St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-21
THE LAMEHrA TOyoF CYRUS.

The following remarkable statement is
made in leading R publican journal, the
New York MI AID Express.
ITO show how the RELATE rs Of Gen. Grant to
the rank that was sie ;aily crerted for him was
regarded at the time he was out to assume the
duties OF the Presidency, we will state IN
terestinI fact, which Mr.. Blaine will verify.
Roth Vice President Wilson, representing the
Senate, ard Speaker Blaine, representing the
House, sIggts.ed to Gen. Grant, shortly
before the Ia;ter's inau 5uratinn, that 4
bill could and would be put rapidly through both
Houses, with his con 'ent, giving 10 him what
would operate q suspension of the duties OF
mis- Office a. General until the close OF his Presi-
Dental caIeer. II jweyer practical or impractical
this scheme might have been, the proposition OF
it, at that time, by the vice president and the
speaker, showed how strong was the feeling of
the Congress they represented that Gen. Grant
hould not lose the dignity emouments of the
office created for him, for life. He refused on
the ground that Lieut.. Gen. Sherman was en-
titled TO promotion, for his great services, and
that he wanted Sheridan to be rewarded for his
brilliant achievements by promotion to the Ialk
held by Sherman"
This is undoubtedly true With single ex-
ception. 1t is not at all likely that Grant re-
fused at that day to accept two offices, or any
thing else proffered to him. 1t is well
known that he did hesitate to accept noml-
nation for the Presidency, and thus leave a
lucrative life Office create expressly for him,
aud 1t took a good deal of coaching ~ gain
his consent.
At that time the Republicans were. frantic
10 gain Grants consent to tue nomination,
from the fact that political sentiment set so
lightly upon him that he could with about
equal proprety accept a nomination, either
by the Republicans or Democrats, and such
was his popularity at that crisis, that his
nomination was regarded equivalent to an
election. He was Of originally Democratic
sntecedehts, aud the Republicans deemed it
grand strike Of politics TO secure him before
the Democrats gobbled him up. There is no
evidence however, that Democrats were try
ing TO secure his adherence TO the party,
or that they III Il. any m Iv1 Eat 10 that di-
rection. Nevertheless Republicans fear was
just as great, and they were prepared to go
any length in making promises to Grant.
Doubtless Wilson aud Blaine were guilty OF
the improperly of offering Giant the emolu-
ments OF the two highest Off :es in the coun-
try, If be would accept the nomination, so
that be would gain instead Of lose, have the
life office continued after his retirement
from the Presidency. This statement could
be verified but for the facts that Wilson Is
dead, and Blaine's character for veracity has
fallen so low, that It would need corrobora-
| ting testimony to support any statement Of
his. But a scheme so positively gross snd
indecent, the Republican party ut that day
was not denantly corrupt enough to enter
upon. But at a later day It was equal to
that, or almost anything else. That scheme
being dropped Mr.. Washburne, Gen. Grants
old Galcna fellow citizen went To Grant and
promised II he would accept the nomination,
the salary OF the President should be raised
10 fifty thousand dollars a year. A bill
should pass both Houses, and BE- approved by
President Johnson, before he Grant SHOULD
enter upon the duties of his OH .. Tlis bait
caught the fish Grant agreed TO accept the
nomin alton. He was elected and the bill
was introduced into the House to double the
salary OF the President, and 1t was going
safely through the House, when the Hon. K.
P. Spaldlng a Republican member OF the
House from Cleveland by n remarkable fur
can neither be foresean nor remedied, took
Osition aud made some remarks which
defeated the bill.
spalding was not in the secret OF the ar
rangement. The Grant men who were 10
the seore. of the arrIngem mt to give Grant
City thousand dollars q year, were struck
with Consideration, and Grant himself
struck with chagrin and disappointment was
enraged al Spaldiug, and became his life
long enemy. Grant has not forgiven
Splldug n this day. In 1855 when Grant
was nominated, John W. Foruey since de-
ceased, was then big fellow In the Rebuff
lican party, and he promised Grant that II he
would accept the nomination, he should
have at least two terms. That promise was
fulfilled. and amOvcmcnt was afterwards
made with Grants consent and desire TO
give him third term. and how many more
would have followed is unknown had the
scheme not failed. In whatever point Of
view we look at the revelation OF the MI
aud EEprsSs, the whole effort Of the RepHbli-
cans to gain Grants consent To lar down
his office of General Of the Army for TIE
Presidency, was a very shabby piece Of busI-
ness.