Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-10-21
GRANT AND JOHNSON.
Intensely interesting UnWritfen
History.
,oHNsors SOCIAL AMBITION
His Terrible Schemes to Revenge Its
Slight, Then His Efforts to Main
tain an 0Iigarchy
HOW GEN. GRANT BALkID HIM,

New YORK, October 20.-HoD. Chaun
cey N. Depew has furnished to the Pres
the following open letter to Col F. D
Grant:
Ny DEAR CoLoNEL: In answer to you
request for particulars of conversation
had with your father, and to which / al
lnded in speech before the Chamber Q
Commerce, the following is my best recol
lection;
About four years ago ] sat beaide Gen
Grant at dinner. There were many
courses, slowly served, and the entertain
ment lasted several hours. We discussed
many matters suggested BY his travels
around the world, and smoDg 9th
er things he said to me that
when in China Prince Kung, who wss
regent and real ruler during the minority
of the Emperor, told him Of their contro
Versy with Japan. War was about to be
declared and the Prince thought it would
be q long and bloody one, and asked Gen.
Grant if he would act as arbitrator. The
General declined for want of time, but
principally because he was private per-
son and had no power to enforce his de-
cision. He suggested, however, terms OF
compromise. When in Japan shortly al
terwards the ministers told their side
of the trouble and revealed the fact
that several European Governments were
actively stirring up strife, hoping TO benefit
/ by the war The same request was made
to him on the part OF Japan to act as arbi-
traitor, and in declining, he stated the sub
stance Of the compromise he had advised
for China. The two nations adopted sub
sGautially the terms proposed By General
Grant, and a disastrous conflict was
sverted. The conversation drifted into q
consideration of his
RELATIONS WITH PRESIDENT ANDREW JOHN
The narrative of this period was one of
the most graphic descriptions to which |
ever listened, and it is unfortunate for his
tory and posterity that it cannot be pre-
served as told. II had the local coloriDg
of conversations with and statements BY
the chief actors and of the situations Of
parties and persons as the events occurred
invaluable as q portraiture and estimate OF
the times said in my address that Gen.
Grant performed services to his country
which which were uuwritten quite as i'm
portant as any that were recorded, and |
/ think this narrative will bear me out. This
is the substance OF
THE STORY:
Johnston began the day after the assassin
alton Of Mr.. Lincoln to loudly proclaim
at al times and places, with constant reit-
erstion, the shibboletb, treason is odious
and must be punished, and the chief Rebel
shall be hung. To give effect to this SEN
timent, as soon as he was inaugurated he
insisted upon the United States Courts in
Virginia finding indictments against all
the leading members Of the Contederacy.
He also wanted the officers in
the rebel army who had left the
regular army to join the rebellion
to be summsrily dealt with BY court mar
tial. 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 esaw John
son on thessubjecl, only to be informed
that the President was by the Constitution
commander-in-chisf of the army, and that
everything done by the 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 condi
tons, disbanded their organization, sub.
mitted universally to the situation and
were carrying out in good faith their part
of the agreement, and every consideration
of both honor and expediency demanded
equal good faith on the part of the Gov
ernment. The other course would have
led TO an endless guerilla warfare conduct
ed in q country admirably adapted for it
By desperated men.
GRANT STANDS BY THE PAROLE
johnson adhered to his views and as
sumed the authority of commander when
Grant fatty told him that if there were to
be any court martial it must be called to
try General Grant first, that he would by
every means in bis over protect his parole
and appeal to Congress and the coun'
try. In the halt called by this atti'
tude ci Grant q very remarkable
change occurred in the views Of President
johnson, General Grant discovered that
the most frequent and favored visitors to
the White House were the men whom the
President had prescribed 10 the Gener
ais opinion JohDson's loyalty was subordi
nate to If not entirely dependent upon bis
intense hatred Of the slave holding dig
archy.
he was a poor white, had been q jour
newman tailor, and notwithstanding the
distinguished public POSITIONS be had held
he could not break through the class bar
rier and was treated socially with con
tempt by this proud sristocracy. Wber
they plunged into rebellion he saw his oP
portunity. he believed in the po yer oi
the Government, and thought that the
time had come when be could defeat his
enemies, conHsca;e their property, humiii
ate their pride and possibly destroy them
The absorbing ambition and. passion o
his life had been to be received anc
treated as one of them BY the oligarchy
Having fsiled in that and suffered insul
and indignity 10 the effort, be became on'
of the most vindictive of men. he saw
them fo;led in their rebellion, defeated and
impoverished, and nov he wanted to hl
them. While he yss deviaDg means t.
, overcome General Grants resistane'
, 10 this last purpose, IN
! leaders OF the old feudalism GALES
: mon him. They admitted their forne
treatment Of him and justi6ea it, The,
! aid that in oil ages and countries vher
, cn.te distinctions existed, conditions wer
|. nlvsys possible, which promoted men VIII
had achieved success from the lower int
the pobler order. As President of III
United States he became regardless G
birth or ancestry, not only member o.
|. their order but is leader.
JoHxsoE gAs WILD WITH DELIGHT,
ambition and pride we're satisfied. He b
= .. =. .ovSnua IN Ruafain and perpetu