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Chapter 6:
immediately before the elections which were to give the verdict of the country upon
Mr. Johnson's policy a violent political discussion arose in
Maryland, where it was well known that a spirit had existed as hostile to the
Union as in New Orleans.
There seemed danger of a collision between the
State authorities, which were friendly to
Johnson, and those of the
City of Baltimore.
The Governor appealed to the
President for armed assistance, and
Johnson made several attempts to induce
Grant to order United States troops into
Maryland.
Grant's anxiety at this suggestion was acute.
He held numerous conversations with the
President, and though no disloyal proposition was made to him in words, he conceived a profound distrust of
Johnson's designs.
This feeling was shared by
Stanton, then
Secretary of War.
In the excited state of feeling aroused by
Johnson's course the use of troops was certain to prove exasperating, and it seemed to be the
President's purpose to tempt or provoke his opponents to some illegal act which would warrant a resort to arms.
It was too soon after a civil war to incur such risks without alarm.
Grant at once protested verbally but earnestly against sending troops to
Baltimore.
But the
President persisted in his suggestion.
He did not give the order, for he frequently used all the weight of his position to induce
Grant to act as he desired, yet failed to assume the responsibility of issuing a positive command.
Grant therefore wrote an
