Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-13
The President Interviewed.

President Grant is probably happier man
to-day than either Governor Hayes or Governor
TlIdeu. He has had the Presidency: they
only coyet it. He has stood The Two fires OF
two bitter Presidential campaigns: they have
still 10 II Get every new slaodcr coined III the
caup.gu miut He has attained the Amerl-
can goal of political ambition: they still SIT Oh
the ragged edge OF expectancy, uncertain as to
whether they will ever reach 1t. His income
return has passed the test OF the campaign
crucihla theirs is opeu TO interpretation ana
cruel charges. His is the calm lnteres OF the
spectator 10 this acrimonious struggle for pow
er theirs the tevcrish thirst and painful en-
deavnr to secure success The contrast between
these three conspicuous figures OF American
politics is Indeed interesting. The democratic
journals have no more terror Tor President
Glaut: all their batteries are now directed
against Governor Hayes, who is ambitlous tor
the crown Of Presto dental roses and thurns.
Ard thus, Iecl'ug that the CROWD Sis Ilghtlyun
nlS head, President Grant reaXes trom the
stern silence of the past seven years aud half,
aud, aware that his grave responsibilities are
soou TO pass upon auUther's shoulders, he takes
the ueopc again into lis confidence and speaks
10 them, through the ready columns OF the Her
aid, as costly and chattily as though he were
again ooly plain Ulysses s. Grant. Tiiden has
much to gain and much to lose, and he cannot
| be interviewed" Hayes. though fluent and
ready talkcr, also fights shy OF the rrcprcs>lblc
in eryiewcr. But General GRAFT has Dothns
| to gam, uolhing t. Conceal, uothlng to rschew
| every word he speaks will not be tortured toto
a sell. accusation by political enemies and here
fore he can speak frankly and plauly. Upon
the whole, | should say the position oil Pres!
| dent gQing Uut OF office Is rather more CDvlabIe
III 70 tina; Of the President going in The
Office. seeker will hold farent opinion, |
know, but they arc welcome TO 1t.
! The President has spoken SO little 10 the past
| that now that he has consented to hold CONVERSE
with the people they surely canuot hear OF him
too otleu. When | paid my respects to The
President yesterday moruinG it Was DOT for tie
purpose OF formal interview, and that the
! visit i partially used Tor that purpose is owing
! t., the simple circumstance that the facts and
opinions c!icted atr Of too much yeuerai inter
! ST to sink into OBLIVION Mr. Jesse Gran, the
Presidents son aud efficient private secretary,
was opening az cnormpus heap OF letters and
doeunaus when | called. Out Of ali these
letters and ,.apcrs, said he aud there must
| have been 100 1T l.ast-'only ten will proba-
by 20 i5do the Presidents hands 10 b. read ty
iiu Fully ono half will be torn up aud throwu
into til" vast paper b sket, aud the rest will
be- referred 70 the proper department.
! The conversation was Interrupted By cherry
call from Mrs Grant, who Was string in Al al
i,ining parlvr, AMI politely invited ue TO join
her. The COW rsatloD with lady, be sh,
even The wife of the most promiueut public
man oil the day. should Away be held sacred
5, I will, therefore, mention only a few points,
Which are not uf Il private nature ard nay wei
iaterest the public. While the President has
always passed as the most silent mau Of The
ccutury-!u Impression wholly errGneous-Nrs
GRAFT has been generally ACKNOWLEDGED as De
irg possessed of easy and Lracc!ul powers OF
convclsatio0. A g0od-Daturcd, warm hearted
womau is pearly always pleasant TO tax with
and Mrs. Grant pre- eminent social character
isiic is so entirely that OF good nature !ha! she
csuuot fail TO please. The conversation turn.
ing to the Presidents prospective tour through
Europe after next March, Mrs. Grant face
tiouSiy remarked -
81 have lived so much in trunks am anxious
to settle down." Mrs. Grant, in speaking of
the Pr s:denf, u.s. The term ''Ihe General,
and she binteI ha' while the Generals. de
sire to sec ais Asa. Africa and Australia in
addition to Europ might lead him to make a
tour NJ the wollu, size would probably be Coz
| tented with seeing Europe.
The converSaiIn revertlog to politics, Mrs.
Grant observed that she had heard a
great deal Of Mrs Hayes as being most
charming woman, aud that she Mrs. Grant, was
| most uux2us to meet her, more especially
! as Mrs. Hayes was represented a. bang one OF
the most beautiful womeu Of the State. The
! Hayes,s, said Mrs. Grant, were said by all her
friends to be one Of the most charming taml-
lies of The State.
Mr. Jesse Grant remarked that he had only
recently learned that Que of Governor Hayes
sons had been schoomate OF his, although he
! (Nlr. Grant, did not remember him.
Mrs Grant very kindly showed N" the pic
lures, drawings, eDgraVlugs aud photographs
which literally GOV the walISagd are scattered
| 10 profusion through the room. Among the
famous 'Snerd4n's Ride, aud there arc some
iot"rc>ting "reminiscences of the family history.
! There is, for instance, quaint, ruie pics upe
OF u farmhouse in wild, rough, frontier .es-
tleucnt, which. Mrs. Grant sail, was the house
| in Which President Grant was born. Beside it
was a pici urr Of the ST. L uiS homestead, to
which jesse poiGtrd with s'me pride as the
| place OF his birth, plain, though pretty place,
cmbosomcd 10 trees aud situated 10 a pretty
bit OF landscape. There Was photograph OF
| Nellie Glaut, now Mrs. Sartori>, and OF Mrs.
| Fred. Grant, the Presidents daughter in aw,
both pretty women.
Apropos of Mrs Sartoris, Mrs Graut re-
mai kcd that she sailed for home in the Celtic
90 the 7,h and would probably be here % Sat-
uriay and that they would then leave Long
Branch to visit some trleoGs and see the Cen
tenuial. They did not intend to return to
Washington until the 10th OF October as the
President aud some other members OF the fam
lily had had slight touch Of malaria from the
last prolonged stay 10 the hot and aguc stricken
capital Mr.. Graut exclaimed, when pointing
out picture of Mrs. Sartoris home, that her
daughter was very devoted to her rev home
in E"glaud aud fond Of her new surroundings.
Que Of the most Interesting pictures wa that
Of stately country mansion IN Cheshire, Eug-
land the h, me Of Mrs Grants ancestors. A
photograph Of Der grandfather, a tne Old gen.
!eman (who, she said laughiogy, was sterl-
Ing dcmocr4t), was sh wa by her with great
aud naturaI pride.
The President, who was 90 the piazza listen
ing 10 the music of the sad sea waves, here
Il nh