Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/121

 *ing that he was under numerous obligations to him, and expressing a hope that he would be eminently successful in his undertaking. Gen. Butterfield received his commission in due course.

"Corbin talked with Grant until he received a positive assurance that Boutwell was not to sell any more gold. At a meeting in Grant's house, where Gould and Corbin were present, the President said: 'Boutwell gave an order to sell gold, and I heard of it and countermanded the order.'

"It was not until Gould had received positive assurance from the President's own lips, that he considered his scheme perfect. But the links of this strategic chain were now nearly all forged. The bankers and merchants were largely in his favor through commercial necessity, the Sub-Treasury was 'fixed,' as he thought, and the executive fiat had placed the Treasury of the United States itself where it could not spoil the deal if Grant did not change his mind. There were reasons, of course, to apprehend that he would do so in case of an emergency; for he never was privy to the scheme, no matter what his traducers and political enemies may have said.

"To insure perfect safety, then, Grant must be put out of the way temporarily. This was the crowning effort of the conspirators. After the Boston Peace Jubilee, this Cabal spent the remaining part of the summer in maturing its designs.

"It seemed necessary that all the members of the Cabal should be fully acquainted with the combina