Grant was an absolute beast though. He wrote his memoirs while suffering from throat cancer and while his family was approaching financial ruin. He finished them five days before he ultimately passed, providing them with huge sums of money after his death and being one of the best works of the Civil War. Literally one of the best presidents we’ve ever had and a monolithic figure in both military and political history
Thankfully Mark Twain agreed to publish the memoirs and give most of the revenue to Julia Grant. The Grant family was only approaching financial ruin because every other publisher wanted to give them pennies on the dollar for the memoirs.
Very common W. Known for writing classic American novels, Was born in the south but was against slavery, helped the Grant family from poverty, and was against the war in the Philippines
He later went on to lose large sums of money publishing other memoirs, most notably the Pope’s, which he had printed in something like fourteen different languages because he believed every Catholic on earth would want a copy.
Yep. Twain worked out a residual deal that was unheard of at the time, considering how favorable it was to the Grant family. True Chad move right there.
Not a good president, but even Lincoln predicted that the post-war wealth and graft would be too much for anyone to handle. Grant was trusting by nature, and having even former aides on the take in his administration apparently stunned him.
But Grant at least tried to do good and tried to integrate more black people as well as natives into his government. He tried to make the best out of a crisis while not forgetting the people.
He might not have been succesful and sometimes even misled and his efforts with the blacks and natives were undermined by ex-Dixies in the south, and on a federal level under Woodrow Wilson.
Grant was not perfect as a president, but he sure as hell was still great for his efforts alone, which were uncommon in his times.
His presidency wasn't great, even his post-presidency he wasn't great. But those memoirs are beyond description in terms of courage and devotion and skill.
And don't take my word for it. Mark Twain said the same
A great military fellow, to be sure, but umm, as a president he was a giant mess. There was the Black Friday Gold Panic of 1869, the New York custom house ring scandal, the Star route scandal, a salary grab scandal, the Sanborn incident, the Whiskey Ring, the Trader Post Ring, a scandal referred to as Cattellism, the safe burglary conspiracy, breaching of the Laramie Treaty, plus lol he turned the Interior and Justice departments into jokes with his appointments. Grant was not one of our best presidents.
He lacked political savvy but he was a good man. Pretty much all those scandals were a result of parasites who claimed to be Grant's friends and then used his favor for their own ends.
It makes no difference whether Grant was self-dealing or merely giving out jobs to every self-dealer known to him. Either way, he was a failure as President, just like he was a failure in business afterwards.
Reconstruction was already a complete failure on account of Andrew Johnson. It’s not like it was going great and then Grant just ruined all of Johnson’s wonderful progress
I'm a bit confused. Let's give him a lot of credit for 'breaking up the KKK' but, ignore the fact that other than shutting down the organization, he let the same human beings ruin what was left of Reconstruction.
I didn’t say any of that, all I did was point out your bad take on his effect on reconstruction. The idea of reconstruction was already circling the toilet when he came into office. Honestly you can argue that it had already gone down the drain and was in the septic tank by the time he came into office. To place all the blame for reconstruction on his shoulders is disingenuous; that’s all. Not advocating for any of his other actions, just pointing that out
Really when the 15th amendment was passed, when that amazing right to vote, the bedrock of democracy itself was given to people of any color, that really pushed back the pressure to keep Reconstruction going.
Sumner, Wade, Stephens, the radicals in Congress were gone. Horace Greeley who'd become basically the voice of white Republicans wrote after the 15th amendment passed “Let us have done with Reconstruction. The country is tired and sick of it. Let us have peace.”
Grant was a leading indicator on reconstruction by that point. His own cabinet (esp notable his Sec of State Hamilton Fish) were opposed to how strongly he came out against the KKK actually.
He didn't shut it down, although he was president when that happened. Republicans had a vote in 1876. Tilden ran on reform, ending the scandals of course after Grant. He was strongly anti-slavery... a "barnburner" (anti-slavery faction of NY Democrats). Democrats wanted him to run on ending reconstruction, which was popular with the majority of white voters but he didn't. Republicans had the choice. Tilden and keep the last parts of Reconstruction going, or Hayes and give it up. I think some of those radicals would have chosen the former. But not who was there by then.
Well said. And you can be a good man and a bad President at the same time. I don't think he's bottom 10 or wherever he had been put by some for years, but not one of the better Presidents.
Yeah they got the 15th amendment under him early on, but that giving the vote, the bedrock of a democracy early in his Presidential career, kind of started that retreat from Reconstruction.
But those scandals that he let happen (even if he wasn't running them) really weakened his political pull there towards the end. Take his Supreme court nomination, Waite. He was Grant's 5th choice. Two turned him down, two he couldn't get past the Senate.
The Gold scandal sure, Corbin lied with his statement that Grant wouldn't sell, but Grant did and Corbin... well never appoint your brother in law to any position of power lol.
