A Great Man Got Arrested as President Ulysses S. Grant was picked up for ‘fast driving’ in 1872—during his first term in the White House. April 6, 2023 6:52 pm ET Peggy Noonan Grant & Bonner - Dexter’s best time, on the Bloomingdale Road, New York, 1868. Photo: Library of Congress We need a palate cleanser. It is Easter (whose theme is resurrection and salvation), Passover (freedom and remembering) and Ramadan (devotion). So let us go back to affectionate days and men of stature. It has been noted that the first and only previous American president to be arrested was Ulysses S. Grant. He was arrested in 1872, while president, for “fast driving” his two-horse carriage not far from the White House. The arresting officer, William West, was a Union Army veteran, a black man a few years on the police force. There had been complaints men were speeding their horses in the “aristocratic” part of town. One day officer West stopped the president, whom he recognized, and gave him a warning. “Your fast driving, sir . . . is endangering the lives of the people who have to cross the street.” The president apologized. But the next night, patrolling at 13th and M Streets, West saw a slew of carriages barreling down the street at high speed, with the president in the lead. West held up his club. Grant got control of his horses and asked, abashed, if he’d been speeding. In 1908, when the story broke in Washington’s Sunday Star, West said Grant had the look of a schoolboy caught in a guilty act. He reminded Grant of his promise to stop speeding. West told Grant: “I am very sorry, Mr. President, to have to do it, for you are the chief of the nation and I am nothing but a policeman, but duty is duty, sir, and I will have to place you under arrest.” Grant did something he hadn’t done much, which was surrender. He invited West into his carriage and drove to the station house. On the way they talked about the war. West had been at the evacuation of Richmond. Grant said he admired a man who does his duty. At the station house Grant put up $20 and stayed long enough to be amused by friends, also hauled in, who were protesting their arrests. Days later word reached him that West’s job might be in danger. Grant dispatched a quick message to the chief of police, complimenting West on his fearlessness and making clear he hoped no harm would come to him. None did. In coming years they’d greet each other on the street, talk about horses. West served another 25 years in the department, distinguishing himself in detective work. He didn’t tell the story of arresting the president until he’d retired. The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed the account a century later.
"Arrested for fast driving." Most likely he was driving drunk too. I mean, we are talking about Grant.
Were there any other Presidents rumored to over indulge from time to time? They say Churchill did his nightly radio addresses during WW2 pretty stewed. Nixon kinda looks like he might have. Eisenhower wasn't the type. Kennedy maybe. Johnson too. The rest probably no. Post FDR at least.
Grant at least had some self awareness. He drank hard all the way through the war and out on the front lines too. He famously said: "I took care of Sherman (Gen. Sherman) when he was crazy and he took care of me when I was drunk. And of course that would be every day for both of them. General Patton was a hard, hard core drinker too. But he delivered so lots of that did not matter. Unlike the current Russian generals who have mastered the drinking part but not the delivering part. In regard to the worst drinkers, Martin Van Buren is pretty much considered to be our worst president (before Biden anyway). Not only did he drink a lot in office but that was pretty much all he did. Some of those earlier presidents are lucky that they did not have to do live interviews or press conferences. https://11points.com/11-drunkest-presidents-u-s-history/
I wonder how many times Putin, always hearkening back to the "great Russian history" has invoked the name of Zhukoz in the last year. Stalin fired his predecessor, and he turned the tide and proceeded to kick Hitlers ass. Bloody, but he pushed those f'rs from just outside Moscow all the way back to Berlin. Lol.. I forgot about him. The 8th President. Cramer and his 8 finger sign.
Yep. Those Russian generals are damned if they don't and damned if they do. Zhukov saved the day in service to Russia and Stalin. During and after the war, he was treated as a demi-god by the people. Thus, he was "rewarded" by Stalin by being sent as some sort of lowly military governor or something down in Odessa and kept well out of sight. A very humiliating step down for him. Stalin saw that he was popular with the people. A bit too popular for his comfort. We just saw that exact same dynamic between Putin and Prigo, the Wagner guy. Putin loved his arse because he was making some progress. Putin gave him whatever he wanted and opened all the prisons to him and gave him all the equipment and ammo he wanted. But flash forward a few months, and Prigo is being talked about as an alternative to Putin, and then suddenly Prigo is complaining that Putin is trying to get him killed by cutting off all the ammo to his group. Russia 101. You have to be careful if you are not performing and also watch your back if you are.