Charles Sumner and the President, through a series of misunderstandings that might in the early stages have been easily explained and completely adjusted, were bitterly antagonistic. The President’s San Domingo annexation theory and certain actions and policies followed in the arrangement for the English treaty were contrary to Senator Sumner’s ideas. In addition, one of the contributing causes to the strained relations and widening breach was the fact that the Senator disapproved of the President’s receiving valuable gifts. He believed that all such gifts were made with the idea that especial consideration could be expected by the donor in return. He considered it the duty of every public man to set his face resolutely against the acceptance of all presents and courtesies that could embarrass him in his official duty in any respect. To President Grant such a course would have been exceedingly difficult, owing to his extreme popularity with both the military and the civilians. Refusal of tributes of appreciation under such conditions would also have caused embarrassment. However, this cause for criticism, added to the other points of dispute between these two sterling leaders and statesmen, gave sufficient tinder to the spark of Sumner’s growing antagonism to send him energetically to work to rally the indifferent or disgruntled Republicans into a clique to prevent the reëlection of the President. The importance attached to Senator Sumner’s opposition may be gathered from the fact that it called forth a protest from Henry Wilson, slated for the nomination as Vice President to succeed Colfax, who was already too thoroughly enmeshed in the Crédit Mobilier entanglement to be considered. Part of Mr. Wilson’s letter to the President is as follows: “Your administration is menaced by great opposition, and it must needs possess a unity among the people and in Congress. The Head of a great party, the President of the United States, has much to forget and forgive, but he can afford to be magnanimous and forgiving. I want to see the President and Congress in harmony, the Republican Party united and victorious. To accomplish this, we must all be just, careful, and forgiving.” General Grant’s wonderful success as a soldier, however, was not equalled by the same type of success as a statesman. The opposition to his reëlection grew, and no less than seven candidates were thrown into the field against him. To the campaign of 1872 was given the name, “Go as you please,” the watchword of the factions being “Anything to beat Grant.” A serious opposition was met in the combination of the Liberal Republican and Democratic parties who nominated Horace Greeley, but the victory was again given to the hero of Appomattox. CHAPTER III SECOND ADMINISTRATION OF ULYSSES S. GRANT _March 4, 1873, to March 4, 1877_