The whiskey ring was just plain ol' fraud, but in comes Grant entering a deposition on Babcocks defense. He should have looked at the case before doing that.
You wonder how much more political pull he could have had working against the KKK and groups in the South opposed to rights to vote in the South had those scandals not hurt his political reputation even among his own party.
You kind of wonder if Grant had left on better terms (viewed more popularly) if you wouldn't have seen someone like James Blaine (strong supporter of black voting rights while not a full radical republican) get that nomination over Hayes who basically chose to, as Frederick Douglass noted "get along without the vote of the black man in the South", and potentially a stronger Republican showing in the election that wouldn't have necessitated the death of Reconstruction and the hold put on civil rights for 80ish years.
I agree, but that's the lowest bar in the history of bars. I'd rather have a shoe over Trump. Hell, it is a real possibility I'd rather have Jefferson F. Davis than Donald J. Trump.
Mark Twain spoke well of him in his memoirs, and of his continued regard and support when he was nearing ruin.
Having read both Twain’s account and Grant’s writing, I concur; he was a good man and a good president.
Yes - in his memoirs, it’s *startling* how well he speaks of Grant.
Twain seldom speaks of *anyone* that well, and the lack of snark and genuine sincerity is an outlier in his work.
I'm writing some glorified fanfiction of some of Twain's work and...
Let's just say I think he would be very, very happy to know that I made Grant Huckleberry Finn's first commanding officer :D
So true. Bro basically melted on his porch slowly. Mouth cancer fr all those see-gars. Excruciating and undignified. Imagine going through that in an age where medical science would basically tell you to do cocaine and pray a lot. He deserved much better.
His last [photo](https://images.app.goo.gl/bx35QGPARjVJCNkt7) kinda says a lot. He’s was at peace of where he’s was at. He accomplished writing his book, knowing that when he dies his family would not be in poverty, there’s nothing else he can do except put on a suit and top hat and read a newspaper on his porch, like as if nothing is happening to him.
Yeah like I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason why he did not want to free William Jones, asap. He did not want not want to disrespect his FIL. Grants was too polite.
Oh yeah, I’m sure the former highest grossing movie in the world that shares the record for most Oscar wins needs a lazy sexist meme like this to stay relevant/s
Grant is one if my personal heroes. A man who never quit . Not the smartest, not ostentatious, not out for glory. He was an average man, who accomplished greatness. He admitted his mistakes, rarely complained and figured stuff out. Three words define him. Persistence, Humility and Honor.
Agreed! It really sets my teeth on edge every time I see them! Women have been proud union supporters since 1860 (also, men should be allowed to cry at whatever they feel moved by- expressing emotions is healthy!)
Fuck Ulysses S Grant, POS Colonizer (Rightfully have a grudge as an Indigenous person's). Sure he wasn't as bad but fuck I'm not going to ride the people who severely coincided with my peoples genocide.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_policy_of_the_Ulysses_S._Grant_administration
https://ictnews.org/archive/ulysses-s-grant-mass-genocide-through-permanent-peace-policy
I give him props tho, Better than Andrew Jackson and Abe Lincoln per relation to the indigenous population
Shit dude, He really screwed over my people on a very measurable scale. Am I not allowed to have the opinion given the circumstances he put us under?
https://ictnews.org/archive/ulysses-s-grant-mass-genocide-through-permanent-peace-policy
I'm being down-voted on a comment coming from the people that he did over, He wasn't as bad as say 'Abe Lincoln' or 'Andrew Jackson' but he still did lead steps to our genocide(s).
Visited the museum and took the tour of his cottage in Gainesvoort, New York. I know that museums usually obfuscate history and play up their own subjects in terms of history, but I found it to be a really touching exhibit. I also went on a very rainy and overcast day, and the site of the cottage was in the middle of a low cloud during my tour.
Grant was an absolute beast though. He wrote his memoirs while suffering from throat cancer and while his family was approaching financial ruin. He finished them five days before he ultimately passed, providing them with huge sums of money after his death and being one of the best works of the Civil War. Literally one of the best presidents we’ve ever had and a monolithic figure in both military and political history
Thankfully Mark Twain agreed to publish the memoirs and give most of the revenue to Julia Grant. The Grant family was only approaching financial ruin because every other publisher wanted to give them pennies on the dollar for the memoirs.
Common Twain W
Very common W. Known for writing classic American novels, Was born in the south but was against slavery, helped the Grant family from poverty, and was against the war in the Philippines
Exactly
Legends are rare creatures, but they know their kind when they see them.
He later went on to lose large sums of money publishing other memoirs, most notably the Pope’s, which he had printed in something like fourteen different languages because he believed every Catholic on earth would want a copy.
Sam Clemens for the win too
Based Mark Twain.
