The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-21

of the men who had the original of that speech
in their possession, and it appears that by put
ting an IN" before the word ''or" printer
changed completely the sense of it, as indicated
above Mr.. j. S. Clarkson. who was at that time
postmaster at Des Moines, explains the manner
in which that famous speech came to be given,
and states some interesting facts not commonly
known concerning Grants authorship. he says
that the afternoon of the evening when the
speech was delivered General Grant, wearied by
the crowds Of people hocking about him to
shake hands, came into the postof1ice and asked
for chance TO have quiet smoke, free from
interruption. Sitting dewn, he talked for an
hour about his early life and army expe-
riences, and then spoke of the criticism, even
of friends. that he did not write his own pa
pers, and said he never could understana
why so many people were unwilling
to believe he wrote them himself. He spoke of
the different men, from General Rawlins down
to that time, who had been accredited with writ
ing them, and spoke of the fact of the great diff
ference in the style of expression of all these
men in writing, adding:
Everybody who cares to look into my papers
and examine critically will see for himself they
have all been written by the same man and in
the same style of composition"
He said it wasn't difficult for him to express
himself in writing, but that it was always grief
when he tried to make speech, saying:
II can talk fairly we'll wheE sitting down, but
when get upon my feet before crowd of
people everything have seems to 60 down into
my boots"
Then he added: ''The boys at these reunions
are always asking me to speak, never expecting
me to do it, but am going to disappoint them
this time have some ideas on tho subject of
American schools that intended to put into my
message as President last fall but forgot it for
some reason. and have thought that here in
Des Moines, since Iowa is so intelligent State
and 80 noted for its school system. is favorable
place to put these ideas out to the public. and
intend to do that tonight.
He pulled out, as he spoke. q small sheet Of
paper on which were a dozen lines or 50 of mem
oranda or head notes, and then briefly ran over
them to tell what his views were, and they were
the same as he stated them in his speech at
night In few minutes he went to take q
ride, and about o'clock went to his room and
hastily wrote out the speech as it was delivered
in the evening. He read it from his own man
uscript It was written in his own hand, in
rapid struggling hand on five or six
sheets of note paper, and, as he stood
up to read it he got the pages
mixed at first, and his hand trembled so all the
time as he read that the futtering paper was
noticeable to everybody in the audience. That
he wrote the speech himself and no one else, and
that he put his own ideas into it, are facts beyond
all dispute and question If any error has been
made in the speech, it is cause for deep regret,
for it was one of the noblest utterances of his
lfe and perhaps the one of all his civil speeches
or papers which will live the longest and do the
most good