The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-08-03
VISITING AMERICA


The following is from Danish CORES
pordence 10 one Of the leading Journals
at Copenhagen, translated by I. W. Bor
ellsenius for the WiscoHsin State Jour
nal
INTRODUCTION TO PRESIDENT GRANT
The White House has no guard, not
even sentry-5ox at its doors. Every
body may enter freely. Formerly one
might at any time have chance TO look
through all the rooms in the lower story,
the upper stories contain tho Offices and
private departments Of the President. }
Noaca6oyS, only the great Hall is con
stantly open to the public No sentinel
footsteps are tracing the velvet turf out
side the front columns; consequently, no
gathering Of 'spresent arms" no drum
ming is heard. When you are among
those coming ard going at once, observe
IA square set gentleman OF a remarkable
somewhat sulen. yet bespeaking counte-
nance and an uncommonly shary, pierc-
ing look. that instantly attracts the at
tention Nevertheless, this short gen
tleman in grey colored pants, and inces-
sanity putting his cigar, is he himself, .
General Z. S. Grant, President of the
United States Plain and unpretending
as the President is in his appearance, so
he is in all his manners. Without any
escort whatever he will take walk in
the streets of the capitol, or when he
has "done business" gives Mrs. Grant
and her daughter ride, and, surely not
few are the eyes turned toward the I'M
accompanied walker or the nimple vehi-
Gle, that amidst its volatile speed is di-
rected with SO eminent precision.
The President is very fond Of driving;
however, did we not previously know him
by sight, it would never occur to US, from
his bearing or attitude, that this is the
man, who, during the four years of his
Presidency, exercises SO powerful an in
fuence on the events Of the world IF
we have the good luck to be admitted to
the President, we shall find him entirely
the same within the walls Of his house as
when he appears in public. In his ante
chamber we meet no uniforms, scarcely
perhaps a swallow tailed coat Some few
Secretaries sit at their desks, engaged in
dispatching the orders from the Presi-
dental Cabinet, who especially nave to at
tend TO those applying Tor an audience.
Usually also General Dent is there, a
brother in law of the President, and one
Of the most attractive and courteous
Americans [ have met with. All the
gentlemen In attendance about the Pres
ident, even those charged with ushering
and introducing the visitor, are-here on
the second foor-clad in a common daily
suit;so are also those summoned or want
ing to see him on business, they may be
admitted in the domestic garment they
wear at home Full Dress" is needed
only for the reception in the lower story.
From the foremost ante chamber we are
conducted through still room into "a
hall-the spacious office Of the President
At the end of long table he sits him
self, with his papers before him. He
lays down his pen, and glad to see
you hearty shake of your hand. and
a seat in chair by the side of the Presi-
dent, are the three first movements of an
audience ceremony.
Grant, we know, is generally repreren-
ted as exceedingly taciturn and reserved,
and several curious anecdotes are circu-
lated of ''silent Englishmen visiting the
silent President" Still, he may also
be conservative, and when [ saw him, he
grew even highly communicative, when
the conversation touched On the Sean
dinavians, the subdivisions into Danes,
SwedeS and Norwegians has no general
was a very creditable testimony he bore to
my countrymen ofthe three denominations
They unquestionably belonged to the best
citizens Of the United States Said he :;
Both from the war period and from his
trips around the States, kneg quite
number of them. He had visited hun
dreds of scandinavian settlements, eve
rywhere observing the same good quail
ties industry, inexhaustible energy and
frugaiity. He had often been glad to
see how my countrymen, coming to Amer
lea with very little supply Of anything
else but those qualities, had emerged,
and now in many places were settled as
we'll TODD farmers
When | occasionally dropped the re-
mark that the Scandinavians very rarely
succeeded in growing rich or accomulat-
ing such fortunes as the Germans, the
President replied that there were also
but few Of ny countrymen, who sank
down to helpless ruin or utter destitutiop
and this was a point not without impor-
lance. y
What Grant says, he says in a peculi-
arly forcible and emphatic manner
am sure he speaks nothing but his true
and sincere opinion. IF subject i
touched, he does not choose to enter
upon, he knows splendidly how to sion
short-not by turning eff into nonesensi-
cal phrases, but becoming as reserved
as ever he was represented.
There is certain sublime snnli.;t,-
about an introduction TO the President,
and Yet one may chance to address him
at the u bite House under still simalar
forms than the above mentioned. | have
come here with letters directed to him.
thinking to deliver them through G,ner-
al Dent, and the first man [ met in tho
house was the President himself com;,o
from, his offiaa He ;lo-.,e,