Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-18
GEN. GRANTS CONDITION.
The faiIure OF His Voice Due 10 Debility
Tie Crews Weaker All the While.
fBy telegraph 10 the Dispatch.I

MOUNT McGREG0R, N. H., June
lT.-When General Grant reached here
Yesterday the thermometer registered
SO, but thunderstorm came up last
night, and to- day the temperature is
65. General Grant has partially re-
covered his voice. His son, Colonel
Fred, is reported as saying that the
failure of his fathers voice is owing to
debility, and he is growing weaker all
the while. The change Of air he feels
just now benefcially, but his weakness
constantly grows upon him.
A little white tent with small flags
futtering from it is pitched close to
General Grants cottage. II is occu-
pied by S. w. Willetts, an old soldier
in uniform, who has been employed to
protect the General from intrusion by
strangers. The swelling in the Gene
rails throat is not abated to-day, and
his rest last night was aided by NOR
phine, without which, the doctors said,
he couldn't have slept.
DR.. Douglas this evening telegraphed
DR.. Sands to come here by first train
tonight.
General Grant spent good portion
Of the forenoon taking short walks
about the piazza of his new house.
About noon he laid down to rest, and
his doctor went to sleep, which he
much needed. About 3 o'clock, and
while his physicians and nurse were
asleep, the General drew his silk hat over
his skull-cap, signalled Harrison to his
side, and walked down the cottage steps.
lie walked slowly along the pathway
over an easy slope to the brow OF the
mountain, one hundred yards away.
Several times he paused to rest, and at
length sat down on rustic settee.
When chair was placed for his feet
he removed the handkerchief from his
mouth and essayed to speak, declining
the support for his feet, but his voice
was not audible. His breath could be
heard, but no words, and the General
recognizing the fact shook his head.
The fact that a mess Of frogs had been
caught during the morning at one of
the little mountain lakes near by was
mentioned to the General, and he was
asked if he would attempt anything so
tender as frog-legs. Again the General
tried to speak, but the attempt did not
result in words that were audible, and
again he declined by shaking his head.
His attention was directed to the monu-
ment that marks the surrender of Bur-
goyne twenty miles away, but the ele-
walton of his head to gaze so far away
seemed painful, and his head bowed,
his chin dropped TO his breast, and his
eyes rested on the nearer objects. The
neck and diseased portions are strained,
and pain follows when he holds his
head erect. Five minutes passed while
the General sat on the bluff, and he then
arose by steadying himself with the arm
of the settee and his cane, and, with
Harrison at his side, retraced his
steps to the cottage. No one was
more surprised at the Generals walk
than DR.. Douglas. He was amazed
that the General should have attempt
ed it, but was amused by his selecting
time when the Doctor was asleep.
Later in the afternoon DR.. Douglas,
in referring to the Generals actual con-
dition in connection with his walk. ex-
pressed himself thus: THE disease
is following its characteristic course,
which is a course of steadily-increased
exhaustion. We do not look for cure
from this change. Nothing can be
curative, but We do hope to pro-
long his life, and that is the most
that can be expected. Under the ex-
hilaratiDg effect of this atmosphere,
and of this cool day he has, for in
stance. walked over there to the knoll.
He might do that easily, and not be
able to do the same tomorrow or the
next day. The course of the disease is,
as said, one Of increasing debility"
When General Grant reached his cot
tage after his walk to the brow of the
mountain he was much exhausted and
sank into a chair in the parlOr of the
cottage. Very soon he indicated by
signs that he wanted writing materials,
which were given him. and he wrote
for nearly half an hour. The result was
two letters or papers. One was head
ed Memoranda for My Family -;
in it the General had written that he
thought lie was failing, and for certain
instructions that he desired carried out
be referred his family to other and more
definite memoranda prepared by him a
little while before leaving New York.
The other note he folded and addressed
to DR.. Douglas. He handed both papers
to Colonel Fred. Grant, and that adj
dressed to his physician is understood
to have been of similar import as that
to the family. The afternoon wore
away with the General sitting outside
on the piazza. Sunset found him
still on the piazza, and when
dusk deepened on the east side
of the mountain he was yet sitting
silently on the porch at one side Of the
front door of the cottage. When the
lamps were lighted inside and the light
streamed out into the growing dark
ness, the sick man was yet outside,
though the air was chill and stiff
breeze was swaying the pine-tree tops.
Colonel Fred. Grant, with the steadfast
allegiance to his father that has been
prominent during the Generals long
sickness, was by his side, and DR..
Douglas was near at hand. At length,
after 8 O'Clock, the General went inside
the cottage, and DR.. Douglas wrote and
sent a message to DR.. Sands in New
York, summoning him by the frs,
train.
Alto o'clock General Grant retired,
and DR.. Douglas then thought that his
throat and neck appeared better than
on Tuesday night. 1t is possible that
the Generals walk this afternoon
tested his waning strength toe
far, and reaction has brought to
him sense Of weakness that he
himself feels is not to be lightly disre-
garded. Whether the weakness to.
night is the immediate result Of the un.
due exertion to-day, or whether it is
weakness Of the reaction after his jour.
rey, is a question that the doctors only