The Opelousas courier., 1886-01-09
GRANT IN WASHINGTON.
How He Was Twice Arrested
for Fast Driving.
His Fondness for &peedy Horses Get
Him Into Difficulty.

His Fondness for &peedy Horses Get
Him Into Difficulty.
General Grant is especially remem
bered here for the transformations sim
plicity of his habits and manners
says q Washington letter. His mod
esty attracted the notice of Bismark
and called forth his applause Wha
could have been more unpretending il
manner and in substance than hi
letter written early in 1861, offerin;
his services to the government as {
soldier? He mentioned the fact, whicl
was a.record, that he had been educat
ed Mt West Point; that he had serve,
in the army, including the period 6
his schooling, for fifteen years.. an,
suggested that his education ant
training, he thought, qualified him tt
take command Of a volunteer regi
ment! In that day of political an(
clerical brigadiers, however, his mod
est offer of service was overlooked
probably because it was not accompa
MED by the endorsement of his Con
gresham.
Among the well-remembered fan
c~iesgof Gen. Grant was that for fast
trotting horses. He became at thu
close of the war a familiar figure or
the streets of Washington, especial,
upon those which lead out to tht
country north of the city, as he spec
away in his plain buggy and citizens
dress. But he was apt to forget that
| the city ordinances forbade fast driv
ing, and more than nee he vas arrest
ed for exceeding the rate of speed
which had been prescribed as the linn
it. It is due to him to say that wher
on Pennsylvania avenue Or in othel
populus parts of the city, his instinct.
i've sense of propriety would restrain
him from transcending the law, but
as he neared the 10 .ndaries he wa;
sure to give TIE rein to his horse ane
to begin making a mile in three min
utes, at the least. On one of thess
occasions a policeman on horsebacl
accosted him as he passed., and re
quested him to stop, He promptly
complied, when lie was informed tina
he vas violating the city ordinance
and that it would be necessary fol
him to appear before a city Justice
The hour w8s designated for the nexl
day, but the prisoner forgot the mat
ter, and failed to attend. The police
man thereupon called on him at hi;
headquarters, corner Seventeenth ant
f streets, and reminded him of tn,
engagement. The General was no
pleased at what he regarded as undu.
pertinacity of the policeman; hut wher
told by the latter that he had served
under him at Vicksburg, where h,
learned that it was the first duty of
soldier and subordinate to obey orders
the General yielded, and commended
him for the performance of his duty
He accordingly appeared before TIN
Justice, who imposed the fine, which
was paid promptly, without a murmur
At about that time a change wa,
made in the city ordinance. Fasi
trotting had been prohibited. not only
within the boundaries of the city bui
throughout the District of Columbia
The authorities, upon due considera
tion. thought that the ordinance wa
unnecessarily severe, and repealed it
as to the country. roads. Gen. Gram
read casually. or perhaps only heart
of this change, and concluded that il
applied TO the streets as well as TIT
S
roads. His mistake got him init
trouble a second time. He was ar
rested and taken before a Justice, Al
at the first offence. He plead the re
pealing ordinance. Of which he haf
heard; but was excused on this occasi
on on the ground that he had beer
misinformed, and had acted in igno
rance of the true nature of the repeal
ing ordinance.
These facts, though trivial in them
selves. reflect honor upon Gen. Grant
and upon American institutions
Here the most popular and powerful
man in the Union, while at the heat
of the army. is arrested by a police
man for violating a city ordinace, ant
fined by a Justice of the Peace
Where else in the world could such al
event take place?
Ssese0graaD1sy.
During the past 300 years, it i,
sfa4od cnrnn O0fl curfa,aa ~ ca.. 49,