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Chapter 5:
Grant's first step in politics.
Grant's first political step was taken when
Johnson's plan of reconstruction was rejected by the
North.
The rejection had been complete.
Not only was the constitutional amendment which
Johnson opposed accepted by every Northern State, but a Congress antagonistic to the
President's views was returned by overwhelming majorities.
Now
Grant was in some respects as absolute a democrat as ever lived.
He believed implicitly in the rule of the people: when they pronounced, he submitted.
He had taken no decided stand up to this time, but when the will of those who had won in the war was definitely known, he declared that their decision should be accepted.
Johnson, however, had no idea of submitting.
At the beginning he may have undertaken his enterprise with patriotic motives, but he persisted after it was plain, not only that he was opposing those who had been his political allies, and had placed him in the
Executive chair, but that he was offending the sentiment of the faithful
North.
Very few supported him after the elections except those who had been hostile to the
Union in the moment of its peril.
Grant had, therefore, a double reason for disapproving
Johnson's course; not only the deliberate decision of the people was against the
President, but the voice of the vast majority of Union men had reached their leader.
Johnson, nevertheless, remained as determined as ever.
He had appealed to the people, but he refused to abide by
