lurid
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2019
I always felt that Grant was a splendid general, who used the resources accordingly to put the squeeze of the Confederates, and that's how to fight an enemy that was/is dug in. Nevertheless, it's his presidency that is analyzed in a literary sense and not by any factual evidence, and I'm guilty of glossing over his presidency as well by stating he was mediocre to below average president. However, after scrutinizing his economic, foreign policy and domestic affairs I would have to state that Grant was a lot better president than accredited, perhaps a great president.
Economics:
1). Taxes went down by $300 million.
2). National Debt went down $435 million
3). Interest rates reduced by $30 million
4). Balance of trade was $130 million in the red when entered office to $120 million in the black when existed office.
5). In 1875 Grant also signed the Specie Resumption Act, which promised to redeem the Civil War greenbacks for gold. Grant committed the United States to a sound currency and fiscal restraint.
6). He vetoed an inflationary bill that would have increased the greenback supply by more than 10 percent.
7). Established free trade with Hawaii, incorporating the Pacific islands' sugar industry into the United States' economic sphere.
Foreign policy:
1). kept the US out of war with Great Britain over building Confederate warships. The Alabama was a Confederate raider ship built by GB that wreaked havoc on Union merchant ships, so there was a public outcry in the north to go to war with GB. Charles Sumner incited war or give the US Canada for reparations. Grant pushed the Treaty of Washington as an International incident, so a arbitration hearing was conducted at Geneva, Switzerland with a mediator. The verdict was $15.5 million in favor of the US for reparations.
The Treaty of Washington set the precedent for future International arbitration: Hague Tribunal, the League of Nation, World Court and United Nations.
2). Avoided war with Spain with diplomacy.
Civil Liberties:
1). Created the Justice Department.
2). Passed the Ku Klux Klan Act: which by 1872 the Klan collapsed.
Scandals:
It is unfair to blame Grant for the Whiskey Ring and the Credit Mobilier scandals because they started before he became president. Started under the Johnson Administration.
It appears, Grant was a way better president than people have given him credit for, and I suspect that his critics don't really know much about conservative economics, civil liberties or foreign policy, but read about him in literary sense. Depending on the medium, I would say Grant is definitely in top 15 best presidents of all time. He get's an (A) in Economics. An (B) in domestic affairs, he did well with squeezing the Klan but I have to read more about his Indian policy. Foreign Policy he deserves a (A).
— (2002). "Ulysses S. Grant". In Graff, Henry (ed.). The Presidents: A Reference History (7th ed.). pp. 245–260.
Author:Jean Edward Smith; Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana (Mississippi State University. Libraries)Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster, ©2001.
Chernow, Ron (2017). Grant. New York: Penguin Press
Kaczorowski, Robert J. (1995). "Federal Enforcement of Civil Rights During the First Reconstruction". Fordham Urban Law Journal. 23
Economics:
1). Taxes went down by $300 million.
2). National Debt went down $435 million
3). Interest rates reduced by $30 million
4). Balance of trade was $130 million in the red when entered office to $120 million in the black when existed office.
5). In 1875 Grant also signed the Specie Resumption Act, which promised to redeem the Civil War greenbacks for gold. Grant committed the United States to a sound currency and fiscal restraint.
6). He vetoed an inflationary bill that would have increased the greenback supply by more than 10 percent.
7). Established free trade with Hawaii, incorporating the Pacific islands' sugar industry into the United States' economic sphere.
Foreign policy:
1). kept the US out of war with Great Britain over building Confederate warships. The Alabama was a Confederate raider ship built by GB that wreaked havoc on Union merchant ships, so there was a public outcry in the north to go to war with GB. Charles Sumner incited war or give the US Canada for reparations. Grant pushed the Treaty of Washington as an International incident, so a arbitration hearing was conducted at Geneva, Switzerland with a mediator. The verdict was $15.5 million in favor of the US for reparations.
The Treaty of Washington set the precedent for future International arbitration: Hague Tribunal, the League of Nation, World Court and United Nations.
2). Avoided war with Spain with diplomacy.
Civil Liberties:
1). Created the Justice Department.
2). Passed the Ku Klux Klan Act: which by 1872 the Klan collapsed.
Scandals:
It is unfair to blame Grant for the Whiskey Ring and the Credit Mobilier scandals because they started before he became president. Started under the Johnson Administration.
It appears, Grant was a way better president than people have given him credit for, and I suspect that his critics don't really know much about conservative economics, civil liberties or foreign policy, but read about him in literary sense. Depending on the medium, I would say Grant is definitely in top 15 best presidents of all time. He get's an (A) in Economics. An (B) in domestic affairs, he did well with squeezing the Klan but I have to read more about his Indian policy. Foreign Policy he deserves a (A).
— (2002). "Ulysses S. Grant". In Graff, Henry (ed.). The Presidents: A Reference History (7th ed.). pp. 245–260.
Author:Jean Edward Smith; Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana (Mississippi State University. Libraries)Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster, ©2001.
Chernow, Ron (2017). Grant. New York: Penguin Press
Kaczorowski, Robert J. (1995). "Federal Enforcement of Civil Rights During the First Reconstruction". Fordham Urban Law Journal. 23