The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-29

Grant If the MeCuiloch difficulty was recol-
lectsd at all ii was not supposed that it would
affect ssS appointment Grant, however, re-
tanned his indignant feeling, and only assented
to the appointment after long hesitation, on
account of the public considerations involved,
and his confidence in the judgment of Robson
He spoke to me Of this matter years afterward,
and told how unwillingly he had acquiesced.
He always added, however, that though the Lon
don house was involved in the failure of Jay
Cooke g Co. in this country, and finally sus-
pended payment. the business was so managed
that the government suffered no loss
The heated discussion between Johnson and
Grant is historical. Letters Of an extraordinary
character were exchanged between them and i'm
mediately made public. All the long series of
difficulties and exasperations eliminated now,
and when Grant found his personal honor i'm
pugned he became as angry as any Hotspur
in the land. He had at first been willing
to admit that the President might have
persuaded himself OF what he so much
wanted. and believed that in another interview
he could induce Grant to take the step he
asked Johnson had constantly fattered
himself that he could control Grant and he
probably had not given up the hope even now;
while Grant. with his usual subordinaton, his
undemonstrative demeanor, his chariness OF
speech, having said what he intended, saw no
need to confirm or repeat, or amplify; and when
johnson said he would see him again, did not re-
fuse. But neither did he assent. If Congress
had not acted so promptly on Monday it is prob
II ~. r. Iohr in for
he was profoundly anxious to tranquillize the
situation But Congress acted, and Grant, with
his usual decision, acted also. Then, when John.
son charged him with actual deception, he never
forgave him.
The letter which terminated their intercourse
was Grants He had written one with less acri.
mony than he felt. and which admitted the pos
sibility of the Presidents misconstruction, but
Rawlins who was politician by nature, and
who had long foreseen the result Of all the po-
liticsl complications, felt that now the time had
come He had enormous force, and, at inter-
walls enormous influence with Grant. He took
the letter that Grant had written and said:
This will not do. 1t is not enough and then
prepared the draft of the important passages d.
rectly contradicting and defyng the President
This was afterward considered and modi-
fed, but the sentiment remained, and
that was suggested by Rawlins That
made the rupture with johnson personal, and
reconciliation impossible. IL was a stroke of
political genius, for it made any other candidate
than Grant for the Republicans impossible. Of
course, Grant might and probably would have
been President had the correspondence never
occurred but the letter made his nomination
and election certain and it was this phase of the
correspondence that produced the result
But not word was said by any one present of
the political tendencies or results of the situa-
ton. Rawlins knew that he was expressing
Grants own sentiment and Grant instantly per-
ceived this fact-and acquiesced Inever in my
intercourse with Grant saw another instance
where another exercised so direct, and palpahle.
and important an influence with him. 1t was in
Simultaneous and absolute. It made him Re-
publican. Rawlins knew this could see it on
his face and detect il in his tone. If Grant
recognized it, he never admitted it to any one.
But / believe that at the momen. he only felt
the assault upon his honor. ADAM BADEAU.