The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-06-15

Gen. a. Townsend thus writes 70 the
Cleveland Leadrs NTl
Recently i met Mr.. Elihu B. Wash
butne and bis brother, the General.
You arc acquainted With their ihces,
earnest. energetic, clear, hoaded, posi-.
live mon. with large frames. They be.
Kan 10 Maine, where MANY Waah.
burneB live at present. They have
arisen TO 10 large extentindependently OF
each other, and by no means agree in
small issues. Ellhu b. Washburne has
been consistent, kindly and admiring
friend of Gen. Grant, HIS has been Id.
cused Of taking NO notice of Grant in
Galena, but Grant was newcomer
there, and Washburne vas Away from
home In Congress three.fonrths Of tho
year. Grants father sent for his son
not long before the war, and offered
him eight hundred dollars a year
10 take charge OF his leather
and hide business. Grant went
10 work, made few acquaint-
ances, antllwAs one OF the most nm.
known men In Galena. When the war
began, Washbnrne stirred himself 10
raise company in ualena, and as. Il
was known TO few that Grant had been
o Captain in the, he army was looked
10 as the proper man TO be chairman.
Mr.. Washburne described to me this
Woodworking, commonly dressed man,
with an old, faded dragon cloak upon
bis shoulders, mounting TO the bench
Of the Court House and stating the OBJ.
ject Of The meeting. When the COM
pany was raised Grant was found to be
perfect In allthe details OF equIpping
IL from boots 10 buttons. Washbnrne,
Grant and the rest took the company
down 70 Spring tield. There with scanty
mennai paying three dollars day for
board, Grant waited tho disorganized
process OF the State authorities, with
Dick Yates impracticable as now, at
the head OF the State. = Finally Grant
said TO Washburne: ny = ,'.e
81 can do nothing here; lam running
short: / shall 70 home and 10 to work. %
N"Hold ont" said Washbnrne. AT
last Grant was placed in the Adlutant
Generals Department., and by happy
luck was one day placed at the head OF
o. regiment AFFLICTED with d drunken
Colonel. So began the fame which has
gone round the world.
are nothing more than those between
two friends who believe In each other.
Washburne finds In Grant latent abili.
ties developing every day, powers com.
Ing out Of his modesty like a bees nest
In violet bed. He had no aid what
ever In writing any OF his letters or
battle bulletins. The celebrated dis.
patch, "Twill fight 1t out on this line II
II takes all summer" was brought from
Spottsylvania to Washington In Mr..
Washburne's pocket. Hesaid to Grant
as he quilted the field:
General have you any message 10
send up TO the War Department." ~
guess notw said Grant. 81 think II
would be WE'LL" returned Washburne,
III you sent some little word up 10 the
people," Every we'll"
General Grant sat down in the tent,
and as quickly as he could transcribe,
and without reading the message over,
gave 1t 10 Washbnrne, sealed. The
latter came toBell Plain, took a bout,
landed at the Navy Yard, rode In d
horse car to the War Department
where he found everybody blue and
doubtful, and delivered the letter tC
Stanton. That simple bulletin thrilled
the country and went into the epigram
matte literature OF mankind.
So with General Grants letter, re
sponsive TO his nomination ut Chicago
People We're saying among themselves
Somebody ought 10 give Grant advice
about that letter. He might put hi.
foot In It. That letter is Vital"
"VNever mind" said Washburne
"he'll do 1t up right" tN'
And without labor, spontaneously
clerically, Grant wrote the letter
which Is more TO the point and more
electrical than any mere platform Ii
the history OF politicians.
Washburne's regard for Grant Is no
that OF a father, nor close as a brothers.
II Is the same admiration, only better
Informed, that the country has for thl
General.in-Chlef He admires Grant,
simplicity, introspection, sincerity
aud capacity for every new occasion,
Mr.. WRshburne himself 10 a strictly
honest man, exacting honesty, a SAT-
counselor, a hater OF thieves and pub
lie plunderers, and his radlcpllsm is no
mere id0alism; 1t Is practical, national
long-tested, safe. General Grant want
friends Of this class; he must, as b
will, make hisuprlght nature telt upoI
the harpieS who cannot live by them
selves, but want the Government sup
piled with q convenient pocket to filcl
their victuals from.
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