The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-05-22
NUMBER l2.

way. Mr.. Stanton never questioned
his own authority to command, unless
resisted. He cared nothing for the
feelings of others. In fact, it seemed
pleasanter 10 him to disappoint than
to crafty. He felt no hesitation in
assuming the functions of the Exec
utive, or in acting without advising
with him. If this act was not sus-
tanned he would change tiff he saw
the matter would be followed up u .
til he did so. Mr.. Lincoln was not
timid, and he was willing to trust
his Generals in making and execut-
ing their plans. The Secretary was
very timid, and it was Impossible for
him to avoid interfering with the
armies covering the Capital when it
wa S sought to defend it by an often
slve movement against the army
guarding the Confederate Capital.
lie could see orr Weakness-rh hut -ha.
could 'ssssa4see that the enemy was In
danger. The enemy would not have
been in danger if Mr.. Stanton had
been in the field"
Mr.. Lincoln's quaint phraseology
seems to have greatly amused Grant.
He says that after his capture of
Petersburg the good humored Presi-
dent congratulated him and then re-
marked: "Do you know, General,
that | have had a sort of sneaking
idea for some days that you intended
to do something like this ?" Grant
believes that Lincoln wanted Davis
to escape. as there had been "blood
enough already spilled :" but, alas
his own was yet to flow. He would
have proved the best friend the South
could have had," whereas they found
in his successor one "who at first
wished to revenge himself upon
Southern men of better social stand
ing than himself" and then, with a
sudden revulSion of feeling, desired
"to become their Noses" One other
story of Lincoln told by Grant is that
when the Confederate Peace Com
missioners came to Hampton Roads.
among them was Mr.. A. II. Stepn-
ems, of whom Grant had been ''a par
ticular admirer." He was physi-
cally very puny man, but wore on
that occasion surprisingly thick and
long Oyercoat, which made him look
of the average size, Shortly after
Grant saw Lincoln
'He asked me if 1 had seen that
overcoat ofStephens's. l replied that
| had. 'Well.' said he, did you ever
see him ts>'<e 1T oHa' Il sssid yes.
'Well,' said he, didn't you think it
was the biggest shuck and the littIest
ear that ever you did see p"
After the war Gen. Gordon, to
whom Grant told this story, repeated
it to Stephens. who laughed immod-
erately over it.
The unfavorable opinion already
expressed of President johnson is
elaborated IN this volume. After say
ing that treason must be made odious
he seemed to regard the South not
only as an oppressed people, but
as the people best entitled to consid-
Grafton of any of our citizens" He
says that he and, as ne thinks, mos t
of the North favored great leniency
in reconstruction, without immediate
negro suffrage, but Johnson's course
forced him to favor immediate en- :
franchisement.
Of Jefferson Davis General Grant
says that ION several occasions DUR
ing the war he came to the relief 0
the Union Army by his superior mil
itdry gerius," on which he plumed
himself-Grant permitting himselfin
this phrase rare resort to italics. He
thinks Davis was wrong in removing
Johnson, but in speaking Of the sub
sequent raidings on Sherman's COM
munications says that "this part of
Mr.. Davis's military plan was most
admirable