Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-21
GRANTS WORD OF HONOR
row HE STOOD BETWEEN JOHN
~ son AND THE SOUTH.

NEW Okh' NoU' -V'
:, nspew has furnished the press the
c,uovIuc open letter TO Col. F. d. Grant:
NEW YORK, Oct. u, 1886
r-,p COLONEL: In answer to your re-
,1r particulars OF the conversation J
4o55,-.-b v6ur father. ana to which alluded
.neech before the Chamber of commerce,
"fn.,ytug is my best recollection:
,b1nt four years ago sat beside Gtn.
-r1rf M dinucr. There were many courses
- -erret and the entertainment lasted
~er3l hours. We discu 5ed many matters
lea hv his travels around the Worlu,
~ T,onc other things lie said to me. that
. a1s9in Chna. Prince Knng. who was the
-ert ana real ruler during the minority OF
. I, + r,,roror. told him OF their controversy
ASKED TO ARBITRATE.
a o.o- WIS about to be declared, and the
81 Prince thought 10 would ne lon6 anu Dloouy
.Td ss<ed Gen. Grant If he would act as
aitraror The General declined for want OF
.se but principally because he was a prl-
rate person and had no power TO enforce ms
Fl 5er.8u lie suggested, however terms OF
81 -r-,rorliee " nen in Japan shortly aiter
.,o Ado's minlster5 told their side OF the
IA rorh.e and revealed the fact that several
# r5ucan governments we're actively stirring
rns-iife on both sides hoping to benent by
r4r The same request V as made TO MIN on
IA ss RI Of the Jap nese government To act
IA s5rAitr4tOr In again declining he stated
tte substance Of the compromise he had ad
WED for China. The two nations adopted
~ ahst8ntialv the terms proposed by Gen.
81 lrgpt and disastrous conflict was averted.
GRANT AND JOHNSON.
The conversation drifJed into consideration
M fb1s relations with President Andrew John
son. The narrative OF this period was one OF
X ibo most graphic descriptions to which ever
.tfnrt and 1t is unfortunate for history ana
M ns.terltv that it cannot be preserved as II was
M ai 10 had local cOloring o! conversations
with and statements by the chief actors and
NJ situations Of parties and persons as the
sverts o,eurred invaluable as a pOrtraiture
and estimate of the times. ] SAID in my ad-
ress that zen. Grant performed services 10
he country which were unwritten, but quite
simportant as any that were recorded, and
think this narrative will bear me out.
JOHNsON'S BITTERNESS.
This is the substance of the story; Presi-
lnt Johnson b gan the day after the assassl-
ration Of Presr eut Lincoln to loudly pro-
aim, at all times and places, with constant
gteraton. the shlo0oleth treason IS Oclous
md must be punished, and the chief rebels
hall be hung" To give effect to this sentiment,
6 soon as he was inaagurated he insisted
r01 The United States courts in Virginia
ldng indictments against al the leading
reniers Of the COnfederaCy. lie also wanted
e Io9lcers in the rebel army who had left the
regular army to join the rebel army, TO he
aamarily dealt with bv court martial
Itese movements of the President produced
the greatest CONSERVATION throughout the
Gen. Grant to protect them on the parole he
hsd given.
No SENSE OF HONOR.
He saw President johnson on the subject,
1n.y to be Informed thai the President was, by
Il he constitution. the COmmander-in-C Chief of
& he army, and that anything done by the com
+ n8udiug General on the field was done sub
ec, TO his approval or rel elton, ana he re-
Il led e terms. Gen. GranC urged that the
reosls had surrendered on these conditions,
BIS anded their organizations. submitted uni
< fersaliV to the situation. ana were carrying
ut ln good iaIth their part Of the agreement.
f ani every consideration, both of honor and
# pe1lency, demanded equal good faith on
r he part Of the government. The other course
g Woud have led to endless guerrilla warfare,
oducted in a country admirably adapted
ort by desperate and hopeless men.
