The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-10-29
GRANT AND JOHNSON.
Depews Statement Discredited, What
Mr.. Warden Has to Say.

w wa sNo iPOANeNtAN' WV" " ~
G. Moore, who was private secretary
to President Johnson, and who is now
in the banking business here, did not
hesitate to say that some of the state
ments appeared to be incredible and
ridiculous His attention was special
ly called to the statement that Presi-
dent Johnson endeavored to compel
Gen. Grant to go on a mission to Mex
leo with view Of keeping him away
from Washington at the time Congress
assembled.
II have a notebook full OF memo
randa about that Mexican trip" he re-
piled, pulling little book Of steno-
graphic notes from his pocket. ''It
shows that President Johnson assured
Gen. Grant that while the prestige OF
his presence on the trip to Mexico was
desired, it would be so arranged as to
permit his return before Congress
met"
The only other feature of the Depew
reminisence that appeared to be strik-
ingly new was as to the prominent
part which President Johnsons desire
to curry favor with the Southern aris-
tocracy played in his course in deal
ing with the defeated leaders.
II cannot conceive of any founda-
tion for these statements" Col. Moore
said. "There never was a man in
public life who attached less import
ance to aristocracy, or was in more
perfect sympathy with the people.
President johnson was essentially q
man of the people and acted with
them. He did not curry favor with
the Southern aristocracy at any time,
and 1 cannot remember that Southern
aristocrats were ever conspicuous at
the White House. / do not think
that any Of the first families of the
South associated with President John
son during his administration who
would not have done so before. re-
gard nearly all these statement as I'M
just to President johnson, and contra
ry to my experience and knowledge
of him."
WHAT MR.. WARDEN HAS TO SAY.
I Mr.. w. w. Warden, whose personal
q relations with President Johnson dur
. ing the period were very close, says
! ~ am inclined to think that Mr.. De-
, pew has given color to the statements
made to him by Gen. Grant. ! do not
mean that it was Intentionally done
' You must remember that the CONVEX
! sation with Gen. Grant took place sew
: years ago, at long and tedious din
) ner party in New York, and you know
y what that means. There is no ques
r tion that Mr.. Johnson said that trea
8 son should be odious, and at that time
there was a great clamor in the coun
try to make examples of those who
were regarded as the arch-rebels ol
, conspirators, commencing with Jeff
erson Davis and going down but | dC
/ not believe that Mr.. Johnson wanted
. to go as far as this statement of Mr.
!. Depew's would indicate was his inten
o ton. There was the greatest excite
O ment, of course, just after the assassi
nation OF Lincoln, and delegations
a came here from many Of the States
, headed in some instances by the wa
/ Governors, including Gov. Brough, o
Ohio, and Morton, of Indiana. Mrs
! Lincoln did not leave the White Hous,
4 until some time after the funeral 0
!, her husband, and President Johnson
OF course, did not take up quarters il
! the White House until after she hat
!. vacated Rooms in the Treasury hat
: been fitted up for him, and it wa
!, there he received the delegations tina
\ called upon him. There were SOM
! stormy scenes necessarily. Mr. Depey
stated that Mr.. Johnson hated an,
!, despised the aristocraey of the South
and that was the reason he wanted Il
. wreak vengeance upon the leading
rebels. Mr.. johnson in his younge
!. days was much opposed to the clas
J referred to in the South, but thinl
/. that his mature views changed in thi
particular. Then when he becam
President he realized that he was il
,r most trying position. He was n
\ lawyer, you know, and he was at
loss at times to interpret plainly hi
= duties under the Constitution; bu
when he realized what he considere
4 his duty under the laws and unde
,s the Constitution, he did what h
: thought best for the interests OF tn
;f whole country. Mr.. johnson did nc
, have any conferences with Gen. Gran
T. That is mistake, so far as the leaC
r. ing matters in question are concerned
k This wanting Gen. Grant to go to Me,
q leo was an entirely different matter.
~ With reference to Fred. Grants il
r. dorsement of Mr.. Depew's statemen
i. Mr. Warden said, with smile, "Co
10 Grant is fine authority, we all know