Year: 1869

HIS Opinion on the Pending Alabamb


Claims Treaty.


General Grant is strongly opposed to the
pending Alabama Claims Treaty. The following
Is his position, nearly in his own words:-The
treaty is unjust to the United States, because 1t
assumes to measure injury indicted upon this
country by money value of ships actually
destroyed, whereas the chief damage to our
commerce was in our ships being driven from
the seas by Anglo-Rebel pirates. In addition
70 ths Inc symPatsy e6em1eo Dy the to EUss1 a an
least year, and for all lives lost and money
expended, for this time, England Is directly
responsible. The treaty proposes to settle all
these things by the payment of the patry value
OF few ships.-N. Y. Tribune.


The President Elect and stanton.


The N. Y. Heralds Washington correspondent
writes:--


As the period approaches when new Cabinet
must be formed, the plotting and scheming,
mining and countermining, increase to such an
extent that much leaks out and gives the public
an occasional glimpse OF the manner in which
the wires are worked A few days ago the
country was treated to a chapter in the secret
history of the past in connection with the
military services of General Grant, exposing
facts not generally known as to who were and
who were not friendly to the rising chief.
Although many of the statements made
therein were erroneous and some were
exaggerated, the main point of the dis
closure cannot be denied, that from the
time Fort OonelsOn was captured up to the





Co. were mauGuvering TO depose General Grant
from the command of the army and consign him
to one Of the darkest corners In obscurty. THIS
object was sought to be obtained in the consoli-
dation of the armies under Grant and Banks
either at Vicksburg or Port Hudson. Mr.. Stan.
ton has not only denied the assertion that the
order directing Bankst relieve Grant asissued
by or through him, but would have it under
stood that at no time during the period men
toned, or since, has he harbored untriendly
teelngsgtowards General Grant. In connection
with this subject l may mention a few
occurrences of a later period which may
serve to furnish additional light In
the summer of 1866 Mr.. Station felt not
only an indispositiOn to assist General Grant
in his duties of commanding the army,
but did much to embarrass him. He regarded
General Grant as opposed to the great work of
radical reconstruction, II and spoke of his report
on affairs at the South as au attempt at white
washing. Mr.. Stanton at this time issued an
order that nformation in relation to matters
appertainng to the army should be given directly
to no officer or person who should apply tor it,
but that all such communications to any OF the
bureaus or officers in the war Department,
together with the replies, should first be sub
mitted to him. This order was considered by
many subordnates as not referring to General
Grant and they continued to correspond
directly with him; but Mr.. Stanton in
sisted on a strict enforcement of the
order, and thus caused great annoyance to
Grant in the transaction of his duties. When the
General sought information from any of the
bureaus he was referred to the Secretary of
War, and at times these official endorsements
were quite insulting to the Commander OF the
Army. The effect of this order was so humili-
ating to General Grant that he thought seriously
of resigning and he felt the ind ignIty so keenly
that he was frequently observed by his friends
to look quite detected. At this time the Presi-
dent and General Grant were on the most
friendly terms, and although the President was
entirely ignorant of the existence of the order
in question, Grants modesty was so great that
he never mentioned the matter to Mr.. johnson.
The subject was first brought to the
uotice of the President while on the trip
to Chicago to attend the dedication of the
Douglas monument General Grant and
one of the officers who accompanied the Presi-
dent were sitting in the smoking car, and the
General was enjoying his cigar while relating
some of his trials as Commander of the Army.
Among those trials he mentioned the order
issued by the Secretary of War. Toe officer
having never heard Of such an order, asked
Grant whether he had spoken to the President
about it, and he answered that he had not; but
he had made up his mind that If the obnoxious
order was not soon rescinded he would be con
PEELED to resign. The officer asked him whether
he had any objection to having the matter
mentioned TO the President, and he replied
that he had no objection. The officer went
Immediately iuto the Presidents car and
informed Mr.. Johnson of the facts in
connection with Mr.. Stautons order aud its
effect. The President was greatly astonished,
and said that Immediately after his return to
Washington he would see the Secretary and
have the order countermanded. When informed
of what the President had said, General Grant
thanked the officer very cordially, and requested
him to see that the promise did not escape the
Presidents mind. At the first Cabinet meeting,
after the close or the Chicago trip, the President
called the attention OF Stanton to toe order, aud
directed him to Tescind it by order of the Pre-
sident, SO that General Grant would be able to
obtain any information he wished by direct
application to officers of the War Department
bureaus. Mr.. Stanton complied with these
inStructOnS to certain extent, tie SeQt Tor
General Grant and sald:-"General, l find an
order in force forbidding information to be
given to any person until my pleasure shall be
known l am sorry it has been so worded. 1t
must have caused you much annoyance, aud
will countermandi it at once.n General Grant
was under the impression that Stanton made
this amende honorable of his own free will, and
gave him the credit until recently, when 1T
came to his knowledge that the order was
rescinded only by the direction of the Presi-