Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-20
WELLS & COLL. No. 267 Main Street.
nan. was heard without visible emo


ment was heard without visible emo
tion." t@tl hr A4t- go
Concerning the speech of the General,
as it is called; the World correspondent
says: :,
He delivered the address very collo-
quially, enforced it by no gestures and
very little emphasis, yet spoke it not all
as piece, but easily, earnestly aud mod
estly. The impression made here by
Gen. Grants speech tonight is an i'm
preston founded more in apprehension
than any other feeling. While interpreted
by plain people TO be explicit and sensi-
BILE, the Radical leaders profess to see an
intention on Grants part not to show
his hand till the last moment, and to
take no party leaders into his coun-
ellis until be holds the reins of
power. There is an aroma of inde.
pendenoe about the, speech which leads
Senators to construe the freedom with
which he talked about his appointments
and removals as boding no good inten.
ton toward those who seek to confine
him by the civil tenure sbackles. Of
course, the very mention of the words
retrenchment, economy, honesty and
revenue alarm the lobbyists, the railroad
rings and the whisky officials. On the
whole, the effect of the utterance has
been to diminish the bald probability
which existed Of repeal of the civil
tenure law"
The Herald correspondence contains
the following notice of the proceedings
in Grants office: N at%& tAcfh .4t
"The committee were at once con-
Quoted up stairs to the &c nerars office,
followed by a number of generals, the
officers of Ora nts staff, and the reporters
Of the press-about thirty in all. The
members of the committee seated them
selves, while the small circls of auditors
ranged themselves around the room.
After the lapse of about Eve minutes
General Grant entered frorn an adjoin.
ing room, neatly attired in black freck-
coat, vest and pantaloons, plain shirt
bosom, turned down collar, black silk
necktie, highly polished boo ts, and glossy
silk hat. On this occasion the General
had prevailed upon himself to dispense
with his inevitable cigar. He passed
through the opening in the circle OF by
stande rs to the chair in front of his desk,
removing his hat as he did so. III.
|" AT the conclusion of Mr.. Morton S
addl,ess General Grant turned the roll OF
paper which he held in bis hand refund
and round, as though endesvoring to
BILE, and hesitated but moment or two,
when he begun his reply in tone so low
as to be inaudible to those standing at
the most distant part of the room, and
general closing in Of the party occurred,
each individual of which leaned eagerly
forward to catch every word that fell from
the lips Of our future chief magistrate.
when the General stated that he would
as soon remove from Office those ap-
pointed by himself as he would those ap.
pointed by his predecessor, the faces of
those present who were already in pos.
session of comfortable offices were in
teresting to behold. The expression of
pure perplexity depicted therein was
more calculated 10 excite sympathy
for them than commisseration. This
was evidently an enigmatical sem
tence to them, and did not furnish any
better clue to the policy that was to gov
ern appointments and removals than ex
listed before. Did he mean that men now
in Office need not anticipate a general
removal, or did he mean that terrible
onslaught was to be made spon the ap
pointees of his predecessors That was
a question just as far from a solution now
as 1t was month ago.
When he said he had concluded to
withhold the names of the gentlemen he
expected to call into his Cabinet until
they were nominated to the Senate, Mr..
Morton nodded his head approvingly,
several bystsnders exchanged significant
glances, and reporters arrested the rapid
course of their pencils, as though they
we're not sure they had heard the correct
expression. The prevailing feeling por-
trayed in the surrounding faces seemed
to be that of disappointment.
The addresses having been disposed
Of, there was q rush at General Grant,
by a shake hands all round, and
a stream of congratulations poured forth,
all of which the General gravely ac-
knowledged by bowing. Turning to
Senator Morton, General Grant then
inquired, with serious air, Shall
give you receipt for thisf hold
ing up his commission, &C to which the
Senator as seriously answered, No, sir.
The General had doubtless been thor
ouehly schooled in the military axiom
Receive nothing without returning re-
ceipt, and part with nothing without get |
ting recsipt After few moments |
spent in conversation, the committee re-
tired, and the others slowly followed
their example"