The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-02-25
GRANT on LINCOLN,

... GRANT ON 1AlNCOlINs
His speech Before the New York Lin.
coin Club.
New York SUM-
"Gentlemen of the Lincoln Club:
am very sorry you did not listen to the
very sensible suggestionof Senator Nc.
Donald, and let Mr.. Storrs Of Chicago
speak. / am sure that If you had you
would have heard something worthy
of the occasion, and something worthy
of this Club, and worthy Of tho name
the Club bears. He is q citizen, much
from which Mr.. Lincoln hailed. He
knew Mr.. Lincoln before I did; for
never met Mr.. Lincoln until met him
in March, 1864. He could tell you much
better than could all his good quail
ties. l will say, however, now that I
am on my feet, that like the name of
your club. ! like the prigeiples upon
Which it Is based. Applause.l like
tho name, because it bears the name Of
one of the greatest men that our coun-
try has produced, and one who proba-
bly, was better for the time and the
occasion than perhaps any man we had
in this country. lApplause. Although
when the war broke out in 1861, was
a citizen of the same State that our
then President belonged to, Z had never
met him until came East, in 1864, to
to take command of all the armies.
{ Applause I had heard much of him
L had heard very much of his fund Of
anecdote; was led to suppose that he
was man who passed away his time
in telling little stories 1laughter1, and
sometimes stories that it would hardly
do to repeat, except in society entirely
composed Of gentlemen. I can say
this, that met him n great deal after
1 came here. He spent a good deal of
time with me at City Point. and saw
him on intimate terms. never heard
a word for Mr.. Lincoln himself that
could not be said in the society of a
lady. [Applause.] He had a fund OF
anecdote, but it was always to illustrate
a point. scarcely ever heard him
talk in my life but that, after stating
the case very clearly, he did not add
some little anecdote to illustrate exactly
what he meant and to give point to it.
"I will give you one of the stories
that -Iheard him tell; as an indications.
After the surrender of Appomattox
gave all necessary orders, and ordered
General Meade to march the army to
take the Burkville Junction of the
Richmond and DanvilIe with the West
ern roads. I started back to Washing
ton to stop the enlistments and pur-
chasing of supplies and general expen-
ses of thearmy. The Confederate Gov
ernmOnt and the State Government of
Virginia left Richmond about the same
time Lee did. EApplause.] When they
left Danville, and finding they We're
not pursued, they stopped for Il time.
I was supposed to be with the army,
but, as I say, L had gone on to Wash
ington. After left there I received Il
letter from General Meade, forwarded
to me by telegraph. The letter had
been written by Governor Smith, of
Virginia, and as such he had Temporal
rily taken the State Government to
Danville. He wished to know whether
he would be permitted to carry on the
functions of his Office unmolested. If
he was not permitted to do so, he wished
to know whether lie and his friends
would be permitted to leave the coun-
try without molestation. TLaughter.]
few moments afterward, and he said:
/ Well, now, I am just like my friend
MEG roiarty, of Springfield. He was
very fond Of drinking. He would drink
! good deal. His friends persuaded him
to join the Temperance society, but he
was so much in the habit of drink ing
that he had to go through the motions
of drinking by taking soda water. For
two or three days he held TO soda water,
but one day ho held the glass behind
| his back and said: Doctor, could you
not put in II drop unbeknownst to me-
self?'' And knew then rs we'll what
I was to do and what I was to reply to
! to Governor Smiths letter, as we'll as