Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-21
uNwRITTEN HISTORY.
GRANT and ANDY JOHNSON.

Chauncey NJ. Depsw has furnished thI
ntess the following open letter to Coo
Iel y. Grant:
NEW YORK. October IL, 1885.
Nv Dear Colonel: In answer TO your
REQUEST for the particulars of CONVEX
sstion had with your father, and to
which / alluded in a speech before the
Chamber Of Commerce, the following is
nv hes, recollection
About four years ago ! sat beside
General Grant at dinner. There were
many courses. slowly served. and tho
.n,ertsinment lasted several hours. We
discussed many matters suggested by
his travels around the world, and,
among other things, he said to me that
when in China, Prince kung' who was
the recent and real ruler during the
minority of the Emperor, told him of
,hc;r controversy with Japan. War
was about TO be declared, and the
prince thought it would be a long
and bloody one. and asked General
Grant if he would act as arbi-
traitor. The General declined for
want Of time. but principally because
he was a private person, and had no
rowcr 10 enforce his decision. lie sug-
eested. however, terms Of compromise.
when in Japan. shortly after, the
Nbkado's Ministers told their side Of
a., trouble, and revealed the fact that
several European Governments were ac-
lively stirring up the strife on both
sides. hoping to benefit by the war,
the same request was made to him on
thc part Of the japanese Government
10 act SIS arbitrator, and in again de-
clining he stated the substance Of the
compromise he had advised for China.
The two nations adopted substantially
the terms proposed by General Grant,
and a disastrous conflict was ayerted.
The conservation drlftod into the con-
sideration Of his relations with Presi-
dent Andrew johnson. The narrative
Of this period was one Of the most
graphic descriptions to which | ever
listened. and II is unfortunate for his
tory and posterity that it cannot be
preserved as it was told. 1t had the To-
cal coloring of conversations with and
statements by the chief actors and Of
situations. parties, and persons as events
occurred. invaluable as pOrtraiture
and estimate Of the times. ! said in my
address that General Grant performed
services to his country which were un-
written quite as important as any that
were recorded, and ! think this nara
tive will bear me out. This is the sub
stance OF the story
Mr. johnson began the day after the
assassination Of Lincoln to loudly pro-
claim, at all times and places, with
constant reiteration, the shlbbOleth
"Treason is odious and must be pun
ished, and the chief rebels shall be
hung
To give effect to this sentiment, as
soon as he was maugurated he insisted
upon the United States courts in Nir-
GINA finding indictments against all
leading members Of the Coniederacy.
lie also wanted officers in the rebel
army who had left the regular army 10
Join the rebellion to be summarily
dealt with by court-martial. These
movements Of the President produced
the greatest CONSERVATION throughout
the south. The Confederate leaders
appealed TO Grant to protect them on
the parole he had given. He
saw President johnson on the
subject, only to be informed that the
President was by the Constitution
commander-in-chefO of the army. and
that anything done by commanding
general on the field was done subject to
his approval or rejection, and he rejected
the terms. General Grant urged that
the rebels had surrendered on these
conditions. disbanded their organiza.
tiOns, submitted universally to the sit
uation, were carrying out in good faith
their part Of the agreement, and every
consideration Of both honor aud eXpe-
diency demanded equal good faith on the
part Of the Government. The other
course would have led to an erdless
guerilla warfare, conducted in country
admirably adapted for it by desperate
and hopeless men. President Johnson
obstmately adhered to his view
and assumed the authority Of
commander, when Grant fatty told him
him that if there were to be any courts
martial one must be called for General
Grant first; that he would by every
means in his power protect his parole,
and appeal to Congress and the coun-
Try.
In the halt called by this attitude Of
General Grant avery remarkable change
occurred in the views aud policy of
President johnson. General Grant dis
covered that the most frequent and IA
yored visitor to the White House
were men whom the President had pro-
scribed. In the Generals opinion
Johnson'S loyalty was subordinate to,
if not entirely dependent upon, his in
tense hatred of the slave holding oil
garchy. lie 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 aristocracy.
When they plunged into rebellion
he saw his opportunity; he believed in
tie power Of the Government, and
thought the time had come when he
could defeat his enemies, cOnhscste
their property, humiliate their pride,
and possibly destroy them. The all
sorbing ambition and passion Of his life
had been 10 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 yindictlye OF
men. lie saw them foiled in
their rebellion, defeated and in
po,erished. and now he wanted to kill
them. While be was deyising means to
overcome General Grants resistance to
this last purpose, the leaders of old
ieudalism called on him. They admit
ted their former treatment Of him and
justified II. They said that in all ages
and countries where caste distinctions
existed conditions were always pOssi-