New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-09-08
MEMORIES OF GRANT.

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Rev. J. p. Newman in Chicago Advance.
My acquaintance with Gen. Grant
began in November, 1866, after his
election. He heard me preach in
Washington from the text, II have
overcome the world" and said to
some of the officers Of the church, He
is the man for me-" He invited me to
his house the next evening this was
when he lived on street,. The next
spring became his pastor, and he was
President Of the Board of Trustees of
the Metropolitan Church. From that
time on through seventeen years our
acquaintance was intimate, constant
and confidential. The growth of our.
friendship was gradual. At first our
interviews were occasional. His in
terest in me was largely excited by
sermons, which he regarded as instruct
i've and elevating. / became intimate
in the family, and was received as a
confidential friend. At first our con-
versations were Of a general, social
character, but as our acquaintance
ripened he conversed with me freely
about men and measures.
During my first pastoral term he
heard me on three Thanksgiving oc-
casions. On the second he invited me
to dine with him after the service.
reached the White House two hours
after himself, and took occasion to
say, II suppose you have been resting
since your return from church." "No,"
was the reply, 81 have been writing
on my message. When I returned
from hearingyou ayear ago re-wrote
the first part of my message. When I
got home to-day / re-wrote the last
part, and | suppose if hear you next
year, l will re-write the middle" On
these occasions dwelt upon the NOR
al aspect OF great political questions
to which his high moral sense was al
ways 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 twelve miles to the
meeting. The subject was ''The Pow
er Of Individuality" on the text,
"The Master is come and Calleth for
Thee
Gen. Grant had very sincere, relig-
ious nature. His faith in the Al
mighty as sovereign of the universe
and Father of humanity was abiding
and triumphant. Christianity was to
him a great religious fact, which was
a source of comfort to him in his long
and terrible sickness. His baptism
was the formal acceptance OF Chris
tianity. This event has been grossly
misrepresented by the press. He was
conscious and in full possession of all
his mental faculties. He thanked me
for suggesting it to him and accepted
it in clear faith. He began immediate-
ly after to rally, and conversed with
me and his family. The hypodermic
of brandy was an after consideration,
and evidently helped him to regain his
strength; but there was contest be-
tween DR.. Douglas and DR.. Shrady as to
the hypodermic. was sitting with
those physicians, Douglas had given
up all hope and thought the General
could live but a short time. Shrady
had not much hope, but said, "Let
us fire the last gun and 60 down, if
necessary, with the flag flying" Doug
las said, 'tDo as you please Shrady
administered the hypodermic and the
General, who had begun to rally, re-
sponded to the influence.
On two different occasions offered
to give the holy sacrament to the Gen
eral. On the last occasion he wrote
me land have preserved the tablets)
that he desired to receive the sacra-
ment, but felt that lie was not wor-
thy. The truth is he was so conscien-
tious. and feeling that he had not
fully forgiven Ward for his terrible
rascality, the General deferred the
duty, but in the other duties of relig-
ion he was prompt, earnest, unos-
tentatious.
He was too careless about public
opinion. He suffered himself to be
blamed for certain things which, had
he explained, the condemnation
would have fallen on others. He has
been censured for accepting Belknap's
resignation, but the facts are these:
On the morning of the day of the
exposure, Secretary Bristow called
and informed him that something of a
very sad nature had happened, which
might affect him personally, but which
he did not feel at liberty to tell; but
suggested that he should send for the
Chairman Of the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs of the House. This was
Bristow's blunder and fault. He
should have given Grant the facts.
After Bristow had left, Chandler and
Belknap came Chandler was agitat-
ed, pale as ghost. Belknap was
excited, and his language incoherent.
He began the interview by saying, ri
wish to resign. am to blame. She
is not responsible. take the whole
blame to myself. Unjust resign
Grant supposed that there was
some domestic trouble, and not wish
ing to inquire into it he called his son,
Ulysses, who was then one of his pri-
waite secretaries, and directed him to