Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-09-19
RAWLiNS.
=" If There Had Been no Rawlins,
There Would Have Been no
Grant"

). NJ" writing to the New York
World, says: SOmthing of his eharac-
ter, as illustrated in what | am about
to say, may interest your readers. !
came to know Gen. RaWlins intimate
~ in Washington at the time the late
! Brigadier General Rousseau, IS. A.,
was nominated by President Johnson
to the rank he attained in the regular
army. Rawlins came to me and
said: :" have just been to Gen. Grant
and told him that i thought the OppO-
| sition to Rousseau's confirmation by
the Senate was wrong, and that with
| his permission | would gOdOwn TO the
| Capitol and see If I could not secure
| his confirmation. Gen. Grant at
once gave his cordial assent, and Raw
| linS and myself worked steadily to- |
gether until the confirmation, which |
was more than doubtful, was secured. |
The patience, delicacy, perseverance /
and tact which he displayed in saving |
a lost cause " gave great promise Qf /
his usefulness a. Il Cabinet officer, in /
advancing the needs of his chief,
should any question of difference arise
between the President and Congress.
II ever man died for his friend.
Rawlins died for Grant. In the con-
versatiOn above alluded to, / said:
" RaWlins, YOU will be Secretary OF
War" No." he replied, 4" am too
poor and in too poor health" " But
you WILL" | reiterated. In the last
conversation had with him, at the
BreVOOrt House, weeks ago, when
met him with Gen. SlOcum, he allu-
ded TO il, and WAS in fine spirits. His
health was much better, he was equal
to the duties Of the office, and was
steadily gaining in flesh. Alas, it was
only delusiOn. His progressive De-
mOcracy (fOr he was DemOcratl was
illustrated in our conversation IN ref
erence to sending army stores through
Sonora, instead Of the long and eX-
pensive route by the Colorado and the
ella rivers. He said am in favor {
of the route through Mexico, not only {
on economic grounds, but also for rea- 3
sons of high public policy. We are
going to acquire that country some !
day, and we must do all we can to :
it."
After Rawlins went on his Western
tour last year, | said one day To Gen. l
Grant: RaWlinS is going to die +
What a great loss he will be 10 YOU" {
With an expression of melancholy,
most extraordinary for Grants impas- :
sive face, he replied: 81 don't know
what / should do without him." Z
On the day that Grant sent to the
senate his request for the repeal Of the
law which Made 4. T. Stewart fneli- o
gibe f0g the Treasury. RaWllns was d
in his objections to Grants Y
request fOF the Senateis compliance. 3
a hnlfnwra,f FbA lat oh
yidual preference, and he said it II
and boldly. There are other p
instances of his Independent Judgment y
If public moment; for example, when i
le insisted that Gen. Grant should put
IN end at once to StantOn's endeaYOr
o command the army and revise the
orders of the General-in-Chief Grant
vas reluctant TO make the issue with II
Rawins insisted, and the ii
memorable interview with Mr., Lin I, =
'Ola ensped, which resulted tn placing s
he whole control of the army in =
irint's hands, II
The singular sweetness OF RaWlins' j
disposition, combined with his great I,
orce OF character and pr0mptRess Of il
hoaght and action, gained for him T
With those who had the happiness to +.
,now him, affection, respect and al r
nirati0n. SingularlY clear and Just Z
n his estimatfpf lien, catholic in his y
political views, and broadly charitable 7
n his social life, he was a man that il =
: mOprnful TO his friends Ia lose. b
Combining wonderfully the SHarifey b
a GlOdn with the fOrfitpJ' IN re, with J,
he confidence Grant had In him, and X
he good influence he constantly exer- %
ised with Grant, his death at such a
ime is public calamity. Il