The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-11-04
GRANT AND ANDY JOHNSON.
History Of the Difference Between the
President and the General Of the
Armies.

President and the General Of the
Armies.
New YORK, Oct. 20.--The Hon.
Chauncey NJ. Depew mas furnished
for publication the following open
letter to Colonel +. ID. Grant:
NEW YORK, Oct. 12.-My Dear
Colonel: In answer to your requet
for the particulars of the conversa-
ton | had with your father, and to
which | alluded in a speech before
the Chamber of Commerce, the fol-
lowing is my best recollection:
About four years ago. sat be
side General Grant at dinner. There
were many courses, slowly served,
and the entertainment lasted sever
al hours. We discussed many mat
tiers suggested by bis travels around
the world, and, among other things,
he said to me that, when in China,
Prince Kung who was Regent, and
the real ruler during the minority
of the Emperor, told him OF their
controversy with Japan. War was
about to be declared, and the Prince
thought it would be a long and
bloody one, and asked General
Grant if he would act as arbitrator.
The General declined for want OF
time, but principally because he was
a private person and bad no power
to enforce his decision. He suggest
ed, however, the terms OF compro-
mise. When in Japan shortly after,
the Mikado's ministers told him
their of the trouble, and reveal
the fact that several of the Euro
pean governments were actively stir
ring up the strife on both sides, hop
ing TO benefit by the war The
same request was made to him on
the part of the japanese Govern
ment, to act as arbitrator, and In
again declining, he stated the sub
stance ofthe compromise ne had adj
vised for China. The two nations
adopted substantially the terms pro-
posed by General Grant and disas-
trous conflict was averted. The
conversation drifted into a consider
alton of his relations with
PRESIDENT ANDREW JOHNSON.
The narrative OF this period was
one of the most graphic descriptions
to which | ever listened, and it Is
unfortunate for history and posteri-
" that il can not be preserved as 1t
was told. 1t had the local coloring
of conversations with and statements
by the chief actors, and of the situa-
tions of parties and persons as the
events occurred invaluable as
portrature, and estimate of the
times. | said in my address that
General Grant performed services to
bis country which were unwritten
quite as important as any that were
recorded, and ! think this narrative
will bear me out. This is the sub
stance of the story:
johnson began, the day after the
assassination of Mr.. Lincoln, to loud
ly proclaim at all times and places.
with constant reiteration, the shib-
boleth: Treason is odious and must
be punished, and the chief rebels
shall be hung TO give effect to this
sentiment. as soon as he was inaug-
urated be insisted upon the United
Stats Courts in Virginia finding in
dictments against all the leading
membersof the Confederacy. He also
wanted the officers in the rebel army
who had left the regular army ito
JON the rebellion to be summar ly
dealt with by court-martial. These
movements Of the President produ-
ced the greatest CONSERVATION
throughout the South The
LEADERS APPEALED TO
GRANT.
to protect them on the parole he
had given. He saw johnson on the
only 10 be informed that
the President was, by the Constitu
ton, Commander-in-chief of the
army, and that anything done by
the Commanding General on the
field was done subject TO his appro-
val or rejection, and be rejected the
terms. General Grant urged that
the rebels had surrendered on these
conditions, disbanded their organi-
cations submitted universally to the
situation and were carrying out in
good faith tiieir part OF the agree
ment, and every consideration of
both honor and expediency deman-
ied equally good faith on the part
Of the government. The other
course would have led to an endless
guerilla warfare, conducted in a
admirably adapted for it,by
desperate and hopeless men. john
son obstinately adhered to his view
md assumed the authority of COM
when Grant finally told
him that if there were to be any
court-martials one must be called to
try General Grant first; that he
would by every means in his power
protect bis parole and appeal to Con-
yress and the country. In the halt
,alled by this attitude Of General
Grant, very remarkable change oc-
,urred in the views and policy of
President Johnson. General Grant
discovered that the most frequent
md favored visitors to the White
House were the men whom the
President had prescribed. In the
Generals opinion Johnson's loyalty