Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-02
GEN. GRANT AND GEO. w. CHILDS.
An Interview with the philadelphia
Edft0r-HOw Gen. Grant Received she
News OF His Retirement-His Great
Personal ModeSty-SOme Personal
RecOilecttOus of an Old Friend

saw ueI 0rant was on the 4tn OF last month.
said Mr.. Childs last night "He realized that
his life was drawing to a close. but seemed 10
regard the approach of death calmly and with
out the slightest fear. He expressed the hope
that he would be able to finish his boc& before
he died. While we We're talking OF the efforts
of his friends to have him placed on the re-
tired list he testified how kindly he felt
toward them, and spoke OF the pleas
newspapers advocating his retirement.
While We were chatting observed that il WAS
hali-past eleven o'clock and the general said:
I suppose the Senate is adjourning now
Just then 1 received n telegram from Mr..
Drexel, stating Gen. Grant had been placed on
the retired list There. general said l. read
that smile OF pleasure illuminated his
countenance, and for a moment he appeared
unable TO speak. Mrs. Grant entered the room
she cried out: They have brought us back
OUR OLD CoMMANDER.'
The scene was very affecting. The general
could hardly express the delight he felt at the
compliment which had been paid to him. lie
bore not the slightest ill-will towards those who
had opposed the bill. for he is the most magnan-
lmous man ever knew. The greatest soldier
that ever lived, he is kind and gentle as a
woman. He frequently told me how much il
panied him TO be accused of butchery. He said
he was always overcome by a feeling of sadness
before battle mt the thought that many a poor
fellow would never return from the field. lie is
generous 70 a iault, and has given away q for
tune in charities. In this, like i'm everything
else. he was modest. The same modesty that
or promotion, caused him 10 maintain silence
concerning his gifts 10 the needy.
GOT AN APPOINTMENT FOR HER.
remember that when he was on one of his
visits to me during his presidency, a great many
people called here to ask favors of him. Not car
ing to have him worried L refused Ambulance to
all whom suspected of being on an errand of
that kind. One day lady who lived i'm the same
block, in fact only few doors from my house.
called and asked to see him. .You NAV see her
general said / laughing, Il guess she is not
after an appointment. He came back in
little while, and said, You Were wrong; she
in establishment, and he explained that the
lady wanted him TO transfer the sisier-in-
law of Edwin NJ. stanton, Lincolns Secretary
OF War, from the mint, where she was then en-
pioyed, and where the work was too hard for
her, to the Treasury del artment. lie requested
me to see the assistant l.. =. treasurer in this
city and ask him TO give her a position. / did
SO and the assistant treasurer told me he had no
vacancy. General Grants request is law. how
ever, said he, and can make room for Mrs
stanton by removing q lady who has no need
for a position here This was done. and some
time afterwards met a son of Mr.. Stanton the
latter was dead nj the tilne) who thanked me
for getting his aunt the appointment. Gen.
Grant appointed her. said i. oh. no. said he
Gen. Grant himself told me that you had got the
appointment for her. This is Characteristic of
the general. who is continually doing good and
giving Others the credit.
He loves Philadelphia, and has great many
friends here. AS an example of his esteem for
Philadelph!ans, L will tell you of something
that is not known TO any one but the general,
the interested parties and myself Mr.. A. T.
Borie was not the only Philadelphian who was
offered a cabinet position by Gen. Grant. -Four
other gentlemen in this city Were requested
They declined, and the matter was never
made public. They are stil living in
this city and one OF them has held a very high
position. Ii was at my recommendation that
Gen. Grant took the cottage at Long Branch.
1t adjoins mine. and there is no fence between
the two properties. There the general has
SDent some of the hanneSt GIV of his IIn
usually got up about seven o'clock in the morn
ing, ate his breakfast and then took drive of
about twenty miles. He went alone in his
buggy. On his return he would look over his
nail and read the newspapers. He dined at two
o'clock generally, although some years his dim
ner hour was seven with lunch at two. After
the meal, at two o'clock, he took another drive.
and in the evening he sat on the porch and
chatted with friends, many of whom visited
him. We called on each other every day, and
he sometimes strolled over to my cottage and
talked with me while he enjoyed his cigar.
MADE THE GENERAL TAKE HIS DUST.
While the general is fond of fast horse, he
never visited the race course atLong Branch, ,and
never entered a gambling house. He told me
of laughable incident that occurred to him
while taking one OF his twenty mile drives. On
the road, short distance ahead of
him, he saw a countryman driving a
mean looking horse, with a shabby buggy.
Determined not to take the dust from
such sorry turnout, he gave his horse the
head and tried to pass. But the countryman
After quite an exciting race the general saw he
was beaten and pulled up his horse. The coun-
tryman turned in his seat and waving his hand
said, with a laugh, Il made you take my dust,
general and drove Off. The general enjoyed
the joke on himself very much, and said he
would like to meet that man again, but he
never did.
GEN. GRANTS LAST APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC.
The last time Gen. Grant appeared in public
was at Ocean Grove. Dick Oglesby, governor
of Illinois, was with him, and Dick told me that
when the cheers OF 10000 people rang out at
the sight of the old hero he turned around and
saw the tears c0ursing slowly down the gene
rarscheeks.
1 thought that it would be very hard for him
to stop smoking when his physicians prohibi-
to give up the weed?' 1 asked him. 1T was
hard during the first two days he replied, but
after that did not mind it. 1 have no desire
to smoke again.
It has been said that Hamilton Fish wrote
the speech the general made at the opening of
the centenpiai exhibition. Gen. Grant wrote
that speech ia this house, and have the origi-
ae
with fly leaves of silk. The manuscript was
written cleanly, having but few erasures, and
was corrected here and there in lead pencil.
The Mexican Congress Reopens.
PRESIDENT DIAz DEFINES HIS ATTITUDE To-
WARD BARRIoS.
CITY OF MEXICO April 2.--Congress opened
last evening and President Diaz read his mes
sage, of which the following is an abstract: Our
relations with foreign governments continue on
the same cordial footing as ut the opening of
the last congress in September, excepting some
difficulties which might become grave with
Guatemala. The message continues in relating
the attempt of Gen. Barrios against the inde-
pendence of the other Central American states,
dwelling especially upon the duties imposed on
Mexico by its honor and sentiments of justice.
President Diaz says: al answered Gen. Barrios,
frankly condemrIng his act The Mexican peo-
pie have approved my action. Grave without
doubt are the difficulties which this interna-
tional emergency may produce on account OF
the crisis which now afi1lctS the public treas
ury: nevertheless the executive Is resolved to
sustain an attitude betitting the nation, and
to maintain intact the national honor and in-
tereStS.'
The message also says: "On account of the
Central American occurrences the necessary
precautions have been taken TO defend the from
tier and the army is concentrated at convent
gress. The steamer Democratic, of the Pacific
squadron, has also been ordered TO the Central
American coast TO protect our interest"
A Chicago Sensation. ..
A WEALTHY BOARD OF TRADE NAN ARRESTED
FOB BIGAMY.
CHICAGO, April IA sensation was created
this morning by the announcement that VIM.
a. H Brown, wealthy board of trade man,
was under arrest, charged with bigamy. The
story told By the prosecution Is that in the fall
of $50 Mrs. Brown, No. i, left Chicago for the
east on an eight months visit. During that
time an eastern lady, Miss Carrie L. Barney,
aged 10, handsome and intelligent, while visit
ing Chicago, met Mr.. Brown, the defendant,
Carrie was by her side as often as opportunity
,,rOr1d odu When Miss Carrie visited Detroit