The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-16

Of acknowledgement It seemed to be the will
of Congress-, as well as of the people, in which /
heartily concur, that the Office should be con-
ferred YOU You were nominated to the
Senate for the Office and the nomination was
confirmed. / now present you your commission, !"
and then concluded: 1.-THE loyal people of the
Nation look to you, under the providence OF God,
to lead their armies to victory"
After the lapse of twenty one years it cannot
be expected that any one could remember the
precise words of the President, though believe
have given them quite accurately. Then Gen.
Grant took from his vest pocket paper contain
ing the response to the President. The sub
stance of it cannot recollect; do not now re-
member a single sentence phrase
in it, and SO | told your correspondent.
But / do remember that the paper
upon which it was written was
probably less than quarter of sheet; that he
held the paper in his right hand and commenced
reading it, and read probably half of it, when
his voice gave out. Evidently he had not con-
templated the effort of reading, and had com
menced without initiating his lungs. When Gen.
Grant commenced reading he was standing
most awkwardly what in common pariance
would be called chip shot When his voice
failed he Strengthened himself up in his fullest
and best form, threw his shoulders back took
the paper in both hands. one at each end, and
drew the paper up within proper reading dis
lance and commenced again at the beginning,
anG read it through in a full, strong voice. AS
he Strengthened himself up and took the paper
in his hands it seemed to me that he was think
ing to himself. II can read this paper without
did, After it was read, the mem
bers of the Cabinet were introduced
to General Grant. / had never before
seen him, neither do l think any other member
Of the Cabinet had seen him. Mr.. Lincoln direct
ly said to General Grant, II have never met you
before" Grant replied Eyes, you have; heard
you in your debate with Douglas at Freeport,
and was there introduced to you; Of course.
could not forget you, neither could expect you
to remember me. because multitudes were In
troduced to you on that occasion Mr.. Lincoln
replied: THAT is so and do not think could
be expected to remember ALL It seemed then,
as it seems to-day. to be remarkable fact
that neither the President nor any member of his
Cabinet, up to that time, had any personal ac-
quaintance with General Grant. None of US
had, to our knowledge, ever seen him. We had
heard of him. From the battle of Pittsburg
Landing to the battle of Iuka and Corinth, the
reports were as often disparaging as they were
favorable. General Grant never sent anyone to
propitiate or make favor with the Presi-
dent. After the battle of Corinth, Judge
Diekey, now of the Supreme Court of Illinois,
and a personal friend Of Mr.. Lincoln, came to
Washington from Grants camp and gave such a
favorable account of him as, believe, gained
from Lincoln his fullest confidence in Grants
abilities, and this confidence was never broken,
nor in the least abated- | heard Mr. Lincoln
say, ON one occasion, General Grant is the
most extraordinary. man in command that
know Of" He said 81 heard nothing direct
from him and wrote to him to know why, and
whether could do anything to promote his sue
cess, and Grant replied that he had tried to do
the best he could with what he had; that he be-
lieved if he had more men and arms he could
use them to good advantage and do more than
he had done, but he supposed / had done and
was doing all / could that if could more he felt
that would do it." Lincoln said that Grants
conduct was so different from other generals in
common that he could scarcely comprehend it.
1t was not until after the capture of Vicks-
burg that Grant sent any one to the President
direct from his army Then he sent General
Rawlins. met him at the White House and
was introduced to him by the President. Evil
IDENTIFY Rawlins knew more of the field than of
the court. He was Drowned and sun burned; he
sat close to the corner of the fireplace and APP
peared embarrassed to know what to do with his
hands. He had provided himself with a new
military suit of blue which hung loose upon his
emaciated limbs He was free to answer cues
tions when asked but showed no disposition to
enlarge his speech beyond the appropriate
answer. He was modest, and it was plain that
he was neither carpet knight nor courtier. He
Of his coming and his manner naturally led to the
impression that Grant concluded that, after
nearly three years of successful war, he might,
without being charged with vanity, send his
chief of staff TO the President and Secretary of
War to relate to them, if they wanted to know
incidents of his conflicts which might not be en-
braced in his reports. And we'll he might. In
the language of John A. Logan, his army had
with their swords hewn their way to the sea.
But digress. l was prompted TO write so that
the erroneous statement of your correspondent
might not 90 abroad as coming from me; to re-
late, as far as l could remember the occur
rences when Mr.. Lincoln delivered General
Grant his commission. His address to Grant
and Grants reply doubtless may be found pub
lished in the press of that time. hope they
may be found and published. Mr. Lincoln
thought the occasion of sufficient moment to
summon the Cabinet. There now remain none
but General Grant and myself who were pres
emit on that interesting occasion, and it can
hardly be expected that he will find time in the
midst of his sufferings to describe it Per
chance he may have described the scene in his
writings, and it is quite probable that Messrs.
Hay and Nicolay, who are preparing biography
of Mr.. Lincoln, may have the originals
j. 2. USHER.
LAWRENCE Kan, April 13, 1885.