Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1877 — The Grant-Sumner Quarrel. [ARTICLE]

The Grant-Sumner Quarrel.

Still another version of the GrantSumner quarrel is given to the world. Maj. Ben Perley Poore, the veteran newspaper correspondent, who was a guest at Mr. Sumner’s house at the time of the misunderstanding, and heard the conversation which occurred on the occasion of the President’s visit to Mr. Sumner, contributes his recollection of what, then occurred. The Senator was in a bad humor on account of the removal of a personal friend, ex-Congress-man Ashley, of Ohio, as Governor of Montana, and at this inopportune time the President called. The latter is said to have denounced Ashley in heated and contemptuous terms, and when, in the course of the talk, the San Domingo matter came to be discussed, Sumner retaliated by freeing his mind about Babcock’s connection with the scheme. Maj. Poore’s understanding of what ensued was, that Sumner thought the President wanted to enlist his services in defense of Babcock’s misapplication of the secret-service fund, whereas Gen. Grant only desired to obtain the Senator’s support of the treaty for the acquisition of the Dominican republic. It seems the conference ended without a clear conception by either party of the other’s views and intentions, and that is about all the light that Maj. Poore has succeeded in throwing upon the controversy.—Chicago Tribune.