Year: 1876

What President Grant has 70 say


About Bristow and Bluford WILL


son.


New York, August 15.-The Herald
publishes an interview between Pres-
ident Grant and Its Washington CORES
pondeut. According to the report OF
the interview, the President stated there
were many Misrepresentation made In
connection with the official commu-
nications between him and ex-Secre.
ary Bristow and ex-Solicitor Wilson.
As an illustration of this he new
er asked for the resignation offered.
but several times when he volun-
anxious to do so he-President Grant,
prevailed upon him to stay. in ONCE.
Once Bristow insisted upon the accept
ance Of his resignation because he said
he could not undergo the ordeal Of su-
perintending another discharge or cut
ting down Of the Treasurer employees.
Again and for The third time Brfstow
rendered it and urged its acceptance.
On the second occasion the President
prevailed upon Bristow to remain be-.
cause the new order OF things in tho
treasury department was about to take
place with the substitution OF silver for
fractional currency, and he thought ft
would need the supervision of Brfstow.


So far as anything had been ELECTED
in the congressional examination bear
ing upon himself or attaches heretofore
of the White House, the President was
willing to leave the whole matter to the
judgment OF the country.


From the testimony given by ex-So.
licitor Wilson before the congressional
investigating committee in relation to
that part of Buford Wilson's testimony
where he charged Generals Babcock and
Porter with beng concerned in Black
Friday spcculations. the President said
he once put a lot of papers, rolled up,
for moment in a private drawer In his
desk and subsequently took them out,
handing them to his son. whu was act.
ing as his private secretary, for examin.
alton. The papers he found, when re.
ported upon by U. 5. Grant, Jr., did
not show any connection whatever with
the Black Friday affair at the time sta
ted, because they could not, us he was
then In San Domingo, and before Gem
eral Porter's connection with the Black
Friday scandal. he could not find that he
had ever bought dollars worth OF gold
in his life, but he had bought one or
two small pieces OF property on WASH.
ington heights, New York City, through
or in connection with the General But.
terfield, which, from all he could learn,
was perfectly honorable and straight
forward transaction. When these many
and frequent reports were made about
those bearing near and intimate official
relations to him, it was natural that he
should accept them with great caution
and suspicion, but he always significd
in most distinct and emphatic manner
as he did in letter endorsement: "Let
no guilty man escape.n lie did desire
that any persons, no matter how high
official they might be, even If they were
his own intimates, should enjoy immu-
n.ty from responsibility or punishment
for wrong doing If proved upon them,
At first when hints were made TO him.
he was led to believe they meant Casey
and others. He was told by those at
that facts would be givon by Gen. Geo.
II. Sharpe, surveyor Of the port Of New
York, and those papers examined by
young Grant were left by him; but at
no time did he Precedent stand in the
way or intimate anything but his strong
est desire to have full, earnest and hon.
est examination and prosecution of anJ
wrong done among his friends.


As for Bristow, the President added;
Notwithstanding the doubts und ex-
postulations Of my friends always re-
garded him with the greatest confidence
good will and respect, but my friends
laughed at me when gave il finally as
my odnion from facts and Information
brought to my knowledge by pereons
whom thought reliable. there was .
conspiracy on foot in which he took part
pertaining to the Presidential candidacy.
regret the conclusion forced upon mo
now that there was more than seeming
truth IN the supposition,"


Concerning himself. the President
said the question of his integrity OF
probity, as it might be judged now or In
after years, never give him an emotion
of concern. at least in the way of q
doubt, because he knew that no had
never been impellcd by improper mo-
tiyes, and he did not believe there was
the slightest thing to the contrary on
record.


With the light of events and exper.
ience of earlier times there were many
things he could see now which he might
do if again necessary in different way
but they pertained more 10 matters Of
discretion as 30 individuals than to qres-
tions Of policy. In everything he did
he had always adopted the rule through
life TO examine into what was submitted
to him carefully and without anything
but principle of doing right as far as he
could iudpe to Vuide him. He had al
ways written, spoken and acted In that
direction, and in manner which he
thought came up to that standard.