The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-18
RECOLLECTIONs OF GRANT.
Grants Quarrels with Sumner. Greeley and
0thers-His Religious Belief, Etc.

Rev. J. p. Newman. in Chicago Advance.
My acquaintance with General Grant began in
November 1868. after his election. He heard
me preach in Washington from the text, II have
overcome the world, and said to some of the off,
GERS 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 conf
Dental The growth of our friendship was grad
ual AT first our interviews were occasional.
His interest in me was largely excited by my
sermons, which he regarded as instructive and
elevating became intimate in the family, and
was received as confidential friend. AT first
our conversations were of general, social
character, but as our acquaintance ripened he
conversed with me freely about men and meas
ures.
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 House two hours after him
self and took occasion to say, Il suppose you
have been resting since your return from church"
No." he REPLIED 81 have been writing on my
message. When / returned from hearing you
year ago rewrote the first part Of my message.
When got home to-day re-wrote the last part
and suppose If hear you next year Twill re-
write the middle" On these occasions dwelt
upon the moral aspect of great political ques-
tions, 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 twelve miles to the meeting.
The subject was 1.-THE Power of Individuality"
on the text, s'The Master is come and calleth
for thee"
General Grant had very sincere, religious
nature His faith in the Almighty as sovereign
of the universe and Father of humanity was
abiding and triumphant Christianity to
him great religious fact which was 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 misrepre
sented by the press. He was conscious and in
full possession of all his mental faculties He
thanked me for suggesting it to him. and ac-
cepted it in sincere faith He began Immediately
after 20 rally, and conversed with me and his
family The hypodermc of brandy was an after
consideration, and evidently helped him to re-
gain his strength; but there was contest be-
tween DR.. Douglas and DR.. Shrady as to that
hypodermlc I was sitting with those physi
clans. Douglas had given up all hope, and
thought the General could rot live but short
time. Shrady had not much hope, but said:
LET us fire the last gun and GO down, if neces-
as you please" Shrady administered the hypo
dermc, and the General, who had begun to
rally; responded to the influence.
On two different occasions | offered to give the
holy sacrament to the General. On the last oc
casion he wrote me land have preserved the
tablets) that he desired to receive the sacrament,
but felt that ne not worthy. The truth is
he was so conscientious, and fearing that he had
not fully forgiven Ward for his terrible rascality,
the General deferred the duty, but in the other
duties of religion he was prompt, earnest, unos
teutatious.
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 CEN
sured 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 very sad nature had happened
which nigh. affect him personally but which he
did not feel at liberty to tell; but suggested that
he should send for the chairman of the COM
mittee on military affairs of the House. This
was Bristow's blunder and fault He should
have given Grant the facts. After Bristow had
left, Zachariah Chandler and Belknap came.
Chandler was agitated, pale as ghost Bel
KNAPP was excited, and his language incoherent
He began the interview by saying, II wish to
resign. l am to blame. She is not respon
sible. / take the whole blame to myself. ! must
resign"
Grant supposed that there was some domestic
trouble. and not wishing to inquire into it he
called his SON, Ulysses, who was then one of his
private secretaries, and directed him to write
the resignation. The form did not please
Belknap, and he altered it. and Grant accepted
it. Mr.. Chandler was to blame, and also
Belknap; for both should have frankly told the
President the ground of the resignation. The
President had however, sent for the chairman
of the committee on military affairs of the
House, aud when he came and informed Grant
Of the real case the latter was highly indignant.
He Immediately sent for the Attorney general,
Edwards Pierrepont. gave him the facts and au-
thorized him to prosecute Belknap to the extent
of the law. Grant should have given these facts
to the public. He gave them to me the night of
the day of the resignation, and had | been other
than his pastor, which [ always esteemed a
sacred and confidential relation, I should have
published the case as it WAS. Yet | never lost
confidence in Belknaps personal integrity. He
was unfortunate.
/ was also conversant with the beginning of
the troubles between Sumner and Grant. SEN
ator Sumner called at the White House one
morning, and when his name was announced the
President sent word that he would see him in a
few minutes. Grant was engaged with the Com
missioner of Internal Revenue on the subject of
some frauds which had just been exposed, and
which demanded his immediate attention. In
the meantime Sumner paced the ante-room like
fre:ted lion. His wrath was up He took the
delay as personal insult, and, after waiting in
the crowd for twenty minutes, with all eyes
fixed on him, he left the White House in great
indignation. This was the thin edge of the
wedge which separated these two great men,
The public knows the rest. Had Grant been
less absorbed with public interest and more def
ereatial to great Senators, he might have pre-
ven5ed this breach Had he sent for Sumner
and heard his business or explained why he
could not see him, the arrangement might have
been prevented. But Grants great virtue was
fidelity to the public good. AS the personal con-
fiict grew in intensity, some one remarked to
Grant that Sumner did not believe in the New
Testament and the latter replied: HE would
believe it If he had written it.n
During the heat of the controversy I met
Sumner in a street car. His habit was to talk
loud He said to me: "You, as pastor are in
position to dS4reat good in these times. That
man in the White House reminds me Of Diony-
sius, of Syracuse who had big iron ear placed
thA wall of his MALAGA 10 al Ii