Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-07-29

have overcome the world, and said 10 |
some Of the officers OF the church, che
Is the man for ine.n He invited me 10 his
house the next evening, (this was when he
lived on street The next spring be-
came his pastor, and he was president of
the board II trustees OF the Metropolitan
church From that time ON, through IL
years, our acquaintance was intimate,
constant and confidential The growth Of
our friendship waA gradual. Al first our
Interviews were occasional. His interest
IN me was largely excited by my sermons,
which he regarded M instructive and
elsvating | became intimate in the
family and was received as a confidential
Trend At first our conversations were
OF general, social character, but as our
acquaintance ripened he conyersed with
me freely about men and measures.
During my first pastoral term he heard
me on three Thanksgiving occasions. On
the second he invited me TO dine with
him after the service. | reached the
White Honae two hours after himself and
took occasion to say; ~ suppose you have
been resting since your return from
church, "No," he replied, II have
been writing ON my message. When l
returned from hearing you year ago l
rewTote the first part OF my message.
When got home to-day rewrote the
last part, and ] suppose if / hear you
nex. ysai I viii Tswrite the middle. On
those occasions l dwelt upon the moral
aspect of great political questions, to
which his high moral sense was always
susceptible.
The last sermon he ever heard me
preach, and the last he ever heard from
any minister, was at Atlantic Highlands,
N. j. He and Senator Stanford drove II
miles TO the meeting. The subject was
'.The Power of Individuality" on the
text, "The Master is come and calleth for
thee
General Grant had very sincere, re-
ligious nature. His faith in the Almighty
as aoyereign Of the universe and Father of
humanity was abiding and triumphant.
Christianity was to him great religious
fact which was source OF
comfort 10 him in his long and
terrible sickness. His baptism was
the formal acceptance of Christianity.
This event has been grossly 1nisrepIe-
sented by the press. He was conscious
and in full possession Of all his mental
faculties. He thanked me for suggesting
1t TO him, and accepted il in sincere faith
Cyan Immediately thereafter to rally
eonvereed with me and his family
hypcdefmiu Nf brandy was an aftei
consideration, and evidently helped hin
to regain his strength, but there was {
contest between DIR. Douglas and DR.
Shrady as 70 that hypodermic was sit
ting with those physicians Douglas hat
given up all hope and thought the genera
could live but a short time. Shrady haC
not much hope, but said, Let us fire tn
Inst gun and go down, ii necessary, witt
the nag flying" Douglas said, $40 a
you please" Shrady administered tn
hypodermic, and the general, who ha
begun to rally, responded to the influence
On two different occasions offered
give the holy sacrament to the genera
On the last occasion he wrote me (and
have preserved the tablets that he d
sired to receive the sacrament, but fe
that he was not worthy. The truth is
was 20 conscientious, and, fearing that
had not fully forgiven Ward for his te
rible rascality, the general deferred d
duty, but in other duties Of religion
was prompt, earnest, unostentatous.
He was too careless about pub
opinion. He suffered himself TO
blamed for certain things, which, had
explained the Condemnation, would ha
fallen on others. He had been oensur,
- for accepting Belknap's resignation,
the facts are these;
On the morning of the day of the
posture, Secretary ,Bristow called and
formed him that something of very S
nature had happened, which mig
affect him personally, but which he {
not feel at liberty to tell but suggest
that he should send for the chairman
the committee on military affairs of |
House. This was Bristows blunder a
fault. He should have given Grant I
facts, After Bristow had left, Zachari
Chandler Sd is'sst,igf e9iii2 AGfl}
40 -s.it pad 80 gAust. keiku
Vas eAGituu .luu mas language luruneivl
He began the interview by saying
wish to resign. | am TO blame. She
not responsible. take the whole bla
10 myself ! must resign"
Grant supposed that there was so
domestic trouble, and not wishing to
quire into it he called his son Ulyss
who was then one of his private sec
taries, directed him to write the resigl
ton. The form did not please Belki
and he altered il and Grant accepted
Mr.. Chandler was to blame and also h
KNAPP; for both should have frankly t,
the President the ground Of the resig
ton. The President had, however 81
for the chairman of the committee
military affairs of the House md wi
he came and informed Grant of the r
case the latter was highly indignant
Immediately sent for the attorn
general, Edwards Pierrepont gave b
the facts and authorized him to prosec
Belknap to the extent of the law CIR
should have given these facts to the ri
H. N1,.,.,, 10, a Z n. q 4
day of the resignation, and had b,
other than his pastor, which ! always
teemed u sacred and confidential RELATE
should have published the case as
was. Yet 1 never lost confidence il 4
knaps personal integrity. He was l
fortunate.
was also conyersant with the beg
ming of the troubles between Sumner i
Grant. Senator Sumner called AT
White House one morning, and when
name WAS announced the President 81
word that he would Zee him in a
minutes. Grant was engaged with
commissioner OF Internal revenue on
question OF some frauds which had i
been exposed, and which denunt
bis immediate attention. In the me
time Sumner paced the ante-room lil
fretted lion. His wrath was up. He {,
the delay as a personal Insult, aud al
waiting in the crowd for 20 minutes. "
all eyes fixed upon him, he lett the wi
House in great Indignation. This was
thin edge of the wedge which separa
those two great uen. The public knc
the rest, Had Grant been less absorl
with public interest and more dgteren
to great senators be- might have proven
this breach Had he sent for Sumner {