The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-22
GRANTS CUNNING.
Fhe Stratagem Employed by Ulysses to OBJ
tain His West Point Appointment.

| COLUMBUS, o., April 8.--Thcrc ha.
been much query Of latc years rs tt
whether General Grant owed his sue
cess to his pluck, perseverance ant
ShrcwdncSS, or simply his good luck
and all sorts of replies have been made
The writer recently had CONVERSE,
tion with one-time prominent Re,
publican Congressman Of this State
and tho question as to the Presidential
candidate of the Republican party
calno up, and he told II story about
Grant that may be some aid to those
who desire an answer to the query
above mentioned.
He named tho condition that his
nam, should not be given, as he is out
ofpolitics, and the writer knows him
to he q man of great dislike to public
notoricty. Said the gentleman: eli
people think that Grant is Indifferent
to the nomination they are greatly
mistaken. will tell you convcrs,l-
tion once had with Grant, but do,It
wish it published, rs some might think
that am committing breach of hon
or in repeating Il private conversation.
IL was about the time that Grants
name was first mentioned rs an ayaila-
bic candidate for the Presidency. [
was OH Il train going to Washington,
being member of the House at that
time. Grant got Oh the train at IIar-
risburg, and We rode on to Washing
ton together. We'll, 1 wanted to hear
some expression from him about his
candidacy, and he replied that he hau
some doubts about his being able To
get tho nomination. then, in order
to draw him out, gcmindcd him Of
Zachary Taylor at Corpus Christi
how he had happened to be in COM
inland there at the first outbreak OF the
Mexican naraudcrs, that terminated
i'll the Mexican war, and how pure
accident and the eXigcncics Of that war
had made an humble border colonel
President Of the United States; and
added that it was more Frequently the
smallest thing that made men great
than the pursuit of wcll-,lciined am
b!tion. lie sat musing for time after
telling him this story, and then, turn
ing round to me, said:
"I'll tell you, IL, there's some
thing in that, and | can tell you of u
smaller circumstance than Taylor's.
When was boy, living in George
town, my mother ran out ofbuttcr one
and, needing some before it
could be had at the store, she sent inc
over TO the next door uui-hi,or's tn
borrow some. We'll. / was iu.L as
well acquainted there as | was ;,l nuinr
almost, and opened the door and went
i'll without Knocking, and just as |
went i'll one OF the loiks-thc Old gen
ticman, bclievc-wns reading letter
flnin 4 son who WAS in West Point.
" Ell, didn't want to di~:,rh them
Whi'r they We're !"';Illl1. t'ic lei or, aud
stood <;:"rn, aiid heard ,Thal nas read.
Well, tn" #on said in his !";fev that he
h';d been tN,:n,l--ihat iA. i,e iia.; failed
10 pass examination, anal he would
have Ia come ho:G.;, l,ii he tin;i sent
the letter one mail ahead, 50 tha: the
surprise at bis return might not be TOO
great. Well, when they got through,
1 borrowed ihe butter ami took it
home, and then rushed down to Thum-
as l.. llamat's o!licc.-hc was our
Congressman Ihen--An!a | asked him
II he WouIun't send me to West Point.
lie told me that he couldn't send me
until this other boy got through, and
TINT wouldn't be for three years YET.
But. Ilamar.' said I, suppose this
boy should fail to pass examination,
and should be sent home; will you
send me tlicnr
p "Wcll, Uly," said he, 'I guess if he
can't pass thare'd be no use Of YOU
trying it,"
"But l want you to promise that
you will send me-" said I.
"All right" said he; '.if he can't get
through l promise to let you try it,"
"Wcll, during the day Hamar heard
about the other fellow, and the next
day ( went and asked lin if he had
heard the news. lie said he had, and,
after laughing at me for the way | had
got him to make the promise, he said
it was all right, l should go. Well,
] went, and because my mother hap
pcncd TO be out of butter has made nc
General OF tho army of the United
States, and don't know, after all, but
what it may make mo President"
"You can draw your own conclusions
as to whether Grant is anything of q
schcmcr," laughingly said the gentle
man to the writer as he brought the
conversation to close.