The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-27
HOWIT WAS WRITTEN
Gen. Grants Stenographer Talks
About His Book.
SOME UNWRlTTEN HIS
How the General Refused S1.OOOOOO in Cash
For the Use of His Name-Facts
Never Before Published.

III
For the Use of His Name-Facts
Never Before Published.
WASHINGTON, April "a, 1S90.-TSpecial
correspondence of The HERALD. I'm
March, 1881, the following correspondence
passed between the war department and
General Grant:
NEW YORK, March %, 1884,
Hon Robert T. Lincoln, Secretary of War,
Washington, d. c.:
Dear Sir:--May 1 ask the great favor of you
Tor sixty days absence for Mr.. n. L. Dawson
OF your department. TO accompany me to Mex
ice, as secretary and stenographer.
his knowledge of Spanish will make him
especially useful. ask this favor with more
confidence, because / believe my business to
Mexico Is of greater Importance TO the nation
ually
If Nh. Dawson comes, he should meet me in
81. Louis IN time to take the morning train
Iron Mountain road, for Galveston: or else
come here in time to leave with me on Monday
morning. Would like very much to see him in
New \ ork before we start.
Very truly yours,
u. S. GRANT.
War Department, Washington. D. c..
March 3, 1881.
New York: --'N-'
Dear General:-It viii give me pleasure to
stanI Mr. Dawson leave until June LIST, to
accompany ANY you 10 Mexico He will report to
sou on Sunday morning in New York
Very respectfully yours,
ROBERT T. LINCOLN,
Secretary
Inc Mr.. Dawson referred to in these
letters is perhaps the most remarkable
stenographer in the United States. He
does not look TO be forty, but he has had
the experience of half dozen ordinary
life times. Tall, slender and retiring, he
is thoroughly modest and unassuming, vet
ne sustains the closest of confidential
relations with the most prominent men of
the country, and many of these have die
Sated to him their "reminiscences with his
simple promise that they are not to be used
until they consent or until after their
death. 1t was he who acted as Grants
stenographer in the preparation of his
memoirs, and he sustained a closer relation
with the great general during his last DAYS
than any other man outside of the family.
Mr.. DaWson's connection with Grant came
ABOUT indirectly through his service in the
war. He enlisted in the army at the age
OF eighteen, and while serving as private
soldier was taken prisoner His prison
was in Texas, and he improved his leisure
time In studying the Spanish language.
He escaped from prison, and after hiding
around IN the swamps for couple of
weeks during which he was fed bv the
negroes, he made his way to General
Banks headquarters. General Banks
offered him a clerkship, but he preferred
70 90 PACK into the army. and he remained
there until the close OF the war. After it
ne became reporter on the Burlington
HdlckeBe, and took down in shorthand a
speech made by Senator Allison. Allison
liked the report so well that he brought
him 20 Washington and made him a clerk
to his committee. When McCreary be-
came secretary of war, Dawson was given
the place OF stenographer and confidential
secretary, and he remained in the war de-
partment until the above correspondence
TOOK place. He had served under Grant at
Nlcksburg, but had not become acquainted
with him. When General Grant was about
To start for Mexico he needed private
secretary who was thoroughly acquainted
WIN the Spanish language. General
Dodge, of Iowa, who had won Grants ad
mlrauon by his splendid qualities at the
battles OF Atlanta and Pea Ridge recon
mended Mr.. Dawson, and he made his
Recommendation so strong that Grant gave
Dawson all the funds for the trip at his
hrst meeting and trusted him from that
time on implicitly. 1 talked with Mr.. Daw
son about this tour to-day.
Mr.. Dawson said:
General Grants trip to Mexico was
purely a patriotic one. and he hoped
through 1T TO bring the two countries
closer together He was great enthusi-
asst on Mexico. He had been there as a
boy IN the Mexican war, and had served in
every battle except that of Buena Vista
AT the close of the war; in 1865, he had i'm
PEELED our army in the direction of Mexico
ana had thereby made Maximillian leave
the country. He was indirectly instru
mental IN forming the republic, and he had
q somewhat sentimental interest in il
When he went to Mexico in 1881. it was in
the interest of all sorts of American in
Testments. He wanted to see railroad
relations established between the coun-
tries, wanted to push the submarine tele-
graph and, In short was DESTROYS of bring
ing the countries together. He was not
interested IN any investment, and he had
no financial prospects. present or future, in
the trip. DE was offered a big salary by
several big companies to act as their Official
IN making the trip, but he refused all such
oners. he finally consented to be the
president OF nominal company, and in
this he only took enough in the way of nav
to cover his expenses. AS proof of his
non -mercenary motives, an incident occur-
which established this beyond a doubt. and
evidenced courage and probity quite as
great as Grant ever eyinced in his life
The Real de Monte is one of the largest
gold mines IN the world. 1t had been oper
ated Tor more than a century, and it is said
TO have produced more gold than any other
mine in the world. This mine was being
worked with good success while we were
In Mexico and its prospects for the future
were stll great. The company which
operated it were anxious to stock the nine
ana hoat 1t In Europe, and they wanted to
get Grant TO take the presidency of il. An
Englshm3n was the agent selected IN in
fuence Grant in this direction. but he
evidently understood their purpose, and
he did not give the man chance to make
his proposition. Finally the agent called
upon me and told me that he would make
me rich II could get him an interview with
Grant whereby he could induce him to
accept the presidency of the mine. He
hung around me for a long time. and /
finally told the general of his anxiety for
the interview. General Grant told me
that he would make no appointment to see
the man, but that if he happened to cali
upon me at some time when he was present
] could introduce him and he would settle
the agent. AS General Grant was in nv
room at the hotel at certain times every
day, the appointment was an easy matter |
told the mine representative and he called |
promptly the following day, and though |
General Grant had not known of the ap- |
pointment he was present. introduced |
the man when he came in, and he at once
began to talk about his mine. He said |
nothing about the floating of stock, but he |
described the value of the mine, and |
bluntly offered General Grant the sum of |
IN, och J. i