New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-19
GRANT IN PEACE
ny GENERAL ADAM BApEAU.
NO. XVI.
NO. XVI
-,,r IMPEACHMENT OF ANDREW JOhNsON'
9ilH CopArt0hl. 1856

Suss nc 1866 and IN May OF tha' yed[ uIal'
eaiH ~ Washburne who was then IN hurope
~ioc i ~ is heard now about impeachment
Du' H;rcercIy 10 be hoped that we Will NOT
IL Is somefbing occurs hereafter TO iulS
rhsfsS IL II was not until Johnson.s remoV-
us0t Stanton and the appointment OF Loicil"o
Tbomas as Secretary OF ar ana aiVel MS ,bo'
.l lI,, differences with the President ma
NN,O1 looked with favor on this extreme meas
YIN mt when the motion for mpeaohhen'
. u', finally passed he heartily approved IT, nc
VI the 1ivelicst interest IN the procedures,
and though he pesorsed be P dd not scrupe
" rs tb6sc in his confidence to express DIS opin-
~" 1T the action Of Congress was enuiGN
iV";sn9 He refused, however, to WISH the
scnsie during the trial and ID q h " noS6n l00
itr. the election for President was now only
a.,. months off, and from the time Oh inc
noil cation Of has final Correspondence WIN t
ibn>on it was evident that Grant must IA
i"nrcr declined TO acknowledge TINS pro-
-, or to converse on the subject ana inc
:. dcrs Of the party continually consulted nm
dining The progress OF the ulaL DSlorc IL
CONCLUSION he WIS formally nominated IOl wv
ircs.Gepcy. and he would have been untrue u
.mnIcd Obligations had he failed 10 SYM
go with his supporters IN matter so hl"
nr.~rfors rs their battle with the lrcsiuGI..
II - political, convictions, as / nave sHO"i'
- l.,cn forming and CRY slallAng LOT NeN'I'1
- amid the changing circumstances ana
- , c,,, If Inc ume but the action OF
Johnson undoubtedly pIeclptald ms c"ioGo
,nrs For Grant WIS SUBJECT 10 an thc oIui
r,,.- feelings and even passions oil q man. anu
-. mo series of attempts first to begullc ana
= e. him. and afterward to entrap ana mis-
,ru.c,,nt him. had their natural effect lhcN
We, hand In hand with v hat he thought Inc
Presidents endeaVOrs to lhWart anu Irnse e'l az
d.. law. and the Will of the loyal North.
Finally when Johnson at the same JuhJ 'uic
a,.l.lel Grants personal honor and dchcd inc
authority of Congress, the soldier resented one
action while the citizen condemned the o'hcl
Doubtless the imputatIOns ON his Chardc,ci
slarcued his appreciation Of the pueiIo ms
conduct of his enemy no one IS PROOF aedliiS'
i,1ncrments and influences like these but the
fct did not lessen the purity OF ms conduct Vi
III In egriy Of his MOVIES. mrs idhl.N IT.
s.lf minclcs personal considerations with mos
~ abstract right and wrong and man Nn'
rs leen struck in a righteous cause Is haIuA
l. le blamed if he returns the blow WIN III
creased and indignant zeal. Grant | IciT ~
VA. very humans tempted IN all points Ike
& her men he was made neither OF wood MOI
conc but Of flesh and blood and at this luncl-
ur. the fervor Of his public spirit was certainty
inicns fed by his indignation az Johnson pc-
Iavior toward himself.
81 own wrongs vet he made no display OF ran
cor and descended TO no unworthy ~lles. lie
W. a. one time summoned before Congress bul
h. rl.1dlv confined his testimony TO what he had
socn and known, and refused to eNaggcratc
either the language or acts of the President OF
his own impressions of them; although he wa
. ccr'ain that this very moderation would DC al
argument in Johnsons favor.
