U.S. Grant Against Inflation

Front Page Magazine ^ | June 4, 2025 | Robert Spencer

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The victorious Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant was the Republicans’ unanimous choice for president in 1868. As in so many other presidential campaigns, the Democrats made race the centerpiece of their appeal to the American people. They nominated former New York governor Horatio Seymour and ran him on a platform calling for the “immediate restoration of all States to their rights in the Union under the Constitution,” amnesty for all former Confederates, and “the regulation of the elective franchise in the States by their citizens.”

That last point meant the right of white Southerners, chiefly former slaveholders and all Democrats, to restrict the freed slaves’ right to vote. For good measure, the Democratic platform called the Reconstruction Acts “unconstitutional, revolutionary, and void.” A Seymour campaign badge proclaimed, “Our Motto: This is a White Man’s Country; Let White Men Rule.” Grant won handily, with 214 electoral votes to Seymour’s 80.

The renowned general’s only problem after that was having to govern. During the Civil War, the U.S. government had printed paper money, backed by neither gold nor silver, to cover its rapidly rising war debts. Grant attempted to curb inflation and restore some fiscal responsibility to the economy by phasing out the greenbacks and conducting the government’s business in gold coins. He also maintained high tariffs to protect American workers and industries.

The new president also had to deal with self-serving advisors. Railroad magnate Jay Gould and stockbroker Jim Fisk had personally exhorted Grant to take this course, and were poised to take advantage. They bribed Assistant U.S. Treasurer Daniel Butterfield for inside information and proceeded to try to corner the gold market. In September 1869, Grant discovered their scheme and ordered his secretary of the treasury, George S. Boutwell, to sell $4 million in gold ($75 million today)...

[DiogenesLamp]

Cite the text of the communication.

This is closer to what I remember.

"At 11 p.m. I sent my aides with a communication to Major Anderson based on the foregoing instructions.* It was placed in his hands at 12.45 a.m. 12th instant. He expressed his willingness to evacuate the fort on Monday at noon if provided with the necessary means of transportation, and if he should not receive contradictory instructions from his Government or additional supplies, but he declined to agree not to open his guns upon us in the event of any hostile demonstrations on our part against his flag. This reply, which was opened and shown to my aides, plainly indicated that if instructions should be received contrary to his purpose to evacuate, or if he should receive his supplies, or if the Confederate troops should fire on hostile troops of the United States, or upon transports bearing the United States flag, containing men, munitions, and supplies designed for hostile operations against us, he would still feel himself bound to fire upon us, and to hold possession of the fort."

As, in consequence of a communication from the President of the United States to the governor of South Carolina, we were in momentary expectation of an attempt to re-enforce Fort Sumter, or of a descent upon our coast to that end from the United States fleet then lying at the entrance of the harbor, it was manifestly an imperative necessity to reduce the fort as speedily as possible, and not to wait until the ships and the fort should unite in a combined attack upon us.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0031

[DiogenesLamp]

That was the brainchild of Chief Justice Chase and it was suggested to the defense to move for dismissal based on double jeopardy. 14A prohibited people who had participated in insurrection from holding various offices. That was a punishment, and they could not subjected to further punishment for the same acts. And so it came to pass that Jefferson Davis got off on double jeopardy.

That sounds exactly like the sort of logic I have come to expect from legal people. If they don't want to do something, any excuse is good enough. If they *DO* want to do something, any excuse is good enough.

The law is what the Judge and prosecutor says it is. It is subjective when they want it to be, and objective when they want it to be.

[Bull Snipe]

Do not disagree with you. Both Presidents Davis and Lincoln knew that Their actions, at Sumter, could lead to war. Both were willing to risk that outcome. If Davis had allowed the resupply of Sumter, that would have raised a firestorm among his political allies in the South. If Lincoln had not tried to resupply Sumter That would have raised a political fire storm in the North. Both of these men were locked into actions that they knew would resort in war, but they felt compelled, by the circumstances, to take the actions the did.

[Bull Snipe]

Thanks

[DiogenesLamp]

The orders give to the Pensacola forces pretty much guaranteed that Lincoln was going to get the war he so badly needed.

[Ditto]

Nice point, but when Fort Sumter was attacked by the rebels, Virginia was still a Union state. They had voted against secession. But even if they had secede then, like original states of South Carolina and Georgia, it did not matter. All states are treated equally under the constitution. Hawaii the 50th has the exact same rights as Delaware, the first to ratify, and unilateral secession is not one of those rights.

