New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-26
GRANT IN PEACE.
BY GENERAL ADAM BADEAU.
XVII
GRANT AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE


Copyright 1886.
have already shown Grants original aver.
sion TO politics Immediately after the close oi
the war the attention of the country was TURNER
10 the great soldier as probable candidate lor
tho Presidency but 10 him nothing couid nc
more disagreeable than the thought. frooaoy
no man has ever been mentioned Ior INC pic
who was more unwilling to accept the hohor'
He was plain and unassumlng for all ms eie va
ton entirely satisfied with his position at the
head of the army and gratihed with MS person,aai
popularity. He had received no training IN pol-
tics and had no aptitude Tor tne ,; ca.eT and
disiked the ways and arts OF poliuclans anu
preferred his soldier friends and his reputation
"a a soldier to political associates or ponIcai
fame. He knew, too, that he must lose some
of his popularity when he became cdndidale
must give up much of his ease and offend many
Of his friends when once in office. Besides all
this, he had tasted the bitterness OF poverty,
and he was now placed beyond pecunlary
anxiety, while if he became President ne must must
relnqush the income OF S224Io al ye Tttle eh 10
look forward to afterward no resources TO take
the place of those he would lose and he was
still young, only forty-three when the war
closed He considered all these clrcumstances'
and he has told me since that ne looked WIN
positive apprehension at the probability, whlcn
by degrees was converted into a certainty, OF
becoming a Presidential candidate. , ;.
When he was first approached on the SUBJECT
he resented the liberty and rrepelled all discus
sion of the theme | have often seen men VINO
hoped to draw him out receive very mortl1ylns
and unexpected rebuffs. They would make
perhaps an elaborate little speech, devise d
snare into which they thought he must certainly
fall invent a bait that must tempt nm 10 Iah,
concoct a remark that made reply unavodaoe,
but Grant would simply look at them Win no
expression whatever on his face, and say not
single word. If he had uttered anything az an
they might have continued or renewed NlcI
nl,,fn Clio
the most embarrassing answer possible
1t not only entirely bafllcd them. but was nier-
CHESS in its way They stammcred and blushcu'
no matter how bold or adroit /; then they AZ at
tempted to change the subject, and invarlaoS
before many mi nutes took their leave some
times as the door closed Grant would look
up at me with quizzical expression mat showeq
he enioved their confusion. For man unused
to the stratagems of peace be was the mos.
sI<ilul and the most successful IN these REFUSES
! have ever. seen. His lnterlOcutoIs heNel IL
turned to the charge.
But the course of Johnson made 1t lncumoeh
At last on the soldier to accept the political
situation, however unwelcome. Inc people
whom he had led in the war naturally looked 10
| him TO guard what he had won, and for year
before The actual necessity for decision there
could be no installing the signs. Still Grant
| lived in the hope that the necessity might TIC
ayerted. He would not admit to himself that
! he must take up the new role. The approach OF
| he crisis aWOkc no afnDluOn III ulHl iHuS
the spectacle Of Johnson dishOnored, lmpeached'
| almost deposcd, was not calculated to MAKE
one who stood so near at all eager 10 become
his successor The struggles whose inner MS
| tory Grant knew so well. the troubles WIN
| Cabinet Minister'S the dlstracting fears ana
anxieties of Johnson-perhaps the fate OF LIN
con-a conspired to dispcl the Illusions when
! men further off might entertain. Grant sd"
for himself that the lot of the President was a
hard one and do, not believe he ever e ad,
-, hoo lpf
rupture with Johnson, that he would accep'
the nomination for the Presidency.
This repugnance doubtless helped him to CON
coal so long his differences with the Presdent
and made him submit to more from Johnson
than he otherwise would have endured. Then
| too Grant saw not a little in the conduct OF
Congress and of individual members OF tn
Republican party that he. did not comment
OF course, with the general policy OF the party
he was in accord but he disapproved many par
ticulars and dislked many men that as a can
didate he must in some sort ndorse beslue'
all this. he had many admirers and some warn
personal friends among the Democrats wnon
he was unwilling to lose, and the influence Of
his wifes family, which went for something
was decidedly hostile to the Republican policy
and sentiment Thus he deferred to the las
moment taking the decisive step.
But when he wrote the letter that defie1
the President he identified himself with the
Presidents enemies The country looked upoi
the step as signlfying his willingness TO he con
sidered JohnsOn's antagonist johnson hlmsel
at the time and even afterward hoped TO lie Ih'
nominee of the Democrats he was at thu
moment acting in unison with them his only
friends were of their party; he was their rep
resentative. and though he did many thing
that many Democrats disapprOyed they wer'
forced to uphold him. Thus when Grant wa
thrust into position of personal and promlnen
hostility to Johnson the Republicans claimed
him and rallied around him. He knew himsel
that the die was cast.
He was nominated by reclamation at Cincin
natl in May, 1868. Stanton carried h,m IN
news. was with Grant at his own headquart
crs when the Secretary of War entered thu
room. | had never seen Stanton there before
hut this time he did not send for Grant. IL
came hurredly up the stairs painting for breat
lest some one should precede him. tie ha
received the first telegram Of the vote, eve
in advance Of Grant, and as he rushed IN n
exclaimed General have come to tell yo
that YOU have been nominated by the Kepun
lican party for President of the United States.
Grant received the intelligence as he did ever
imnortant announcement Of his life. Their
was no shade Of eXultatiOn or agitation on III
face. not a flush on his cheek nor flash in hl
eve. | doubt whether he felt elaed, even
those recesses where he concealed his lnmos
thoughts, AT that moment ! oeheNe ne wa
sorry to leave his position in the Army. an
disliked as much As ever the prospect OF ne'
RESPONSIBILITIES and unfamiliar cares. but Z
course, when he was in fight he desired I
win, and since his name had been placed oefor
the public with his tacit sanction, he wonl
/! have been disappointed had he not received II
nomination Of that however, there had hard
been a possibility The next night he made h
first political speech, in answer to G3yernC
Boutwell,, who publicly, congratulated hlm o
|, his nomination The address was entirely ur
prepared. like almost every speech he eve
,, made but took it down at the time. 1t was
these words: "Gentemen, being, entirely W
; accustomed to public speaking, and without n
dcs;re 10 cultivate the power it is impossible Il
, me to find appropriate language to thank 20
for this demonstration. All that ] can say
r that to to whatever position may he called b
: YOUR will, | shall endeayor to discharge i
dutIes with fidelity and honesty Of purpOs
Of nv rctitude in the performance Of publ
. duties YOU will have to Judge for yourselv'
by he record before you"
With all his modcsty Grant was conscio'