Question

What is the president grant trying to find in the barrel?

Answer 1

Not that he himself was. There was no solution at the bottom. Just and end to the seeming endless problems (scandals) minor and big.

Answer 2

Once he gets to the bottom, if he ever does, the scandals would end. It implies Grant was surrounded by many corrupt people. Not that he himself was. There was no solution at the bottom. Just and end to the seeming endless problems (scandals) minor and big.