The creation of this government occurred in 1787. This was 11 years after all the states had signed the *DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE* which justifies the creation of the United States by saying it is the right of all people to have INDEPENDENCE from a government which no longer serves their interests.

Well, nice rant, but that is not what the Declaration says..

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Now how exactly had the Federal government, which had been firmly in Southern hands for most of the “four score and five” years to that point became destructive to the desires of the southern states. What was their bitch? Who did anything to them?

[Ditto]

Wow. A lengthy compendium about Fort Pickins, which to my knowledge, was never attacked. But nice background anyway. The discussion here however is Fort Sumter.

[woodpusher]

Wow. A lengthy compendium about Fort Pickins, which to my knowledge, was never attacked. But nice background anyway. The discussion here however is Fort Sumter.

I guess you "missed" the official orders to REENFORCE Fort Sumter. I will repeat it here in isolation so you do not "miss" it again.

Official Records, Navy, Series 1, Vol. 4, page 232-3:

Instructions from Lieutenant-General Scott, U. S. Army, to Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, U. S. Army, regarding expedition for reenforcement of Fort Sumter.

Confidential.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., April 4, 1861.

Sir: This letter will be handed to you by Captain G. V. Fox, ex-officer of the Navy, and a gentleman of high standing, as well as possessed of extraordinary nautical ability. He is charged by high authority here with the command of an expedition (under cover of certain ships of war) whose object is to reenforce Fort Sumter. To embark with Captain Fox, you will cause a detachment of recruits, say about 200, to be immediately organized at Fort Columbus, with a competent number of officers, arms, ammunition, and subsistence. A large surplus of the latter indeed, as great as the vessels of the expedition will take with other necessaries, will be needed for the augmented garrison of Fort Sumter. The subsistence and other supplies should be assorted like those which were provided by you and Captain Ward, of the Navy, for a former expedition. Consult Captain Fox and Major Eaton on the subject, and give all necessary orders in my name to fit out the expedition, except that the hiring of vessels will be left to others. Some fuel must be shipped. Oil, artillery, implements, fuses, cordage, slow matches, mechanical levers, and guns, etc., should also be put on board. Consult also, if necessary (confidentially), Colonel Tompkins and Major Thornton.

Respectfully, yours,

WINFIELD SCOTT.

Lieutenant-Colonel H. L. SCOTT, Aid-de-Camp, etc.

I also call your attention the official ship's log of the USS Supply for the night of April 11, 1861, preceding by hours the events at Fort Sumter. It seems you "missed" that as well.

Official Records, Navy, Series 1, Vol. 4, page 210:

April 11, 1861 — USS Supply — Ships Log

April 11th at 9 P.M. the Brooklyn got under way and stood in toward the harbor; and during the night landed troops and marines on board, to reinforce Fort Pickens.

So much for the myth of delivering groceries.

[Ditto]

Well that letter says exactly what Lincoln said in his message to Governor Pickins. They would land food and supplies only unless the Confederates initiated hostilities. If resisted, they would land troops.

[woodpusher]

Well that letter says exactly what Lincoln said in his message to Governor Pickins.

Oh wow. A letter to Robert Chew. The official orders from Lt Gen Scott, the senior military commander, to Captain Fox, in charge of the mission, was to reinforce Fort Sumter. That was on April 4, 1861.

Major Anderson, in charge of Fort Sumter, was receiving supplies several times weekly under contract from Mr. Daniel McSweeney from January 1861 until the deliveries were cut off on April 7, 1861 when the Confederate authorities became aware of the U.S. Navy fleet getting underway.

Official Records, Navy, Series 1, Vol. 4, page 232-3:

Instructions from Lieutenant-General Scott, U. S. Army, to Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, U. S. Army, regarding expedition for reenforcement of Fort Sumter.

Confidential.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., April 4, 1861.

Sir: This letter will be handed to you by Captain G. V. Fox, ex-officer of the Navy, and a gentleman of high standing, as well as possessed of extraordinary nautical ability. He is charged by high authority here with the command of an expedition (under cover of certain ships of war) whose object is to reenforce Fort Sumter.

[...]

Those orders were issued to reinforce Fort Sumter while Mr. McSweeney was still delivering the groceries under contract.

[Ditto]

Both letters still said the same thing. We will resupply unless you start something. If you do, we will reinforce. And the rest of your post is more Lost Cause myth.

[woodpusher]

And the rest of your post is more Lost Cause myth.

My post is the official orders given by the senior military official taken from and cited to the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Your nonsense myth is from an irrelevant letter.