New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-09
/ woman's Account of the President.

L
| A lady writing to the Washington
Chronicle in answer to the detraction Of
President Grant, which has even character.
lied some Republican newspapers, well and
molly says:
| To offset the charge little, let me tell
| you some things which / happen to know.
| Soon after the outrages commenced in
| South Carolina last autumn, Governor
| Scott sent up some Aeh to Washington to
| represent the case and ask assistance. They
told their story at the War Department.
and to other great men in Washington and
did not relish the manner in which it was
received. They felt that they were snubbed
and trihed with. But finally they got an
interview with Grant, and he treated them
IN a very different way, heard their case,
seemed to have no difficulty in comprehend
ing it, and in very short time, and with
very few words, gave them all they wanted.
These gentlemen went home with increased
| respect for our President, AID said "that
there was more common sense in Grants
little finger than in all the rest of the big
people they saw"
L remember, again, when an unfortunate
soldier in our late war needed mercy, and
that when it was impossible to get through
the red tape and the obstinate Stanton, to
relieve aching hearts, how quietly General
Grant put pen to paper as soon as [ lwhOse
errand il was) had stated the case to him.
No questions asked, no haggling or fuss, but
in a few plain words, which he put on paper.
the thing was done. L, too, left him with
the idea that he had much common sense
and little red tape.
Another occasion comes to my mind W hen
General Grant acted like much bigger
man than our late War Minister. Some of
the best ladies in Washington had deter
. I'LL r. Al
orphans of soldiers and sailors. Nothing
could then be done in this city to which
Stanton was opposed, or, at least, such was
prevalent belief. Much progress among
the ladies had been made, the whole thing
widely advertised. and yet certain aid and
help which they had counted upon as a
matter of course in so good cause. was
withheld. No open opposition was made
by Stanton, but such obstacles were thrown
In the way by every one under the iron
rule of his vigorous genius that nothing
could be done as they wished by the ladies.
The lumber which Congress gave them to
make their building must be returned to the
government uninjured e, and the ladies must
give bonds of many thousand dollars to
that effect! No windows, nails or hinges
could go with the lumber, etc. The ladies
retired in despair. They had asked for the
materials of the torn down hospitals, which
were OF no use to the government, for
good and charitable purpose, and this was
the way they were treated by the men at
the War Department, who, nevertheless,
professed all the time that they felt very
friendly to the enterprise General Grant
was then out of town. In few DAYS he
and then the ladies presented the
case to him. In very quiet way, with few |
words of pen or tongue, he gave them all
they wanted-lumber, teams, men to put I'D |
the building, etc. These ladies have ever |
since that time had considerable respect for |
Grants good sense, since he could so easily |
do good thing which SO many other big |
people seemed utterly unable to accomplish. |
evidently as they desired to oblige the la |
dies"