![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
|
| ![]() "The Baby That Won't Talk at Present"
Dame A. J. - "Say 'My Policy!' that's a little dear." Mother W. H. S__d. - "Yes, Baby: say 'My--my--My Policy! that's a nice little darling." Lady Ben W__e. - "Now, my Precious, put down that 'ittle horse one minute, and say 'Con-gress.'" Granny Henry W__n - "Yes, my Pet, say 'Re-con-struc-tion.'" Madame A. T. S__t. - "Here's a penny for Baby: say 'Greenbacks,' darling--'Green-backs!'"
Grant's opinions were solicited not merely because of the influence he might
have on federal policy, but because both parties were hoping to convince him to
run for president. Leading Democrats, such as party chair August Belmont,
wanted Grant to be their standard-bearer in 1868. Although the general
had been a nominal Democrat, Republicans viewed him as a popular war-hero and
someone who rose above partisan interests in both war and peace to battle for
the common good. He was privately known to disagree with President Johnson,
a Democrat, over Reconstruction and to support the agenda of moderate Republicans. In this cartoon, those urging Grant to speak are (left to right): businessman
A. T. Stewart; Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts, Republican chair of the
Senate Military Affairs Committee; former Virginia governor Henry Wise, holding
Grant; Congressman Benjamin Wade, president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, a
possible Republican presidential candidate or president (should Johnson be
impeached and removed);
Secretary of State William Seward, a key backer of Johnson's Reconstruction
policy; and President Andrew Johnson, vainly hoping for a second term. After
this cartoon appeared, it was soon evident that Grant supported Congressional
Reconstruction against Johnson's more lenient policy. In May 1868,
Republicans nominated Grant for president, and the Senate narrowly defeated the
effort to remove Johnson from office after his impeachment. In November,
Grant won the first of two presidential terms. Robert C. Kennedy |
|
|
|