The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-06

did, undoubtedly, 1t was unconscously to him
SELF and he always wanted to atone for wrong
when he was convinced he had inflicted one.
But it was difficult to convince him.
1t is, however, the intellectual aide of him that
| is less understood. I never saw anything more
curious than bis intellectual growth. His facul-
| ties had never been exercised upon any large
| matters, or on any large scale until the war;
| then they expanded in the e-iinently practical
career of a soldier. All his military greatness
came OF the plainest possible qualities, devel-
oped to an astounding degree. The clearness of
his judgment the control of his emotions, his
quick insight into subject, his large grasp, his
determined will-these are faculties that any one
might possess in an ordinary degree without ex-
citing wonder. but these he carried into the most
extraordinary circumstances and applied on the
grandest possible theater Notwithstanding all
this, until the close of the war he had met few
great men except soldiers; he had studied few
great events except military ones he knew few
great subjects or situations, except battles, and
marches, and seges. and campaigns.
When he went to Washington and was thrown
into contact with men trained in the political
and social arena. at first he was very shy. He
did not like the atmosphere: he was not at home
in it. He avoided the world so far as he, at the
core and the top of the world, could avoid it,
He disliked politics and society, but soon per-
ceived that his duty and his position threw him
into both politics and society, and though he
never seemed to be observing, he watched
closely. He very soon conformed to etiquettes
which at first had been. not only unfamiliar, but
distasteful. He learned to understand the ways
of men-and women-long used to arts and arti-
fees. He never himself became skilled simu-
lator, but he could dissimulate as well as any
man that ever lived that is, he could prevent
all but those who were absolutely closest to him.
and sometimes these, from penetrating further
than he wished into his thoughts, or purposes. or
desires.
l had not seen him for several years when he
visited Europe, and was very much struck at
that time with the growth and breadth of his in
tellect. was with him at the table of kings, I
saw him in the company OF the greatest Euro
pean statesmen at more than one brilliant court,
and he rose to an equality that the foremost
| recognized. On his return to America | was
again very much with him, almost if possible,
IN closer intimacy than ever before, and l was
| convinced that he had learned profoundly by his
experience of the presidency aud his wonderful
journey around the world.
/ saw him almost to the last, in his grim strug-
gle with the greatest of all foes and then, too,
| recognized that the massive qualities of the man
though on 80 grand a scale, were after all very
human-the simple, natural traits that he
shared with US all He was a typical man. with
his faults and virtues, only SURPRISING the rest
by his achievements and his developed powers.
1t is my intention to narrate the incidents and
describe the conduct which have produced in me-
this idea of General Grant ADAM BADEAU.
The following letter refers to my plan of writ
ing General Grants political history:
GENERAL GRANT TO ADAM BADEAU.
NAPLES, Dec 18, IT.
My Dear General-Your letter and inclosed
chapter Of history were received here on our ar
rival yesterday. have read the chapter and
find no comments to make 1t is, no doubt, as
correct as history can be written. Except when
you speak about me-" am glad to see you are
progressing so we'll. Hope Vol 2 will soon be
complete. and that the book will find large sale.
No doubt but Governor Fish will take great
pleasure in aiding you in your next book He has
all the data, so far as his own department was con-
cerned. 1t was his habit to sum up the proceed
ings of each day before leaving his Office, and to
keep that information for his private perusal
To-day we ascend Mt. Vesuvius, tomorrow
visit Pompeii and Herculaneum. About Satur-
day, the 3d. start for Palermo. thence to Malta,
where we will probably spend the 25th. From
there we go to Alexandria and up the Nile.
That is about as far as have definitely planned,
but think on our return from the Nile we will
go to Joppa, and visit Jerusalem from there;
possibly Damascus and other points of interest
also, and take the ship again at Beyrout The
next point will be Smyrna. then Corstantinople.
l am beginning to enjoy travelling, and If the
money holds out, if Consolidated Virginia
mining stock does, / will not be back to the
Eastern States for two years yet Should they
the stocks-run down my hands, and stop
dividends, l should be compelled to get home
the nearest way
Jesse is entirely we'll and himself again, and
enjoys his travels under these changed condi-
tions very much. l wrote letter to Porter
good while ago but have received no answer yet.
Very truly yours U. S. GRANT.