New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-27
GRANT IN PEACE.
nv GENERAL ADAM BADEAU.
NO. ".
how ANDREW JOHNSON TRIED TO USE
GRANT
Copyright. 1886.

.,iHerepce was in regard to the treatment OF the
South At first the victorious General was far more
inclined to leniency than johnson. But by degrees
the Presidents feeling became mitlgated, ana oy
the winter of 1865 he was already more disposed
TO be the political partisan of the Southerners than
the ally of those who had elected him. lie had
eoueeved the idea that without the aid of Con-
gress he could reconstruct the Union ) and doubt
less believed that by making extraordinary adj
vapces and Offering extraordinary immunlties TO
the South he could build up a National party at
both the North and the South of which he would
necessarily be the head. The great popularity OF
Grant at this period made 1T important to win nm
over to the support of the enterprise.
Grant was unused to the arts of pacemen and
politicians. and indeed IMMERSED in any maD@uvres
except those of the field. He still retained bis
magnanimous sentiment toward the conquered, and
was at first in no way averse to what he suppoSeh
were the Presidents views. He protested AGAINST
the harsh measures advised by many NortheIners,
and was far more in accord with johnson than
with Stanton. The Democrats claimed nm the
Republicans distrusted him.. General hichard
TAYLOR came to me about this time and proposed
that Grant should become the candidate OF the
Democratic party in the next Presidential election.
promising the support of the South in mass II 1t
was allowed to vote. James Brooks, then the
eentatives made similar Overtures. also through
me. Brooks was my intimate personal friend ; he
always predicted that Grant would be the next
President and he was avowedy anxious to secure
him for the Democrats. l invariably told my
chief whatever learned that could affect or inter-
eft him. no matter what the source. and conveyed
these messages to Grant He sent no reply. nor did
he Indicate either satisfaction dsplcasure at the
sugg stion At that time he had strong political
bias and, believe, political ambition. Both
were slow of development. though both came at
last.
When Mr.. Johnson proposed in November that
Grant should make tour of the South and report
the condition and feeling of the people, the General
n-Chicf was entirely willing. He performed the
Journey and reported in accordance with the ex-
pectations of the President but very much to the
disgust of ardent and bitter Republicans, who were
destined afterward TO CLAIM him as their represent
ative and chief
When Congress met in December the policy of
the President had been fully developed and up to
that time had not been opposed by Grant. john
son. without any aut horlty of law, had appointed
Governors in the seeded States and allowed their
Icpsla lures to assemble; he had even exacted
changes IN their constItutions-all without the
sanction or advice of Congress. He had refused TO
call Congress tOge her, and as that body was with
out he power TO summon Itself before the ordinary
time this left him from April to December at lib
erty to prosecute his plans. Grant thought II
would have been wiser had the President con-
vokei Congress aud taken its advice; but
he he'd himself to be merely military
officer, and was unwilling to lntrude
into civil affairs. lie had not been consulted in re-
gard to the policy of the President anC as Congress
was not summoned and some system of reconsrnc-
bon was indispensable, he acQulesced in the action
of his superior. But he always maintained that the
action was provisional; that Congress. as the repre-
sentative of the people, must eventually decide
what should be done. and to that decision all must
bow frequently heard him express this view.
During the winter, however, the President and
Congress came I o an open rupture. Grant mao
striven TO pre- veat this He felt the necessity OF
harmony between the two branches of the Govern
ment at so critical juncture, and lie used all the
weight and influence which his achievements gave
u bring about this harmony. But the President
was obstinate and Congress entirely dlsapproved
his plan and reversed his proceedings. MIR. john
son maintained that as soon as any State had
formally acquiesced in the abolition OF slavery its
representatives should be rcidmittod to Congress
with all the power they held before seeding But
Grave objections were offered to such a
course The Constitution had originally pro-
y,ded that the number of representa-
tiyes should be apportioned to the population.
adding IN each State TO the number or tho Tree
three-ffths of those not free By this rrangement
thor,1h the saves did not vote, the masters had
tbs benefit of their numbers. The anomaly had
been one of the original compromises of the Cons1-
tailon. But the entire Southern population was
nov free and would therefore be included IN the
basis for represen ation though still the freedmen
hsd no s,te: so that emancipation actually ncreased
Of pfatIV IN
which the South under the Constitution was en-
filled TO TINS Congress would not agree; but MI
Johnson insisted that the States which had re-
xoited shonld be received back into the Union with
their pojtcal power increased the result of the
war BESIDES this he wished to exact no guaran-
tees for the payment of the war debt of the Nation
or the reputation OF that of the south lie claimed
the ri hit 10 pardon every man engaged IN the he
bellion at his own individual will, and he took no
cen, to protect the EN- anc paed millions. On all
those points Congress was at issue with him
These differences extended to the entire Nation.
The encoura cement gwen by the Executive not IN
naturally awoke In the South a ceslre 10
recover its old asccndency. The lea iers
perceived and accepted their opportunity.
They of course became the partislns of
Johnson and assumed very different tone from
that they had maintained Immediately after the
var. while the Northern people provoked,
fearing to lose what had been won at SO much cost
Grant tried for a while to hold the balance be-
tween the two parties He strove to preserve his
original magnanlmity Of feeling. and never swerved
from the doctrine that the officers Of the Southern
Army were exempt from punishment Tor military
acts committed during the war lie angered many
Northern friends by his insstance on THIS pc NJ.
But he rebuked what lie deemed the offensive tone
OF the Southern press. and suspended newspapers
that made themselves especially obnoxious lie
refused to permit the reorganization oil the state
militia at the South. He never forgot that Il
mighty war had just closed, and that he was deal
Ing with those who had been the Nations enemies.
Up to this time his position had been exclusively