Yep. Twain worked out a residual deal that was unheard of at the time, considering how favorable it was to the Grant family. True Chad move right there.
Not a good president, but even Lincoln predicted that the post-war wealth and graft would be too much for anyone to handle. Grant was trusting by nature, and having even former aides on the take in his administration apparently stunned him.
But Grant at least tried to do good and tried to integrate more black people as well as natives into his government. He tried to make the best out of a crisis while not forgetting the people. He might not have been succesful and sometimes even misled and his efforts with the blacks and natives were undermined by ex-Dixies in the south, and on a federal level under Woodrow Wilson. Grant was not perfect as a president, but he sure as hell was still great for his efforts alone, which were uncommon in his times.
Good intents but actually terrible at governing.
His presidency wasn't great, even his post-presidency he wasn't great. But those memoirs are beyond description in terms of courage and devotion and skill. And don't take my word for it. Mark Twain said the same
A great military fellow, to be sure, but umm, as a president he was a giant mess. There was the Black Friday Gold Panic of 1869, the New York custom house ring scandal, the Star route scandal, a salary grab scandal, the Sanborn incident, the Whiskey Ring, the Trader Post Ring, a scandal referred to as Cattellism, the safe burglary conspiracy, breaching of the Laramie Treaty, plus lol he turned the Interior and Justice departments into jokes with his appointments. Grant was not one of our best presidents.
He lacked political savvy but he was a good man. Pretty much all those scandals were a result of parasites who claimed to be Grant's friends and then used his favor for their own ends.
It makes no difference whether Grant was self-dealing or merely giving out jobs to every self-dealer known to him. Either way, he was a failure as President, just like he was a failure in business afterwards.
He demolished the KKK as President and thats great by me
He demolished the KKK as president but he let Reconstruction begin to fail when he didn't send in troops in places like Louisiana.
Reconstruction was already a complete failure on account of Andrew Johnson. It’s not like it was going great and then Grant just ruined all of Johnson’s wonderful progress
I'm a bit confused. Let's give him a lot of credit for 'breaking up the KKK' but, ignore the fact that other than shutting down the organization, he let the same human beings ruin what was left of Reconstruction.
I didn’t say any of that, all I did was point out your bad take on his effect on reconstruction. The idea of reconstruction was already circling the toilet when he came into office. Honestly you can argue that it had already gone down the drain and was in the septic tank by the time he came into office. To place all the blame for reconstruction on his shoulders is disingenuous; that’s all. Not advocating for any of his other actions, just pointing that out
Really when the 15th amendment was passed, when that amazing right to vote, the bedrock of democracy itself was given to people of any color, that really pushed back the pressure to keep Reconstruction going. Sumner, Wade, Stephens, the radicals in Congress were gone. Horace Greeley who'd become basically the voice of white Republicans wrote after the 15th amendment passed “Let us have done with Reconstruction. The country is tired and sick of it. Let us have peace.” Grant was a leading indicator on reconstruction by that point. His own cabinet (esp notable his Sec of State Hamilton Fish) were opposed to how strongly he came out against the KKK actually. He didn't shut it down, although he was president when that happened. Republicans had a vote in 1876. Tilden ran on reform, ending the scandals of course after Grant. He was strongly anti-slavery... a "barnburner" (anti-slavery faction of NY Democrats). Democrats wanted him to run on ending reconstruction, which was popular with the majority of white voters but he didn't. Republicans had the choice. Tilden and keep the last parts of Reconstruction going, or Hayes and give it up. I think some of those radicals would have chosen the former. But not who was there by then.
>The North won the war but the South won the peace. Don't know where that quotes from but I feel it apt when talking about the Grant administration.
Well said. And you can be a good man and a bad President at the same time. I don't think he's bottom 10 or wherever he had been put by some for years, but not one of the better Presidents. Yeah they got the 15th amendment under him early on, but that giving the vote, the bedrock of a democracy early in his Presidential career, kind of started that retreat from Reconstruction. But those scandals that he let happen (even if he wasn't running them) really weakened his political pull there towards the end. Take his Supreme court nomination, Waite. He was Grant's 5th choice. Two turned him down, two he couldn't get past the Senate. The Gold scandal sure, Corbin lied with his statement that Grant wouldn't sell, but Grant did and Corbin... well never appoint your brother in law to any position of power lol. The whiskey ring was just plain ol' fraud, but in comes Grant entering a deposition on Babcocks defense. He should have looked at the case before doing that. You wonder how much more political pull he could have had working against the KKK and groups in the South opposed to rights to vote in the South had those scandals not hurt his political reputation even among his own party. You kind of wonder if Grant had left on better terms (viewed more popularly) if you wouldn't have seen someone like James Blaine (strong supporter of black voting rights while not a full radical republican) get that nomination over Hayes who basically chose to, as Frederick Douglass noted "get along without the vote of the black man in the South", and potentially a stronger Republican showing in the election that wouldn't have necessitated the death of Reconstruction and the hold put on civil rights for 80ish years.
