hat they were the
outgrowth of the encouragement which the rebels of Louisiana received
from the changes which General Hancock inaugurated in the manner of
administering the Reconstruction Laws. Aside however from the conduct
of General Hancock, the removal of General Sheridan from the Louisiana
District was unqualifiedly offensive to General Grant in a personal
sense, and contrary to his best judgment on ground of public policy
and safety. His attachment to Sheridan was very strong, and a wrong
against the latter was sooner or later sure to be resented by General
Grant. His feelings of the question were promptly and significantly
shown when he became President. Inaugurated on the 4th of March, he
caused an army order to be issued on the morning of the 5th, restoring
General Sheridan to his former command in Louisiana, and ordering
General Hancock to the remote and peaceful Department of Dakota.]

CHAPTER XIII.

The financial experience of the Government of the United States in the
years following the war is without precedent among nations. When
Congress first met after the close of hostilities (December, 1865), it
was as a ship sailing into dangerous and unknown seas without chart
of possible channels. The Reconstruction problem before the country
seemed at the time to be less difficult than the financial problem.
Other nations had incurred great expenditures for war purposes, but had
always left them in chief part as a heritage for the future. Great
Britain will probably never pay the total principal of her public debt.
France will be burdened perhaps as long as her nationality endures by
the debts heaped upon her through the ambition of her sovereigns, and
in her own struggles to enlarge the liberty of her people. But in this
country the purpose was early formed, not simply to provide for the
interest upon the debt incurred in the war for the Union, but to begin
its payment at once, and to arrange for its rapid liquidation. In view
of the magnitude of the sum involved this was a new undertaking in the
administration of Government finances.

The difficulties of the situation were undoubtedly aggravated and
complicated by the questions which arose from the condition of the
Southern States. Could Congress expect at once that the populations in
those States would begin to contribute to the revenue, would cease to
require large expenditures for the maintenance of the National
authority, would again add to t