The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-16
A Memorable oncasion


the handsomest streets of this beautiful
young western city, just at the foot of
Mount Dread. whose top Is crowned
with the State University, stands the
large stone mansion of Judge John P.
Usher, the sole surviving member of Lin
coins first cabinet. There is solid ap.
pearance about the spacious residence
and grounds of this venerable represent.
alive of war times Ia strict harmony
with the simplicity of the rugged nature
of its occupant and the lofty ideals of
loyalty, devotion. country and friends
that he has ever worshiped. 1t is q gen
crous welcome that this man, rich in the
mem )ries and glories of period peer
less in the history Of the nation, always
smoker and now in his 77th year, Judge
Usher will not die OF smoking cigars to
excess, for he still clIngs to the old clay
pipe and the simple ways of the men of
the past. Judge Usher, as reminded, is
the sole survivor of Mr.. Lincoln's cabl-
net, and, with Gen. Grants death, Will
be the single living man who was pres
ent at one of the most interesting cere-
monies ever witnessed IN this country
something more, III fact, than q cere-
mony; a solemnity, an impressive
scene. 1t was the presentation of the
commission to Grant as general OF all
the armies.
Your correspondent has just returned
from an interesting evenings's conversa-
ton with this handwriting attorney ef
the Union Pacific railway, whose
ymce is still heard, and frequently
i'll the courts, supreme, federal
and state. 'Yes,'' said Judge Usher,
81 recall the scene very readily IN the
cabinet chamber on the occasion of the
presentation by President Lincoln OF the
| commission OF Gen. Grant as lieutenant
general and general of all the armies.
The grade, you will remember. had
hage revised II the winter of 1864,
with the view of giving the position to
Gen. Grant. The rank was created In
1798 for Washington, who held it but
one year before his death. In 1855 it
was bestowed upon Gen. Scott, BreVet.
The cabinet meetings were on Tuesdays
and Fridays. AT any special meeting
Mr. Seward would send a note to each
member of the cabinet, stating that the
president desired a consultation. On the
occasion referred TO, which was the 9th
of March, 1864, Gen. Grant having
been appointed on March 2, there
were present President Lincoln,
MIR. Seward, secretary OF state; Mr..
ton, secretary of war; Mr. Blair, post
master general, and /, secretary OF the
| interior, and Attorney General Bates.
When l arrived all the members of the
cabinet had preceded me except Mr.
| Stanton. The president was very cheer
| full and appeared III most excellent
| spirits. l said TO him upon entering the
cabinet chamber: "Hr. President,
what's up? Is it anything specially i'm
portant that calls Us together today"
| Mr.. Lincoln rather evaded a direct an
| swer. The table was Uttered with all
| sorts of papers and official documents,
as it usually was, and on one corner of
| the table, which was long writing table
similar to this one (pOinting to one be-
| fore us in his library was a long tin
case that ! had not noticed. The presi-
dent was standing near the fire as went
III, aEd soon Mr.. Stanton came
in with Gen Grant and Gen.
| Halleck I had never seen
Grant, aud don't think President Lin
coin or any of his cabinet had ever seen
him before. They stepped up TO the ia
BILE and we all gathered around, Mr..
Stanton standing on the right and Gen.
| Halleck on the left of Gen. Grant The
president picked up a small piece OF pa
| per from the table. about the size of my
I
member, the following speech. Vari-
Gus reports of the speech have been pub
| lished, but l have never seen correct
one In type yet:
"GEN GRANT: The loyal men of the
| United States appreciate your great SER
vices. and under God, expect you to &C
| complish what remains to be done, and
with this view you arc presented with
| this commission (taking it from the tin
case before referred to-. constituting you
you lieutenant general IN the Army of
| the United States. I need scarcely add
that with what here speak for the ma
on goes GY own hearty personal con.
| currence."
Gen Grant responded, commencing as
If he had Inflated his lungs specially for
the occasion. When he got about half
| way through his short speech he stopped
| and hesiIated, and fumoled from out his
| pockets the balance of brief speech,
with q look, as much as to say: Il guess
[ had better read this thing He said
Mr.. president: 1 accept the COM
mission with gratitude for the high
honor conferred. With the aid of the
noble armies that have fought on SO
many fields for our common country, II
will be my earnest endeavor not to dis
appoint your expectation. feel the
"C1Rub VI NAO AOW
devolving upon me, and / know If they
are met it will be due to those armies
and above all the favor of the ProYi.
dence which leads both nation and
men,"
The cabinet were then presented tc
tie general, and conversation on the
military situation, and the prospects o.
victory were talked over. It will be re
, membered that the two great armies
were confronting each other but few
miles from Washington. A helf day.
march would bring them together. I
: was dark and momentous period O
> the country, and there was solemn re
sponsibillty resting upon the great sol
dier and shared in by the president AM
all the cabinet, as well as by the Who'll
country So deeply solemn snd i'm
S presslve an occaslon, you can we'll i'm
sgine, hiss not been, ard can never b
forgotten by me.
al Washington Notes.