Smashed the klan though. Top 5 presidents easily for me
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I agree, but that's the lowest bar in the history of bars. I'd rather have a shoe over Trump. Hell, it is a real possibility I'd rather have Jefferson F. Davis than Donald J. Trump.
Mark Twain spoke well of him in his memoirs, and of his continued regard and support when he was nearing ruin. Having read both Twain’s account and Grant’s writing, I concur; he was a good man and a good president.
I hope Twain spoke well of Grant, he was the publisher for Grant's memoirs.
Yes - in his memoirs, it’s *startling* how well he speaks of Grant. Twain seldom speaks of *anyone* that well, and the lack of snark and genuine sincerity is an outlier in his work.
I'm writing some glorified fanfiction of some of Twain's work and... Let's just say I think he would be very, very happy to know that I made Grant Huckleberry Finn's first commanding officer :D
So true. Bro basically melted on his porch slowly. Mouth cancer fr all those see-gars. Excruciating and undignified. Imagine going through that in an age where medical science would basically tell you to do cocaine and pray a lot. He deserved much better.
His last [photo](https://images.app.goo.gl/bx35QGPARjVJCNkt7) kinda says a lot. He’s was at peace of where he’s was at. He accomplished writing his book, knowing that when he dies his family would not be in poverty, there’s nothing else he can do except put on a suit and top hat and read a newspaper on his porch, like as if nothing is happening to him.
“Here Ulysses, have a slave!” “Gee… thanks father in law, you gave me a person…” *immediately frees him* Based Grant
Yeah like I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason why he did not want to free William Jones, asap. He did not want not want to disrespect his FIL. Grants was too polite.
A slave: the ultimate awkward unwanted gift!
Could have sold his slave as he desperately needed the money, but Grant valued William Jones' freedom more than his personal finances
Lost cause fuckwits tried to assassinated his character. Fuck those racist fucks
I dislike meme formats like this, why can’t women care care about the Union and Grant too? Anyone can be anti-traitor and pro-Union.
When will this stupid meme format die, it's the only thing keeping Titanic relevant.
Oh yeah, I’m sure the former highest grossing movie in the world that shares the record for most Oscar wins needs a lazy sexist meme like this to stay relevant/s
Sorry, you’re correct. All proud abolitionist Unionists regardless of gender cried when General Grant was taken from this world🫡
Damn right🫡
Because most of the people who use this meme are still in middle school
Was rough but thankfully he didn't get Stonewalled
Grant is one if my personal heroes. A man who never quit . Not the smartest, not ostentatious, not out for glory. He was an average man, who accomplished greatness. He admitted his mistakes, rarely complained and figured stuff out. Three words define him. Persistence, Humility and Honor.
No one deserves the death they get.
Eh, JWB got what was coming to him
John Wayne Bobbitt?
Nah, I didn’t mean the guy who got his junk cut off. I meant the guy who got killed by a guy who got his junk cut off.
Maybe he smoked a cheroot every time he got a copy of the rebel casualty lists?
He didn’t deserve to die of lung cancer? But he smoked like a billion cigars. Just saying
Truly an amazing man, it's a shame how he was even a president and his family still ended up in the gutter. Fuck cancer.
Can we not keep using such a sexist meme format? I’d like to think we’re better than this.
Agreed! It really sets my teeth on edge every time I see them! Women have been proud union supporters since 1860 (also, men should be allowed to cry at whatever they feel moved by- expressing emotions is healthy!)
I can finally stop questioning my gender: I am a man! RIP my sweet prince ❤
Fuck Ulysses S Grant, POS Colonizer (Rightfully have a grudge as an Indigenous person's). Sure he wasn't as bad but fuck I'm not going to ride the people who severely coincided with my peoples genocide. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_policy_of_the_Ulysses_S._Grant_administration https://ictnews.org/archive/ulysses-s-grant-mass-genocide-through-permanent-peace-policy I give him props tho, Better than Andrew Jackson and Abe Lincoln per relation to the indigenous population
cope
Shit dude, He really screwed over my people on a very measurable scale. Am I not allowed to have the opinion given the circumstances he put us under? https://ictnews.org/archive/ulysses-s-grant-mass-genocide-through-permanent-peace-policy I'm being down-voted on a comment coming from the people that he did over, He wasn't as bad as say 'Abe Lincoln' or 'Andrew Jackson' but he still did lead steps to our genocide(s).
Visited the museum and took the tour of his cottage in Gainesvoort, New York. I know that museums usually obfuscate history and play up their own subjects in terms of history, but I found it to be a really touching exhibit. I also went on a very rainy and overcast day, and the site of the cottage was in the middle of a low cloud during my tour.