New-York tribune., 1886-08-01
GRANT IN PEACE.
BY GENERAL ADAM BADEAU.
No. TX
CONTINUED CONFLICT BETWEEN GRANT
AND JOHNSON.
Copyright. 1886.

AND JOHNSON
COpyright 1886.
Dnling the summer of 1867 the conflict OF
opinion and effort between johnson and Grant
became positive, though still IN great de-
gree concealed from the country. The Presl-
dents opposition to the Congression policy
continued. He held that the Reconstruction
acts were unconstitutional, and that cOnse-
qucntly he was not bound to obey them. Grant
held that only the SuplOne Court could pro-
nUnce on the question of cOnstltul0nallty,
and that until it should pronounce all officers
from the President down were bound to obey
the law. In May and June the AttOlney-Gen-
cra delivered the OpiniOuS which Grant had
folesecn, and did his best to ncutlallze the
force and defeat the purpose of the legislative
action. The President directed Grant to for
ward these opinions to the District Command
cIs. Grant Obeyed, but at the same time IN
formed the commanders that they were their own
interpreters of their duties and powers and us
the President gave 10 positive order on the sup
ject none of them confolmed their acton TO the
Attorney Generals opinions me flesldehl,
of course observed the tacit diSobediencc, but
he was pOwerlcss to control or punish MS SUP
ordinatcs. He had disIegaIded the Will OF Con-
gIcSs and in return the officers OF the Army
dsregalded his The situation wao approach
ing enutny on one side, or else treason on the
other.
Congress had adjourned at the end of March
and lett the contest with the resident entirely
far he concur,ed with them in purpose or
sentiment. Some, indeed, knew that he was
in harmony with the Legislature, but many
still doubted his sympathy. IN july, however
Congress met again, and by this time the MAJOR
tv had become convinced that Grant was III
accord with themselves rather than with the
President or at any rate those who dlstlustcd
him thought Reconstruction sliei III Ills landS
than in those of johnson. \ supplementary Law
was at once passed, increasing and dcinlng ,iie
.l a., nl.rs
nll their previous acts, giving them the ilght
in terms To suspend or remove il0ln once any
civil functionaly holding under State authority,
and defining the conditions Of registration so
that il was impossible any longer to mlsS'a'"
or cvadc the intention OF the Law. But more
than ALL the supplementary statute made the
acts of the District Commanders subject to thc
approval of the General OF the Army, whe 'he
same original power ot removal ana slsIensi ION
was conferred on him which they enjoyed, anu
il was made his duty a. well as theirs to exercise
this power whenever necessary to carry out 'hc
purpose of the Law This actually chtl2"d
Grant with the supreme duty OF supervising
the Reconstruction of the Union.
The authority now lntrusted 70 the gen
eral-in-chief made him in many respects
independent OF the Pic,i IT. lie
accented the Drcrogative, ! am sure,
unwiIlngly, but believed it necessary for
ilc preservation Of those results whl'h the WAL
had been fought To secure At an earlier stage
in the crisis, he had urged that this peculiar
jurisdiction should not he committed to lllm ana
he consented Ia receive il only when he became
convinced that johnson was determined not To
carry ont the law For Grant had been contln-
uallv consulted during the preparation ot tlc
supplementary act, aud did much to limit his
own authority and To restrain the most ardent
of the Presidents opponents. Ii was at one
time proposed by some ovcr-z@ilouS Congress
men 10 make him almost Dictator OF the
Southern States and entirely independent ct
the President but against this he advised III
the strongest possible manner, rs snbveIslvc
of the principles of the Government, ahd ms
cnun,.ls prcvailcd He not only had 10 am5l-
tion for additional power, he even yet sllrnk
antagoni~m to the President. He di>llkcd both
the appearance of this before the people, and The
uality. however disguised; but he submitted
to what seemed under the circumstances I'M
avoidablc. If had any power OF I,adlng MS
feelings the position into which he was thu-t
was not only unacceptable 10 hln. but pos
ilivcly painful yet he would not shlik It, lie
wrote TO Sherman ut this time
In this particular there is Ettle difference
between parties No matter how close keep my
tongue each tries 10 interpret from the Ittle et
drop that | with them. Wish our poIIticai
trouble, were ended on any basis. want to turn
oo and 20 nbroad myscif But TO leave now
woLh took ike throwing up command III the
face oi the enemy.
What he did with the Republicans at this
time WAS not Tor them rs Il political isirtN, but
because he believed that the acts of the PIesl-
dent made their course the only one piactlcaDie.
Nevertheless, lac was dragged by circumstances
into political relations which those about HIM
began to perceive must soon become uehleu'
He WAS too shJewd and clcar-he.ldcd not to
understand this himself, but ! certainly believe
he di,llkcd the prospect. He still dlscLilmod
any partisan bias, and WAS unwilling To be called
either Republican Or Democrat. | SAW nothing
in him. | heard no word from him, III all this
clisis that betrayed any political aspirations OF
indicated the taiIitest ambition 10 succeed
Johnson in the Presidency. | never saw HIM
more angry than when unautholizcd persons
spoke 10 him H. if he WAS likely To become a
Presidential candidate, and II the three or fouI
individuals whose intimacy he recognized ever
mentioned the subject. he put II away and WAS
evidently annoyed. Up To this time he never
admitted To rnc that the event WAS probable,
far less desirable Rawlins told me that Grant
refused to discuss the subject with him. ana Mis-
Grant assured me that the idea was most DIS
tasteful 10 him Those who knew The Influence
she maintained with her great husband viii he
licve that lie could have had no such desire OF
which she wis ignorant
Giants constitutional rcticence must he con
stautlv kent i'm mind bv those who wish 10 appre
ciatc his character Because he did not speak
WAS no reason 10 suppose he did not think oi
feel IL seemed to HIM immodcst to uncolk
himself to the world, or even entirely to IN
most intimate friend. He could not, if he would,
expose his opinions and sentiments Ia every
one he met He was indignant III those who
sought to penetrate further than he chose Ia
allow. and kept back something from them who
got closest He had secrets of business nom
one friend, of politics from another. OF feeling
from many: and no one knew all. ! found oul
taits in his character in the Lust months of
his life that had not suspected before, and
doubt not that he had emotions and belictN
which he died without revealing 10 his wife
or children. Yet no man ever loved wife OF
children more profoundly than he.
After the supplementary act was passed he
entered upon phase of his career. that required
all the foibeu;.llcc, sagacity and skill OF which
he was master He was Il subordinate oi the
President. vet had been made III some degree
indcpendcnt of him. The President WAS natuI-
ally indignant at the situation, which WAS indeed
anomalous. and even unilstihablc except on
the ground that it was indispensable i'll order to
sov. tho St,to Rut Congress belicycd the preSI