Nevertheless when he thought II his duIX 10
fake an important step, he did not hesitate
Al the crisis of thS trial II became evident th@l
some Of the Republican Senators were uncertain
a. 10 their Judgment or their course. and tran
VS. urged to use his influence with them. Inc
Senators were Judges, 1t Is true, but THIS was
roht cal trial and Grant believed that he had
rght 10 support the weak and confirm the
stTour in So grave an emergency. lie not only
corvcrscd with those whose action he though
H. could affect. arguing in favor OF the conVlo-
ton If Johnson and demonstrating bis quit
.r be- visited AT least one Senator At his house
with the same purpose This was Mr.. Flelng-
hu,sen Grant told me of his intention bcfOr
b. pad he visit and returned greatly gIaihcd;
f. though FrlughuVSen had not disclosed
his ,u'cn ION ne nd sad enough 70 assure Gran,
of his views. Two or three DAYS ailcrWaid
Tre'iugluyScn voted in favor OF CONVICTION,
The day before the verdict was rendered q
vc.v remarkable scene occurred At Olan s
Quarters Nh Wade this presiding ollNer
a. b.. senate. would in case Of the deposition
q johnson immediately bee me Pres dent. NA'-
u D.. ic Wa considering THIS pOS>l SHINY. Ht
W. 20 den Rcpul lean and a lend AMI I'll p
| potter # General Grant. He came to Gran :
Office while | was present and said "Gencial
am here 20 consult with Won about my ar.
ircf IN case Nh Johnson l. found guilty !
was allowed 10 remain during the interview
Nr Wade then went on TO say that as Grant
Va, The candidate Of the Republican party and
vmll undoubtedly lee elected, he wished t.
/ maze no temporary appointments that Woud hc
] unar. c,i,ahle 20 his probable successor. Grant
/ listened aitenr vcV but offered no suggestions
i Of his own. The matter was profoundly del
! icac. and vet II was not improper Tor these Two
men, who might in turn and so soon become
ile head Of the Senate, to compare their plans
Wade mentioned several names for Cabinet p0-
Elfions and asccrtaine that Grant would not
object 10 them StantOn'S. Of course, was one
q 'hcSc But Grant made no revelation OF his
own purposes, if indeed they were formed, and
thor. was no discussion Of policy about thai
they would doubtless he in accord. The inter
view lasted perhaps half an hour But the
rcNt day johnson was acquitted, and W ado
lever made Cabinet. He got very close t.
greatness the vote Of one man in the Senat'
excluded him
Grant was al first very much disappointed
8 a. he result Of the trial, and said TO some
Of his intimates hut he was discreet, and fore
bore 70 make his feeling public or lie express on
n j. any way lndeCOrOuS After a while his
n gmont CHANGED. and be thought on the who'd.
vas letter for the country that the President
4 should not have been removed. He believed
4 that Johnson had been taught lesson wh.ci
4 BE- would not forget and that the precedent o.
i q successful Impeachment would have been
greater misfortune 10 the Stale than any cyi
that Johnson might still have been able u
ACCOMPLISH In addition 10 this ! heard hin
sly that fear Of Wadc's well-known bitter
hess and lack Of restraint rccOncilCd him m0r'
easily 10 enduring Johnson little longer. lii
even suggested that a similar Apprehension
might have influenced some Of the Republican
Senators who had voted for acquittal.
As years went 10y Grants Judgment change'
on several points in regard 10 which at thu
tine he was very decided. He found the Ten
ure Of Office act great obstruction to his Owl
authority as President. and was anxious for
much greater modification Of It's provision
4 than Congress was willing TO cOncede. c
4 hc had been strongly in favor Of curtailn
JohnSon's powers He justified this apparcn
4 Inconsistency bv declaring That the times ha
lccn unusual, the man exceptional {: and tina
what was indispensable Immediately after
great civil CONFUSION in order to prevent fur
Their connections and possibly revolution, wa
I Unnecessary and indefcnsible in the ordnar
wear. Of peace Grant indeed was never Wi