The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-03-02

him for a change he was quick 10 take
advantage Of the moment, anu he decided
upon matters usually as they came before
him Speaking of his readiness i'll writing
his messages and his quickness of decis-
ion, Il remarkable instance occurred at the
time of the opening of the Franco-Prussian
war II was the last night of the con-
gressional session and President Grant, !
with his cabinet, was at the Capitol sign
ing bills when the news came. Now, the |
great German steamship line feared that
its ships would be captured by the
French and that it would not
be able to carry on its voyages from Ger
many to America. It's owners made a
proposition to change the line to an Amer
lean line. to have it carry the American
flag and to take our mails from America to
the continent. Under the American flag 1t
would be safe from seizure by France, and
it would give US one of the greatest steam
ship lines of the world. This offer from
the line came 10 President Grant at the
Capitol. The subject was proposed to his
cabinet and turning to me he asked what
thought OF the proposition from postal
standpoint | told him, and he asked me to
put my views in writing. He then turned
to Hamilton Fish aud asked him co write
out his views on the subject from diplo-1
matte standpoint. We both did so and
we both favored the taking of the
line. General Grant took the TWO state
ments and rapidly wrote an introduction
and a conclusion to them. He then sent
this into the Senate as a message. In it he
advised the taking of the line, and had
Congress acted upon his advice the Ameri-
can flag to-day would float over some of
the finest ships of the world, and the inter
ests Of American trade would have been
furthered by this"
''Do you still think, General, that the
United States would have been benefited
by toe re election of President Grant % I
81 do. General Grant was a man of
steady growth. He was o careful observer
and the effect of his foreign tour and his
intercourse with the great statesmen of
the world and his knowledge gained from
! his observation of the governments OF
other countries would have made him an
invaluable President. Had he been nom
mated he
WOULD SURELY HAVE BEEN ELECTED
and he would have done more to bring the
south aud the north together thaa any
/ other man possibly could have done. This
was his great desire in his thinking of a
possible re- election"
/ here referred to the Chicago convcn-
| ton which nominated Garfield and to the
wonderful perseverance of the noted .O6
of whom Postmaster General Creswell was
one.
| 'hSIerrlnE 10 Jne speech COnhIlnG MADE
on this OCCASION" said Postmaster General
Creswel, Roscoe Conlling was great
man nut he lacked the adaptability of a
politician. That speech ut Chicago was a
great one hut it had lines in it here and
there that offended the Sherman and
Blaine men where it should have concili-
atcd them. 1t was however Conkling, ard
Conlling was not diplomat. / believe
that he might have been President had it
not been for his proud nature which would
rot permit him TO bend. He had the chance
III Cincinnati when Hayes was nominated
but lie did not take it. Referring
to his Chicago speech, you remem-
Der the opening Afte" that great as
sembly had become quiet, in clear tones
he recite& that verse Of poetry which took
the convention by storm, and following
which there was an applause lasting for
nearly quarter OF an hour. He said:
You ask me whence my candidate,
The answer il shall be-
He comes from Appomatox
And its famous applctree
Elbow they did cheer and how the Sher
man men and the Blaine men Kissed The
words went around the country by tele.
graph and created a responsive thrill
IN EVERY GRANT-LovING HEART.
1t was one of the great introductions tc
great historic speeches and | have never