Several of the gentlemen present expressed
rather guardedly their dissent from this view, but Grant seemed
to remain firm. I kept silent, as became a person young in
public life, until Mr. Howe and Judge Shellabarger whispered
together, and then came to me and said: "Mr. Hoar, you may
perhaps, be able to have some influence on him. Won't you
say something?" I then made a little speech to the President,
in which I said that there was no question of the existence
of these disorders and crimes; that they would be likely to
be increased, and not diminished, especially as the elections
in the Southern States approached. He could not allow them
to continue. He would be compelled, in my judgment, to interpose
and go to the verge of his authority, or to leave to their
fate those people whom we were bound by every consideration
of honor to protect. I asked him if he did not think it
would be better, instead of exercising a doubtful authority
of his own, acquired without legislative sanction, to obtain
the necessary authority from Congress in advance. I thought
it much less likely to be imputed to him that he was acting
in the manner of a soldier and not of a statesman if he were
careful to ask in advance the direction of the law-making
power, and the people understood he was unwilling, even if
he had the authority, to act without the sanction of Congress.
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