Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-06-29
A Visit to President Grant.

ing America, gives the 1oIloWlng PHEASANT
account of a visit to President Grant:
did not intend to seek admission into
the White House, fori the President was
at home, and thought it might be closed.
However, I walked up to look at the out
side. 1t deserves the name of the White
House. even in city of white edifices, for
eyery thing about 1.-THE glaring road,
the blinds, the door itself-helped to claim
the title. I saw no one about, no sentries,
no servants of any kind. A soldiers horse
was tied up at the entrance, but everything
stood quiet and still in the bright sunshine.
Presently four persons, Americans, whom
had seen doing the sights of Washington,
and whom, indeed, l had not long before
directed to the spiral staircase which leads
I'D the dome of the Capitol, came saunter-
ing out. They walked away, and the door
was shut behind them. Another orderly |
rode up, tied his horse to ring in the por
tico, and walked in. l turned aside, and |
was strolling off, supposing the White |
House was closed to visitors for the day, |
when an old negress came smiling out by |
some side door.
"Mornin', sar," said she.
Mornin', marm," said /. / supposed
her to be a sort of Aunt Sally among the
servants, and asked her if the house was
still open.
"Bless you, sar," she replied, "Tve
been there three hours; but / didn't see
the President after all"
"Did you want to see him?"
"Yes, sar; wages very low, work
scarce"
"Did you expect him to find you any,"
"Well, sar, / thought I'd go and see;
but he is busy"
Then she volunteered her opinion on
his fitness for his post, and praised Lin
sG A l. 10 I. |,
| tian."
Negroes are monstrously communicative.
Unlike Americans, they frequently begin
the conversation, and are generally very
ambitious in their choice of subjects. The
negro's talk is as large as his lips. He is
always contemplating long journey, or
delivering himself about the grestest mat
ters and the biggest people. The black
| barber talks of setting up business in Lon
don. The boots at the hotel discusses the
relation between Canada and the United
States. A man who sold pears to us in
the train to Richmond mixed up his
opinion of Henry Clay, apropos to nothing,
with his offers of fruit. This negress laid
down the law about the qualification of
the chief magistrate with most entertain
ing decision, and was quite sincere in in
tending to place her special necessities
before none less than the President him
self. There was grotesque pathos in the
faith she felt in her appeal to the head of
the government
But he was busy. Busy should think
so, II he has to listen to every personal
, tale. However, Aunt Sally provoked Inc
at least to look into the house, so retracd
my steps and rang the front bell. A SER
want out of livery opened the door at
once, and began showing me over the place.
l said l was an Englishman passing
through Washington, and hoped l was
not too late to see the White House.
"Oh no, sir" he replied; "but you must
not expect to see such palace as you
have in England"
While we were looking about said, "I
suppose the President is much pressed
upon by visitors"
Well" he rejoined, "there are rretty
many, but l am sure he would see you il
you walked up stairs"
81 won't trouble him" said I; "besides
l have not come prepared to seek a pre-
sentatiOn."
referred to my dress, wide-awake ant
Overcoat, which l wore because the winG
was keen, though the sun was bright He
saw what meant, and laughed, adding,
I'VE don't think about that here, sir
So strolled up the stairs, which wert
public, and found myself, without intro
duction, in large room, where Genera
- was hearing an application from
some contractor at table, secretary sit
, ting at another, and an old gentleman
, standing before the fire with an unlit cigal
!; in his wouth. A negro porter sat by
door on the other side of the room.
The General, too, asked me most cour
teously if | wanted to see the President
replied that had known he received
) that day would have sought with others
the honor of making my bow to him, bu
that did not like to go in as / was. HI
smiled, and said that made 20 difference
, and added,
"Send your card in. Sit down"
So l gave him my card and sat down
while he went on with his business. In
minute or two was called into an innel
room, and found the President standing
) before the fire smoking a cigar. He wa
exceedingly courteous, and honored mt
with some conversation about Utah anC
the great ine the former of which ht
knew much about personally, having beer
there. Then l made my bow, he shool
hands, and went out, certainly much i'm
: pressed with the extreme facility of ac
: cess granted by the head of the govern
: ment to visitors. The whole thing was 81
,, unt Xpectedly informal that / felt it diff
so great parsonage as the President O
the United States. He is a very gen
tlemanly man, with a quiet, de
iberate voice, and an eye that look
: straight at you when he speaks. He wor
= an ordinary morning dress, almost scrupu
lously well-flting; and noticed that, lik
: the majority of Americans, he had small
!, white hand and very neat boots.
There can be no greater mistake thai
8 to represent the conventional America
= in tail coat and bulgy boots. l did no
, notice tail coat worn in the mornin
! while in America, nor did l ever see
y more clean heeled race in my life Eve
1 in the rough West, where trowsers ar
worn stuffed into Wellingtons"-
= they are not known by that name there
u the boots were almost invariably neatl
, built. Our guide in the Sierra wore
:, high-heeled pair, which might have com
% @ out of the most fashionable shop in Reger
street.
= The President is exposed to much deta
\ of work, which must be very wearisomt
: He receives, forget whether it is twice @
three times week, and is, of course, cor
, stantly pestered with personal application
= for office. 1t was exceedingly good-natu1
= ed in him to see me, wandering English
~ man, as he did, after the reception hou1
! had passed. No one, moreover, could b
y more pleasantly courteous than Gener,
I -, with whom, before 1 left, I ha
n some very agreeable conversation. An
: this courtesy descends to lower official
o Again and again ventured to introduc
+ myself to such as the officers of Publ
h Charities and Corrections, and Emigration
- and nowhere did 1 find "Jack in office.
# ALI every where offered me all the facilitit
:. in their power, often putting themselves I
g trouble in showing me what I wanted
! see. The ordinary attendants, moreove
# never seemed to expect fee. Only ono
" did have hint of the kind, and tn;
10 was from convict boat-crew, in part
" colored dresses, when their Office
- offered to row me across the East Rive
~ a from the penitentiary. They suggeste
h that they had no 'baccy."
J?