The Opelousas courier., 1885-11-14
The Grant-Johnson Controver-
sy.

Monroe Bulletin.
Shortly after the death of Gen.
Grant the brilliant ex-senator
from New York, Mr.. Chauncey
NJ. DepeW, intimated to the pub
lie that he had In his keeping a
great secret direct from the
hands of the dead hero which
would startIet the world and prove
of great historical interest Its
connection with Gen. Grant ait
once put the public on the qui
cise, as everything Connected
with him and his career was ca
gerlF sought after. Mr.. Depew
gave his story to the papers a
few days ago and it is now GO
ing the rounds under the title of
the Grant-Joanson C%ontrover-
Esy." The following Washing
ton special to the New Orleans
Picayune gives the most con-
else statement of the matter:
Washington. October II. 80
Mr.. Chaurcey NJ. Depew. a Re-
publican politician of New York,
and Col. Fred Grant a son of
Gen. Grant, are partners in
bringing out q very extraordi-
nary historical statement pur-
porting to come from Gen Grant
himself, now deceased.
The pith of the story is that
President johnson, on acceding
to the Presidency in 1866, want
ed to have Indicted for treason
all the Confederate officers who
had held commissions in the old
army, aud that his movements
produced great considerations in
the South ; that Gen. Grant OPP
posed this course, and the two
locked horns. At this stage
President Johnson was brought
over by the leaders of the Old
FeudaIism'' promising to give
him full recognition, whereupoIl
Johnson turned around and tried
to get up a Congress to be COM
posed of Southern men and
fraction of the Northern repre-
sentatives-a very naughty pro-
|jecf which was defeated by
Grants threatening to use the
army to drive such q Congress
out of the Capitol.
Such is the gist Of this blood
cf1rdIing and sensational story
It is hardly possible that Gen.
Grant could ever have been the
author of this absurd story. In
the first place there was no CON
sternatIon = about those protee-
ted by the parole, although there
was some uneasiBess about CT
Villains, especially such as Mr..
Jefferson Davis, Mr.. Stephens,
Mr.. Trenholm, Mr.. Mallory, Dir.
Seldom, Mn. Hunter, Judge
Campbell and others who were
confined ia the forts.
The President undoubtedly
changed his feelingseondderably
iii the spring Of 1866, but his
general policy. as embodied III
the proclamation Of 1865, was
the same as that Of President
Lincoln, and was approved by
alt Of his Cabinet. This policy
was probably suggested by the
| Hon. Francis P. Blair, the old
editor of the GIohe, and his SONS,
Montgomery and Frank Blair,
with all of whom Mr. Johnston
was especially intimate Grant
had nothing 1T all Id do with it-
It contemplated the return of
the seeding States to the Union
on q white basis and the election
of Senators and Representatives
to Congress
The story of j brlbe Of s0cial
recognition Is q wild hetfon.
There were not fifty or Que hun
bred men In the South empower
cred 10 deal ont social privile
ges The President Wasa dig
Inified man. bat one who had
40 taste FOR society or cared to-
10 outside the White House,
and Il was at least four or i've
years after the war before any
Southern element whatever per-
meated Washington society So
far from quarreling with Johli-
son about his reconstruction pol
icy, Grant seemed % approve
it, aud in the summer Of 1866 he
travelled around the country with
the President Is his right hand
man. He also undertook TO
hold the office Of Secretary Of
War ind I'd keep ex-Secfetary
Stanton out of IL. But BE- went
back 81 the arrangement
The breach Of faith led to q
quarrel, the real causes ef which
2N a@ ~ MK#A*M%MA EMLM 1872