The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-19
GRANT IN WASHINGTON.
"Reminiscences of the Later Days of Hi
Career President.

Career as President.
Letter in New York Tribune.
Among the houses of historic interest in
Washington Is one on the southwest corner OF
Seventeenth and F streets Here General Grant
had his headquarters while General of the army
during the four years after the war, and up to
the time he went into the White House as Pres
ident. The house is an old-fashioned square
brick building with the hall in the center, and
the third story formed by dormer windows look
ing out of the roof The building is now occu-
pied by the government for division of the Sec
ond Auditors clerks. General Dent told me the
other day that it was in this house General
Grant wrote the words 'Let us have peace,
which, like II will fight it out on this line if it
takes all summer have already taken place
among the memorable sayings OF great men, Lit
was here at his headquarters, in 1863 that Gen.
Grant received General Hawley and the commit
tee appointed to wait upon and inform
him of his nomination for President When
he received them, General Rawlins, General
Dent, General Babcock, and others of his staff
were present. After the formal announcement
by General Hawley, General Grants conversa-
tional tone in his reply of acceptance at once
made the visit social than official and quite
divested it of all ceremony. He thanked them
briefly, in his quiet manner, saying he greatly
appreciated the honor and would communicate
his acceptance to the committee in writing. The
next morning General Dent asked him if he had
written his letter of acceptance, as he had prom
ised the committee General Grant replied,
mo, but will do so now," and turned round to
his desk where he was sitting, and in few
minutes had written the letter. In the mean
time others of his staff had come in. He looked
up he finished the letter and said II have used
a word that does not give exactly my meaning. /
want a synonym" One was suggested, and he
replied, "That is just the word / want" and
erasing the word he had written, he substituted
the other. He then read the letter aloud Gen
eral Rawlins went over to the desk, picked it up
and read it over to himself, apparently weighing
every word carefully. Handing it to General
Grant, he said: "Just the thing. General Put
your name to It," General Grant took up his
pen and adding the words, LET us have peace,
at once signed his name.
One October afternoon, eight years after, Gen-
eral Grant was walking around the circular
drive of the White House, smoking his cigar
General Dent was with him, and in the course
of conversation, he said to General Grant: Well
you will go out of this next March"
"Yes" he replied, ''and shall 60 without re-
gret. When the hour comes that can put on
my hat and walk out of that gate as Mr.. Grant,
L shall be- happy man again" lie said this
with much earnestness, and added more earnest
ly: mo one but myself can ever know how heavy
my cares have been for twelve years. The re-
sponsibilitles during the war were heavy enough
and often seemed more than could bear. But
these were light compared with the burdens over
there" nodding toward the executive mansion
as he passed it in his walk mo one but myself
can possibly know how like a free man 1 shall
feel when can shake off the weight"
AS he said this, he drew up his shoulders and
by gesture expressed palmer than any words
could do the flinging off of his official burdens
For man more demonstrative and more given
to talking about himself, the words and gesture
would have been meaningless. But this show
of feeling in General Grant meant great deal
I hear that General Grant will if his strength
permits, go right on with his history, following
the military period with his life while President
He has his notes for this all complete, and is
even more anxious to write this portion of his
life than that of the war; He feels that no one
but himself should do it, as so many important
facts of inside history are known to no one else