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the Presidents: Ulysses S. Grant, by James D. Richardson

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Title: A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents: Ulysses S. Grant

Author: James D. Richardson

Release Date: July 24, 2004 [EBook #13012]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A COMPILATION OF THE MESSAGES AND PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS

BY JAMES D. RICHARDSON

A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF TENNESSEE

VOLUME VII

ULYSSES S. GRANT

Prefatory Note

The election of General Grant to the Presidency by the people of the
United States was another instance illustrating the gratitude of a
republic to a successful soldier. But for the great civil war no one
supposes he would ever have been elevated to this exalted post. His
services in that heroic struggle were such as to win the highest
encomiums from his countrymen, and naturally at the first opportunity
after the closing of the war when a Chief Executive was to be chosen
they turned their eyes to the most conspicuous figure in that war and
made him President of the United States. This volume, the seventh of the
series, comprises his eight years and the four years of his successor,
Mr. Hayes. During this period of twelve years--that is, from March 4,
1869, to March 4, 1881--the legislation for the restoration of the
Southern States to their original positions in the Union was enacted,
the reunion of the States was perfected, and all sections of the land
again given full and free representation in Congress. Much of the
bitterness engendered by the war, and which had been left alive at its
closing, and which was not diminished to any appreciable extent during
President Johnson's term, was largely assuaged during President Grant's
Administration, and under that of President Hayes was further softened
and almost entirely dissipated.

It will be seen that President Grant in his papers dwelt especially
upon the duty of paying the national debt in gold and returning to
specie paym