Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-10-21

a CuAPrEn sR aIsreRr.
ss- Grant saved the rnssa . secsaa
Tine-The story he told
Ghssseey n. Depew.
NV Yozx, Oct aO.-Hon. Cbanncey
A. Depev has furnished to the press
the foiiosing open letter to Colonel r.
ID. Grant;
NKw YoRk. October 18th. 1855
Ny Dear CotsssI, In answer to your
request for tbs particulars Of the con
versstion which had With your father
and TO which ! alluded in q speech be-
fore the Chamber of Commerce, the
following IL my best recollection:
About tsur years ago / sat beside
General Grant At dinner. There we're
many courses slowly served and the e.-
tertainment lasted several hosrs. We
discussed many matters suggested by
his travels sresnd the world and anon q
other things be said to me that when In
China Prince kune who vas toe Regent
snd real ruler daring the minority OF
the Emperor. told hin Of their
War vas ssout to bs declared. and
the Prince thought il vou d be Q long
and bloody one, and asked Gen. Grant
IL be would act - arbitrator. The Gen.
eral declined. osteusibiy for want Of
time. bot principally because be vas a
private person and had no power to en-
force bis dscision. He suggested, how
ever. terms OF oompromise. when be
n Ia - 80 ka A.
Minister told him their side Of the
trcaols. and revealed the fact that sev-
eral European governments we're So
lively stirring up strife on both sides.
hopine to benefit By Q var. The saDe
request Was made TO him on the part Of
the japanese Governmeut to aot a.
arbitrator, and In az sin declining be
stated the substance Of the compreaise
be had advised for China The tvo
nations adopted substantially the terms
proposed by Grant and o disastrous
condiet vas svsrssd. The conversation
then drifted into consideration of
HIS RzLArIoxs WITH PsKsIDsNT JOHNSON.
His narrative OF this period vas one
Of the most graphic descriptions to
which / ever listened. aud il is ufortu
nste for history aud postsrity that il
cannot b, preserved a. 10 was told. Il
had q iocal ooloring Of conversations
with and statements by the chief actors
and Of the situations of men and par
tiss a. events occurred. invaluable a. q
portraiture and estimate of the times
! said In my address that General
Grant performed services to his country
which we're unvritten quite as import
ant a. any thst we're recorded. and I
think this narrative will bear me out.
This is the substance OF the story:
johnson began the day after the as
sassination Of Mr.. Lincoln to loudly
proclaim at all times and places. with
constant reiteratisn, the shibboleth.
Treason 10 odious and must be puu-
ished, and the chief rebels shall be
hung" To give effect to this sentiment
as soon a. he was iuaugurated be in
sisted on the United States Courts tn
Virginia fading indictments against
all the leading menbsrs of the Coated
eracy. He wanted the officers in the
rebel army who had lsft the regular
army to Join the rebellion to be sum
marty dealt with by court-m Artisi.
These movements of the President
throughout the 5snth. The Confeder
ate leaders
APPEALED TO GRANT
To protect them on the parole he gave
| them. He saw johnson on the subject,
only to be informed that the President
was, by the Oonstitntioz. commander
In chief Of the army. and that any
thing done by the Commanding General
on the feld vas done subject TO his ap-
proval or rejection. and be rejected
these terms. General Grant urged
that the rebels had surrendered on
| thess conditions, disbanded their
| orgauiz atoms, submitted universA Ally
to the sitaation, and were carry
ing out In good faith their part
Of she agreement. and that every
consideration both Of hsnor and Of ex-
psdiency demanded equally good faith
on the part OF the Government. Any
other course would lead 10 an endless
guerilla warfare. conducted in coun-
try admirably adapted for IL. bv desper-
ate and hopeless men.
JOHNSON oBsrIsATKLY ADHERED
To his view and assumed the authority
| Of Commander. when Grant hatly told
him that II there we're to be any ooarts
martial. one mnst be called 10 try Gen.
Grant drst that be would by every
means In his poser protect his parole.
and would appeal 70 Congress and the
country.
In the halt called BY this attitude Of
General Grant Q very remarkable
change occurred in the views asd policy
OF President Johnson. General Grant
discovered that the most frequent and
favored visitors to ths White House
we're men whom the President had pro.
seribed. In the Generals opinion,
Johnscn's loyalty vas subordinate TO, II
not entirely dependant upon,
Hrs srrrEs xSMrrr TO TIE SLAVE HOLD
rSe oLroAncHr.
He vas poor white and bad been Q
iousneyman tailor, aHd notwithstaad.
ing the distinguished public positions
be had held, be eoald nos break through
the class barrier and vas treated socially
With contempt by this proud aristoers
ey. when shey plunged into the rebel.
lion he .sav his oppsrtsnitv. He be-
lieved in the power Of the Government
and thought the time had come when
he could defeat his enemies. coudscase
their property. humiliate their pride and
possibly destroy tsem- The all absorb
inR ambition and passiou of HE life bad
uceu W DC ftcctvcu huu tfcatcu - uoe
Of them by the oliesrchy. Having
failed in thai and Suffered insult and
indignity in the effort, he became the
most vinaictive Of men. He cav them
fan In their rebellion. defeeted and I'm
poveriahsd, and uov he wanted to kill
them. while be va devisin9 means to
overcsme General Grants resistance 10
this last porposs
rHR LKADKBs OF rHs oLpTEupALssA
Called upsn him. They admitted their
former treatment and jastided it.. They
said thai 10 all ages and countries
where caste distinctions existed. coudi-
tions we're always possible which pro
noted men Who had achieved success
from the lower into the middle order.
A. Presideat he became. regardless OF
birsh. a. ancestry, not only member OF
their erder bat its leader.
soHSsos vAa WILD wrrH psLiuEr.
Ambition ard pride we're both salts
ned. He became a. anxious 10 obtain
and perpetoase some form OF the sys-
teen which had eives the highest social
aud political distinctions TO Q few great
fsmsliea A he had b~eu 20 deafrpv it