President johnson Obstiuately adhered to
hs vlew and assumed the authority of Com
nander when Gen. Grant fatly told him that
lhere were 10 be any cOurts-martial one
must be called for Gen. Grant first. that he
~o1d by every means in his power protect
Ls parole and appeal to Congress aud the
ouniry. In the halt called by this attitude
ten. Grant q very remarkable change oc-
lfred 10 the views and policy of President
5lnson. cen. Grant discovered that the
most frequent aud favored visitors to the
llle House were men whom the President
ad prescribed. In the Generals opinion
resident johnson'5 loyalty was subordinate
o. u not entirely dependent upon, his intense
"a ~tiNA VI AuG save -lOifllnG OilEATcnY. lie
va poor white, had been a journeyman
a.or' and notwithstanding the distinguished
uolc positions he had held he could not
reaE through the class barrier. ana was
Isated socially with contempt by this proud
aas-ocracy.
JOHNsON'S AMBITION.
When they plunged into the rebellion he
wv ms opportunity. He believed in the
lNeroi inc government, and he thought the
& .Ig Hlu come when he could defeat his ene-
' ,,e,' connscate their property, humlliate
ier pride, and possibly destroy them. she
J'oFong ambition and passion of his life bad
~ 10 ne received and treated as one OF them
* tHr 9Agarchy Having failed IN that. and
.ea insult and lndignlty IN the effort, he
eame me most vindictive OF men. He saw
l5m ioiled IN their rebellion, defeated and
cIshed. and row he wanted to kill
eA' Nhue he was devising means to over
o.o ' zen Grants resistance to this last pur-
Do him.
fLAiIERED INTO FRIENDSHIP.
lney admitted their former treatment OF
' @uN justified it. They said that in all
49t countries where caste distinctions
r..''' '9nuiuons were always possible which
i,,,t men who had achieved success from
TX IftI mo the noble order. As President
' United states he became, regardless OF
rsor ~ p es'ry. not only member OF their
I oul ] leader. johnson was wild with
auuluon and pride were both salts
+ Hr
t'e iu some form "a svatem which had
ar @ 'ue highest social and political dstinc-
'tW great families "a he had been to
Walk w. " Cen Grant did not have long 10
Pro.I t"e formulation Of his plan. The
1es...lu' ient Tor him, and said that radical
nd , pY congress were revolutionary,
b. aror aa "a. Destroy the country. The war
hst o.eI ahu me republic wanted peace, and
ons ' DossiDe only by union OF all sec
JOHNsON's PROGRAM
N he ...ll lllollslonal governments provided for
fb.,, Ntates were temporary eXpedients
.lD constitutional authority. and the
ft r1I lA aI the rights and should possess
ADD r.r"efs they had before the war. lie
asult a. 'eu a scheme 20 accomplish this
leea's ,s WIN Icn. Grants assistance. its
aB 4,.N Nas assured. he could by proclama-
ngi..r ~, loe rebel states 10 aend to WASH
srfal.' 'loii lull quota Of Senators and Repre-
nenf.,o7; ne had assurance from enough
aen ,nI rom the Nor h, who, united with
Past. n ra, mas Quorum OF one House at
t0rnef Nut ol both. The Congress Tins
q apsi N1 would recognize and Install at the
hoos. u oth Northern members did not
Aumr , l9in they would be poweriese
- 1ueg..t,..i IA some hail. 10 the 6oneral's
ar .f. thal this would start the civil
pho do It ,.'.,,t we President replied: "They
IaIn rar Wiil ne the rebels but II you aus.
'''i'tince D. impossible"
H.. GRANTS BOLD STAND.
appealed to Gen. Grant m sfara b.. t,..
81 l crisis, and they would he ibe ayiore ~
mo f Lic. Astcr endeavorinr for a long
~ lIr.t 'H'n 70 convince the President Of the
60 rn.t,-Nh course and its certain failurp.
M naIgtIs WHO sustained H. Gen. Grant
10 of tsallulm lm ne would drive the Congress
va f.s',oea plto a the point Of the b ivonot.
ID h'essiou of the building to Inc sensfers
nd representatives from Inc lovai stafes