Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-27

to scratch down his ideas. There was con.
siderable arranging to be done in the work,
| and he did not know that it was so neal
| completed as it was. I saw at last that
| he had reached the end of all he could do
| especially if he was able to hear it read, as
had wished.
SURPRISED AT THE END.
rive were then practically at the end and
I said To Colonel Grant: This matter is all
in shape now and think we had better tel
General Grant that the book is DONE We
then told him. At first he hardly realized il
and then he was very happy for short time
finished and that it had only to be read over.
The next day, however, he was not so well
and he never got to that point at which we
could read him the second volume. 1t was
only few days after the finishing of the
book that he died. During his last days he
worked almost constantly on the book.
saw that be was sinking fast and worked all
the time I could. I was stopping at the
house all the time and my rest was now and
then taking walk in the woods. The Gen
eral was much pleased at my action, but he
said nothing about it.
"After General Grants DEATH" Mr..
Dawson went on, "I hunted up all the slips
that the General had written and gave them
ception of less than dozen which were per-
sonally written for me. Some of these slips
relate to his book. He was very cautious in
wiring SO as not to injure the feelings of
anyone and I remember many touching incl
dents of how he cut out sentences which he
thonght might hurt. He was even hyper
critical in this regard and often imagined
things might hurt when they might have
been left in. Had he been able he would
have probably made his memoirs comprise
his whole life. but as it was he was glad to
be able to finish his military career.
, READING THE PROOF.
1.-THE proof of the book was all carefully
read. We had four slips OF proofs and Col
onel Grant. q. S. Grant, Jr., jesse Grant
and myself each held slip while one of us
read. Everything was carefully revised and
verified, and this by going through the Cen
erals papers, as well as by consulting lead.
ing authorities.
General Grants papers Are very valu-
able" said Mr.. Dawson. HE sustained
the closest relations to the great men of his
day, and he carried on a correspondence
with statesmen in different parts of the
world. One of his closest friends was Ii
Hung Chang, the Viceroy of China. His
correspondence with him continued until
the time of his death, and he often spoke of
Lii Hung Chang in the highest terms. Ii
Hung Chang would write asking his advice
as to matters OF state, and General Grant,
you know, called him the Bismarck of
China"
here told Mr.. Dawson the high reputa-
tion which General Grant sustained in
China, and referred to picture of the Gen
eral and Ii Hung Chang which was made
by photographer at Tientsin. A copy OF
this DhOtOpraDh is in NV nOssession II
represents the two greatest men of two
hemispheres drinking tea, with Chinese
table between them. Had Grant been re-
elected President, doubt not the United
States and China would be closer together,
and in all probability the American and
the Celestial would be kissing each other.
FRANK G. CARPENTER,