The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-25

He Does Not Believe that johnson Intended
Taking Revolutionary Measures.

He Does Not Believe that johnson Intended
Taking Revolutionary Measures.
ST. Louis, Oct. 24-The Globe-D Democrat of
to-day contains a long interview with General
Sherman in regard to the Grant-Johnson matter.
The General starts out by saying: II do no.
wish to say anything in regard to this contro-
versy now. but I have all the documents pertain
ing to it in my possession, and l assure you it
has not been forgotten. I think the papers are
getting badly mixed up over it, and the more
testimony that is given the more confused it be-
comes"
The General then gives a long account of how
and why he was sent to Mexico with Minister
Campbell, instead of General Grant, which is
substantially the same as that given in the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches from Philadelphia last
night, and which the General acknowledged to
be mainly correct. He then proceeds as follows:
II never understood General Grant to express
any fear that Mr.. johnson contemplated any
violence. Mr.. johnson firmly believed that the
Constitution and laws then existing were all-suf-
ficient 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 scape-
goat"
General Sherman here produced a large bun
die Of letters from General Grant. and contin-
tinued:
''These letters cover the period in question.
They are all of o friendly and confidential ma
ture, but there is nothing in them which would
go to show that Grant ever apprehended any
national danger. When Stanton was restored
to office, johnson accused Grant of having sur
rendered his Office without sufficient resistance.
and that was the cause of the quar-
rel. 1t was a fight between the
President and Congress. and Grant was not will
ing that they should wage it over his shoulders.
Stanton being backed by Congress, Grant retired.
Johnson was hostile to Stanton, and he did not
want him in his Cabinet. Grant concluded that
the best way out of the difficulty was to let the
President, Congress and Stanton fight it out
among themselves. 1 think the papers are
making too much of this controversy. 1t is sim
ply an effort to rekindle the embers of a fire which
has long since died out. / do not believe that
Mr.. Chauncy Depew intended to do more than
repeat from memory a statement made by Gen
honorable gentleman. but he, no doubt,
thought there was something in this
matter. But there was nothing more
in Mr.. Johnson's attitude than the ordinary po-
litical differences which exist between men of
different parties. / repeat again, there was
no violence intended. Everybody was sick
and tired of war. Nobody thought of fighting,
except on paper. After Stanton was removed, l
wanted President johnson to nominate General
Jacob d.. Cox as Secretary of War, and his con
hrmation by the Senate would have settled the
whole controversy. Mr.. Reverdy johnson coin
cided with me in this particular, hut the Presi-
dent would fight it out in his own way. AS l
have already stated, Mr.. johnson was inn
pressed with the. belief that. with the Con-
stitution and the laws, he could successfully
reconstruct the South. Mr.. Lincoln, / think.
was of the same opinion. Congress, however,
wanted to provide the machinery and dictate
the terms upon which the States that had seced-
ed might be readmitted into the Union. Between
Congress and the President, Grant had a very
unhappy time of it for about a year; then, when
the question was asked, Who will be Johnson's
successor the answer invariably was Grant
OF course there was a desire on the part of some
to crush Grant, as there was after the Mexican
war to kill Scott, which they did. and Taylor,