Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-04-10
GEN. GRANTS CHARACTER.


Gen. Edward f. nrale of Washington.
who has been one of cen. Grants most in
innate friends for the past fifteen years.
said Il day or two since ellis three most
prominent traits are guileless-
ness of character, even temperament
and great magnanimity In all my daily
companionship with him. at home or
abroad, lnever heard Gen. Grant make n
remark which could not be repeated with
proprlety before room full of ladies'
His character was wholly pure and free
from guile To the reports that he drank
to excess ought not to refer, for they are
too senseless and untrue, but | will saw
that during the whole period that | have
known him, in riding to and from my
farm near this city two or three times n
week, in dining at the same table, in
walking the streets of Paris until O'Clock
IN the morning Tor amusement, | have
never seen him when he wasn't as clear
headed as you and are now
His even disposition was something
wonderful to me and | have seen him
tried almost beyond human endurance.
He never cursed and swore at people, and
he never lost control of himself He was
always able to do what he considered
right. | saw him once while at white
| heat OF VeXatiOn in the library at the
| White House put personal prejudice and
wishes aside and do his duty without
question. He had been abused and Sian
tent that he could only recognize him as
a personal and bitter enemy The uues-
ton arose whether that person should be
nominated to the Senate or not for n
position. | knew all the circumstances
and said to Gen. Grant What are Won
repeated. 4 will send his name to the
Senate. He has deserved this appoint
ment by his services to his country. and
no personal i'll feeling on my part shall
prevent his obtaining what he deserves
He sat down and signed the nomination
and it was sent to the Senate at once.
He was generous in the extreme. It
was always difficult for him to refuse re-
quests made of him. | could tell YOU in
stances of his great kindness of heart
which you could scarcely believe but little
things will show this trait as well as great
ones. When Gen. Grant has been a visi
tor at my house children would over
whelm him with requests for his auto
graph. Often when we would return
home late ut night from some reception
tired and sleepy-on this table would be
a pile of autograph albums a foot or two
high, Mrs. Beale would say Come. Gen
eral, it is time to retire, you are tired ant
need rest. Don't stop to write in those
books tonight, but wait till morning
NO General Grant would reply, III dc
4 it tonight. These books belong to little
children and they will stop for them OF
don't want so disappoint them And h,
would write in every one. He has won
derful faculty as a writer. His mine
grasped the whole subject and he wrot,
/ without hesitation. | have seen hin
write for hours without stopping for
word. He made fewer corrections in hi
writing than any one | ever knew. Dur
ing his military experiences he had Learned
that it was his duty to do the engineering
and planning and to leave the details t.
his lieutenants. In this way he became
accustomed to placing the most implied
confidence in those near him, for he sup
. posed they would do their duty as b.
] would his. To that confidence in other
alone can his terrible misfortunes in New
York be attributed. | can understand
how some people should critcise and dis
agree with General Grant, particular,
military men, but can't understand how
a man could deliberately plot to ruin him
General Grant dearly loved Ferdinand
Ward. \ son could not have been deare
to him. He trusted him implicitly, an,
how he could return his love and conf
dence by plotting his ruin is beyond m
comprehension.