF Grant and was most anxious to get
rid OF him."
How was IL you were sent to Mexico instead
Of Grant,"
Before replying to this question, General
Sherman rose aud retired 10 a room in the rear
of the library. into which he had first usherod
the reporter. when he returned ne held In bis
book, After the War" Il have all the docu-
ments here" he remarked. and they will be
published in time. Referring to the proof
In the year 1866 was summoned from New
Mexico TO Washington. When / arrived at
Washington called upon General Grant at his
house in street, and asked him the reason
of my being ordered TO Washington. He ex-
planned that President Johnson wanted to see
me. but that he did not know the why or where
fofe. He supposed, however, that It had some
connection with an order he had received to
escort the newly appointed Minister, Hon. Lew
President-elect of Mexico, which country was
still in possession OF the Emperor Macmillan,
supported by corps OF French troops. com
MED the right Of the President TO order him
upon a diplomatic mission unattended by
troops. He stated to me that he would disobey
the order and take the consequences.
Il then went TO President johnson. who re-
ceived me with great cordially, and said that
he was very glad had come. He stated that
Gen. Grant was about to leave for Mexico on
business of importance, and that he wanted
me to remain in Washington and command
the army In Gen. Grants absence. / then
informed the President that Gen. Grant
by that statement, and observed that it
was generally understood that Gen Grant con-
sidered the occupation of Mexico by french
troops and the establishment of an empire there
with an Austrian prince at its head az hostile TO
republican America. The President added that
the administration had arranged with the
French goyernment for the withdrawal of Ba-
Zaine's troops, which would leave the country
free for President Juarez to occupy the City OF
Mexico, and the fact that Mr. Campbell was "a
companied by so distinguished soldier as
Gen. .Grant would emphasize the act of the
United States. then reiterated that Gen.
Grant would not go, and that he president
Johnson could not afford to quarrel with Gen.
Grant at that time. then suggested that Gen.
Hancock or Gen. Sheridan could perform the
acceptable. l myself would go. The President
answered If you will go, that VIII answer per-
fectly.' Accordingly the following order was
issued:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
Oct. 80. 1866. !
-To the Hon Edwin NJ Stanton, Secretary of
War:
"SIR-Gen. U. S. Grant having found it incon-
venient TO assume the duties specified In my
letter to you of the 18th inst, You will please
relieve him and assign them IN all respects 10
William Il. Sherman, Lieutenant General of the
armies OF the United States. By the way OF
directing Gen. Sherman in the performance OF
his duties, you will furnish him with a copy of
your special orders 70 Gen. Grant. made in
compliance with my letter of the 10th inst, to-
gether with copy OF the instructions OF the
Secretary OF State TO Lewis d. Campbell, Esq,
therein mentioned. The Lieutenant General
will proceed TO the execution Of his duties
without delay. Very respectfully yours,
I'm pursuance of that order, went to Vera
Cruz in the United States ship Susquehanna
We then cruised TO Matamoras, where the Min
lister was in communication with friends OF
Juarez. and from there returned to st. Louis.
AT New Orleans, however. 1 received the fol-
lowing dispatch from 5, cretary stanton: =
Lieutenant General Sherman, New Orleans:
Your telegram of yesterday has been submit
ted to the President You are authorized to
proceed 10 st. Louis at yonr convenience. Your
performance OF the special and delicate duties
assigned to you is cordially appreciated by the
President, the Cabinet, and this department
EDWIN NJ. STANTON.
Have you the instructions to Grant of which
you received a copy?"
Yes, have copies of them somewhere, but
they are on file in the state Department at
Washington Some time subsequent to my re-
turn-I do not remember the date-Mr Stanton
was suspended under the tenure of the civil
once Dill, ana General Grant was appointed
by President Johnson to be Secretary of War
al interim. He exercised the functions of that
office until January IL, 1863 when, after
some proceedings in the Senate. Mr.. stanton
was reinstated as Secretary OF War This caused
trouble between Gen. Grant and the President.
WHICH was probably never healed. That quar-
rel was the beginning OF the trouble which re
son, who was regularly tried by the Senate and
acquitted. After that Mr.. Stanton resigned
and Gen. Schofield was appointed Secretary OF
ar Ia m N n md
81 the johnson administration
NO, i never understood Gen. Grant to ex-
! press any fear that Mr. Johnson contemplated
any violence Mr.. Johnson firmly believed that
| The Constitution and laws then existing were
| all sufficient for the reconstruction of the
! southern States. Congress thought otherwise
and in the quarrel between Congress and the
President. Grant was in danger OF being made
| the scapegoat."
Gen. Sherman again returned to the rear of
his library. and this time he emerged carrying
a large file of Gen. Grants letters. These let
ters from Gen. Grant cover the period In ques-
ton. They are all OF a friendly and confiden-
| tial nature, but there il nothing in them which
could 20 TO show that Grant ever apprehended
any national danger. When Stanton was re-
stored to Office Johnson accused Grant of hav-
ing surrendered his office without sufficient re-
sstance That the cause of the quarrel.
IL was fight between the President and Con-
gress, and Grant was not wzsss8g that they
! should wage IL over his shoulders. Stanton be-
ing backed by Congress- Grant retired. John
son was hostile to Stanton, and he did not want
| best way out of the difficulty was TO let the
President, Congress-, and Stanton fight it out
| among themselves.
L think the papers are making too much of
this controversy. 1t Is simply an effort to re-
kinde the embers of a fire which has long
| since died out do not believe Mr.. Chauncey
Depew intended to do more than repeat from
| memory a statement made by Gen. Grant at a
dinner table. He Is a very honorable gentleman,
but he no doubt, thought there something
In this matter. But there was nothing more In
Mr. Johnson's attitude than the ordinary
political differences which VIII exist between
men of different parties.
| Il repeat again. there was no violence intend
| ed. Everybody was sick and tired df war. No
body thought of fighting, except on paper.
/ After stanton was removed. wanted President
| johnson to nominate Gen. Jacob ID. Cox az
Secretary of War, and his confirmation by the
Senate would have settled the whole contro-
versy Mr.. Reverdy johnson conceded with me
in this particular, but the President would fight
1t out in his own way.
AS have already stated, Mr.. Johnson was
impressed with the belief that with the consti-
tuition and the laws he could successfully re-
construct the South. Mr.. Lincoln. i think, was
OF the same opinion. Congress- however
wanted to provide the machinery and dictate
the terms upon which the States that had Sc
coded should be received back into the Union.
Gen. Schoficid's "Reminiscences.
lChicago special
Maj Gen. John nj. Schofeld, who succeeded
Stanton as Secretary Of War under Presiden
Johnson, was in position to know as much
perhaps. anyone else concerning the unWrit