Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-04-09
xxnrrwrscxnom.
Generals 1sais and 1hsridsn Give Inter
safau9 Ismfnlaoences Of Con. Grant.

Generals 1sais and 1hsridan Give Inter
esting "reminiscences Of Gen. Grant.
Washington SPECIALIZATION. Beale Of this city
was one Of the most conadentislof Cen. Grants
friends, and when this general visited Wash
ington he always was the guest OF Gen. Besle.
In conversation with . Star reporter, Con. Beale
said:
1 have been n very intimate friend of Gen.
Grant for the past fifteen years. My hrst ae-
quaiutance was through the news OF his victo-
ries at Donelson. We were then in California,
where everything was cast in gloom. We had no
railroad nor telegraph, and alIthe %revious news
We had was that everything was going against
ua We felt as il we were sitting on a powder
magazine which was apt to explode a tany min
ute. When we heard Of Grants victories VIC felt
that q man had arrived at last who could save
his country. Later my acquaintance with
Gen. Grant soon ripened into the warmost
friendship To say that / consider him a great
man does not express il lie is the greatest
man / know OF. He fought and won battles,
the like OF which have never occurred in mod
ern or ancient history. Everybody is familiar
with his military and other public achieve
ments, bntin his private life his personal char
acteristics shine with equal brilhancy. His
three most prominent ar,J admirable traits are
guilelessness Of character, even temperament
and great magnanimity. As / said, and a. you
know, my friendship with Gen. Grant ~ OF the
most intimate nature. In all my daily com
partnership with him, athome or abroad, new
or yet heard Gen. Grant make q remark which
could not be repeated with propriety before a
room full Of ladies. His character is wholly
pURE AND FREE FROM oumE-
To the reports that he drank TO excess, / ought
not TO refer, for they are too senseless and nm
true; but | will say that as l have known him,
In riding 10 and from my farm, near the city,
two or three times q week. In dining at the saIno
table, in walking the streets until 2 O'Clock in
the morning for amusement / never have seen
him when he was not as clear. headed az you and
1 are now. His eyea disposition is something
wonderful 10 me, and i 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 a white heat OF yexation in the
library at the White House put personal
wishes and prejndices aside and do his
duty without question He had been abused
and slandered by q certain person 10 such
an extent that he could only recognize him
as a personal and bitter enemy. The question
arose whether that person should be nominated
10 tho senate or not for q position | knew all
the circumstance aud said 10 Gen. Grant:
'what are you going 10 do aboutitY" do bort
IT," he repeated, Il will send his name TO tho
senate. He has deserved his appointment, by
his services 10 his country, aud no personal III
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 Is generous in the ex-
treme. u was always difficult for him 10 refuse
AaWNA W.aAA - H. AaW.ll all .0a Ia
stances Of his great kindness OF heart which
Won could scarcely believe, but little things will
show this trait AS well as great ones When
Gen. Grant has been a visitor at my house,
children would o~verwhelm him with requests
of his autograph. Often when we would
return home late at night from some recep-
ton, tired and sleepy, on the table would 30
found a pile Of autograph albums a foot or
two high. Mrs. Beaie would say: Come,
general, II is time 10 retire. You are tired and
need rest Don't stop to write in those books
tonight, but wait tilt morning. s'No,n Gen.
Grant would reply, az will do it tonight
These books
BELONG TO LITTLE
and they will stop for them on their way 10
school In the morning, and !. doa't want 10 dis
appoint them;'' and he would write in every
one OF them. He had a wonderful faculty as
q y writer. His rind grasped the whole sub
ject, and he wrote without hesitation. have
seen him write for hours without stop
ping for q word He made fewer cor
~rections in his writing than any one I
ever knew. During his military experiences
he learned that ii was his duty to do the en-
cheering aad planning, and leave the details
70 his lieutenants. In this way no became ac-
customed to placing the most implicit conf
dence in those near him, for he supposed they
would do their duty as he would his. To that
confidence in others alone can his terrible mis-
fortunes in New York be attributed. 1 can un-
Wbv annna tfQnnla ahpUIA arttiHiaa and
disagree with Gen. Grant, particularly military
men, but / cannot understand how a man could
deliberately plot TO ruin him. Gen. Grant
dearly loved Ferdinand Ward A son could
not have been dearer 10 him. He trusted him
implicitly; and how he could return his love and
confidence by plotting his rum is beyond my
comprehension Gen. Grant was very fond Of
Washington city, and always looked forward to
returning here Indeed, he was drawn TO
New York only that he might not be separated
from his sons, who were in business there,
That the people of Washington we're fond OF