The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-31
SOME UNWRITTEN HISTORY.
How General Grant Defeated the Plans
OfAndy Johnson on Two Occasions.
An Allegation that lie Refused to Modest
Paroled Rebels, and Threatened to
Break up a Usurping Congress.
Brooklyn N. Y.) Eagle. (Dem.J

Two little incidents in the career OF General
Grant were narrated by the Eagle in an editorial
the day of his death concerning his relations to
American politics"
The incidents were as striking as they were
unfamiliar to the public We knew they would
be quickly reproduced; we expected they would
be questioned. They have been questioned,
but, as they are true, the questioning makes 10
difference.
One dorbter, submitting nothing but his
doubt, says: ''These incidents are not TO be
found in the newspaper records of those event
full days, as far as we can recall them; and we
should be very loath to believe them true"
Private conversation between officials upon
plans which are not effected are never found ''in
the newspaper records of the days when the
conversations occur The newspapers are fire.
quently better authorities on what does not
occur and is not contemplated within inside
administration circles than on what is. And
there is no trusted newspaper man who does not
withhold more than he tells very often concern
ing the mooted but subsequently abandoned
purposes Of an administration, State or National.
The incidents referred to were necessarily
much condensed in the article to which we have
alluded. AS they are very pertinent now and
wi always be historical, their fuller statement
will be in order, prefaced by the declaration that
they were made by General Grant himself in
his house in New York, in mid January of this
year. The General knew just what he was
talking about. He knew he talking to
friend who knew how to listen and how to
remember just what he heard. No apology is
needed now for reproducing hitherto unwritten
page in American history.
Andrew johnson, at the beginning OF his term,
sent for General Grant They had a private
interview. He bluntly told the General that he
wished she army to be employed to arrest the
members of the rebel administration, the rebel
Congress, and the rebel State governments, as
well as the rebel army and navy officers,
The former he would try in federal courts
The latter he would try by military commissions
He frankly added Il intend to hang every
mothers son of them" This was the time when
to Tom Dick, ana Harry, Tray, Blanche, and
Sweetheart, he was saying: Treason must be
made odious and traitors punished"
He was also drinking more than was good for
hin--and Grant was not.
For reply President Johnson got this swift
and straight from the Old Commander:
Il will not employ the army for any such pur
pose, will let it be employed for any such
purpose"
But" said Johnson, Il am by the Constitu-
ton Commander in chief. What will you do if
[ give you such orGers!'
''Disobey them quietly rejoined Grant land
| state my reasons to Congress and the country.
The soldiers Of the South accepted my parole.
which by the laws of and of the United
States | was authorized to give. 1t guaranteed
they should not be 1nolested if they laid down
| their arms, went home and obeyed the laws.
They did so. will stand by that parole, and
the first court martial you order would better be
one to try me, for | will not issue such orders
you suggest and l will issue orders against
them for the purpose you state"
President johnson, after measuring the Odds
abandoned the project of vengeance.
To explain the way in which johnson came to
swing almost to the other extreme it should be
remembered that this feeling of fury was es
Sentalv "a poor white one" johnson regarded
the dominant element in the South less as dis
unionists than a saveholding aristocracy. He
hated that aristocracy less for whatit was than
because he could never break into it, 1t had
wealth. blood, and arrogance. He Of OBJ
scure origin had been poor, but was as arrogant
as any of them The Knoxville tailor was the
leader of a sort Of informal proletariat. Mixed
with every action and word was allusion TO men
which showed personal enmity and social envy
and rancor.
Shrewd men recognized this. Suave and able
Southern leaders acted it. They also knew
there was streak of magnanmity in the man.
if he was fattered on the things he was most
proud of and least credited with
So, while formally and submissively applying
for political pardons, leader Of deputation of
these men. who is now a venerable statesman Of
Virginia, SAID TO MI. JonnSOn-aEd others IN
many ways said the same thing:
Mr.. President, we have always been against
you. You have always been against us. 1t was
necessary for US to be against YOU and you know
it. Slavery could only coexist with an aristoc
racy. That aristocracy had to look down on and
oppose the ambition of any but a strictly priv
LEGGED class, based wealth or blood or both.
But that is all gone Nothing remains except
that aristocracy as a body of cultivated and
trained people. refined society
1T has always been a rule of our order that
position and achievement are equivalent to
wealth and birth Indeed, they are both the
basis and climax of the professions and aspira-
tons of an arstocracy. You have them We
our political leader Let us forget the past.
You have conquered. Let us unite for the fu
ture. Then we can conquer together.
Here were offered a position and comrade@
ship which had been the aim and envy of Andrew
johnson. The offer was reiterated for long
time and in many forms. Women added their
charms to the purpose OF capturing a President
by assailing his weakest side.
It is known that eventually the scheme won.
The most radical of the breathers Of slaughter
cooed southwark as gently a sucking dove.
1t history that Dir. johnson antagonized the
rancor Of Congress recOnstructlonists led by
Thad Stevens; that at first Grant did the same
thing. Dec 49, 1868, he wrote that remarkable
letter-a report Of his journey through, and
opinions of, the South. He was, he said, con
WINGED that 1.-THE mass of the thinking men of the
SOutn accept inc present conultlon OF aiair3 in
good faith" He declared 1.-The citizens Of the
Southern States are anxious to return to self
government within the Union as as pos
sbe." He regretted that there could not be a
greater commingling between the citizens OF the
two sections, land particularly between those
intrusted with the law making power" He
enforced the necessity of teaching the freedmen
self-reliance. He denunciatory to eloquence
against the coddling and pampering policy of
budding Southern negroes, but lately slaves, in
military camps in time of peace.
General Grant at with the changed
purpose of President Johnson-as he understood
it.
Many months afterward General Grant was
forced to regard himself as having been grossly
deceived. The occasion was the second remark
able private interview which he had with Presi
dent johnson at the latter's request.
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