A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Volume 7, part 1: Ulysses S. Grant

This volume brings together the official messages, proclamations, and papers issued by a commander‑turned‑president during the pivotal years of Reconstruction. Listeners will hear the leader’s own words as he steered the nation through the reintegration of the Southern states, the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, and the push to restore the national debt to gold standards. The collection also captures his ambitious foreign‑policy initiatives, including the proposal to annex Santo Domingo and the negotiation of the Washington Treaty that settled the Alabama claims. Interwoven are his early efforts to reform the civil service, laying the groundwork for the competitive examinations still used today.

The second half expands to include the early messages of his successor, offering a glimpse of the contested 1876 election and the delicate balance of power that followed. Highlights feature notable vetoes—such as the inflation bill and the Bland‑Allison Act—revealing a president willing to defy party pressure in pursuit of principle. By presenting these documents in their original language, the compilation provides a direct line to the thoughts and challenges that shaped post‑war America.