Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-07
UolitiraI.
GEN. CRAMPS WESTERN TOUR.
From The Evening wisconsin, July 2sth.l i

| 90 among the people with SO nttie ostenta-
| ton as General Grant has show. IN his
late passage through the country. so
quietly has he journeyed that but for an
| occasional telegram, the fact would scarcely
be known that a to-be President was
abroad. In his journey from Washington
to St Louis, though most kindly and cor
daily received by the people wherever his
coming was known, there were no brilliant
receptions, with attendant parade and
speech-making, prepared for him along the
route. such as are usually accorded to men
who have endeared themselves tie the peo-
ME nv signal services in their country's
behalf Yet it was not from lack of pop
Mar enthusiasm that Gen Grant was per-
mitted to pass so quietly through the coun-
try, but from an instructive Difference to
his well known aversion to ostentauous
display, especially where he is the party
concerned.
| 1t was Gen. Grants wish that he might
pursue his journey with all possible quiet
ness and by thus retaining from attempt
ing to do him honor by obtrus1Fe demon
| STATIONS, the people have shown more fuliy
that deep and reverentlal admiration they
| feel for the modest hero. Such displays
would fiatter the pride of vain man, but
/ to General Grant they are distasteful and
| offensive and therefore he sought to con-
| ceal rather than to herald his approach to
/ places on the way, so as to avoid any dem
! onstrations. He was not swinging round
the circle peddling the constitution Of the
/ United States at every station, and tiaunt-
! ing the flag with 'thirty-seven stars upon
| it in the eyes of every gaping crowd by
| the wayside. He takes this western tour
not that the country may see Its next presi-
! dent, but that the next president may see
more of the country over which he Is SO
soon to be called to preside as chief mag
| istrate.
| We clip the following passages from a
letter in the Washington Chronicle. con-
tanning the first account of the journey
/ that has fallen under our notice General
Grant is accompanied by Generals Sher-
man and Sheridan, his right and left
blowers" in the champion game he played
| with Gen. Lee,-together constituting the
three main pillars in the war against re-
bellion:
The steamer halted at Point Pleasant, the
birth place of Gen. Grant, quiet little coun-
try village in Ohio, not far from Cincinnati,
which will probably never aspire TO greater
distinction than it has rapidly attained, and
If 1t doesn't increase rapidly IN population,
can answer its more ambitious neighbors as
the lion did the fox in the fable, Sed leo.
| Here the General was given time to lind the
house in which he was born, and which he
had never seen to remember till then. This
| property had long since passed out of the
ownership of Mr.. Grant, who removed to
| Georgetown, Brown county, Ohio, when his
son, Ulysses, was a year old. The boat ran
on up from here to Ripley, Ohio, where the
| coming of Gen. Grant had been anticipated
| Unexpectedly, and preparations made to give
him rouslng reception. 1t was night when
| he arrived. Rockets were flying, can
non firing, bells ringing, music
| playing, and the whole town (some five or
/ six thOusand) appeared to be on the bank
shouting vociferously. committee OF gen.
tlemen came aboard, and General Murphy
| delivered an address of welcome. General
Grant replied that he was taking a little trip
/ to visit the old places where he had spent his
| early DAYS, and that he would be back the
next day, and would then be glad to meet his
/ old friends in a quiet way. From here the
/ boat ran up TO Mayyille, Ky, where the Gen
eral left 1t, arriving about 10 O'Clock the night
of the I'd. He was met by numerous old
/ friends, and the greater part of the night was
spent in talking over old times. Here he
| had gone TO school, and many old school
mates chatted freely with him of the sweet
! est of all boyhood memories.
| At o'clock the next morning 9TH 3D. the
| General, has son and General Dent drove out
into the country fourteen miles to Mayslick,
| and bTeakfasted with an nncle, the brother of
| the Generals father. After a short visit
here they returned to Maysville, arriving at
II O'Clock noon, having. stopped at Washing
/ ton en- 3eute, the oldest town in Kentucky
where Colonel Coggin entertained them. A
| steamer passed soon after and the General
/ returned 10 Ripley, arriving about two
! O'Clock, and was entertained by his consin
/ Mr.. Hudson, who had invited number Of
old friends to meet his guest. The olden
| times were discussed, and few hours spent
| III delightful companiOnship. The General
4 visited the old school-h0use. where he Ie-
ceived some of his early training, and the
| old market house, where tits not improbable
his ambition to achieve victories at marbles
made him an occasional truant at school
/ He reminded by old school fellows of
many funny jokes and pranks they had played
/ of together on their fellows.
In the drives from town to town the Gen
eral pointed out many old landmarks, and
| several times while driving in the night, was
/ called upon to decide between different roads
when others Of the party were unable to do
so. 4 trait IN his character was here dis
| played which must have been Of incalcuIable
/ service III managing large armies. Years had
| flown since he had seen or known anything
/ about this country, and vet he seemed to re-
! member distinctly every path and tree and
| their exact location. OF course he was not
/ driven. but he held the reins in all these fiv-
/ ing trips from place to place, and naturally
| enOugh-and because natural, is worth men
/ tioning-he always watered his own horses
/ and attended to their hitching and unLitching
The country In Ohio and Kentucky which
I
seemed to be genuine enjoyment to the Gem
| eTal in travelling through ii. You can imagine
the zest with which he entered into the pleas
/ IRE OF the trip when you reflect that but a
| day or two before he was surrounded as none
but Washington City officials. From Batavia
/ he drove over on Monday morning, 1.-THE 9th, }
/ to the Little Miami depot, on the Little Miami
Railroad, and in few hours was back again
with his family in Covington IT you will take
the trouble to look at the map and follow the
/ course have marked, you viii see that Gen
i Grant is as enterpTisng in his visiting as he
Is IN his lighting campaigns
The party, again united at Covington the
| evening OF the 9th, and coming over the Ohio
Il Mississippi Railroad, arrived at ST. Louis
| July 9TH, IN afternoon. The citizens of
! Covmgton got up surprise demonstration
for the night of the 9th, but so closely
had their movements been concealed from
Gen. Grant, and so quietly did he leave for
st. Louis, that neither knew the plans of
the other and when the hundreds assembled
/ at the home of Mr.. Grant they found their
| favorite already several hours away General
Grants farm, to which his little party repair
ed, is ON the Gravois turnpike, about nine
miles southwest from ST. Louis. 1t original
/ ly belonged to VIM. Dent and his children
/ but the desire of the old gentleman to see it
| kept in the hands of the family unbroken, in
! duced all the children to sell their interest to
/ Gen. Grant, except a small portion. 1t COM
/ prises ,040 acres, lying beautifully, and is
rich for agricultural purposes. The principal
house Is ON the GTayois road, and has been
/ built some years. 1t is cottage of the Goth
&c order, and is situated in beautiful natural
| grove with very picturesque surroundings.
While at st. Louis Gen. Grant was tele-
graphed by the Mayor of Leavenworth,
asking the day of his expected arrival in