Omaha daily bee., 1890-03-02

was as certain as death that he who commit
ted 1t could have no TO giveness and that he
was f~oreordalned TO the hottest fires of
the lower regit ms for an eter-
nifty of ages. Well l thought 1 hail
it. thought | was bound TO be
damned and for weeks L lost sleep at nights
and worried and fretted all the day over my
condition. l think | should have gone crazy
If | had not gotten relief and my relief came
from an old volume on
THE SIN.
These consisted of sermons by q learned
divine and IN them IT was stated that the
fact that a person thought he had committed
the objectionable sin was an evidence that
he had not committed it, for il he had com
mitted 1t, being damned already, the fires of
repentance could not touch his heart and he
VIC uld go on blindly TO his Destruction. This
relieved me greatly and after a time my
dread OF the sin passed away and L regained
my usual health. | shall never forget the
terror though that | felt and | am glad to say
that religion grows more liberal as the world
grows older"
l met ex-Postmaster General Creswell in
the rational Metropolitan bank in Washing
ton yesterday. He is one of the finest-look-
ing men IN the Capital city. Tall, broad
shouidered and White whiskered, his clear
blue eyes look out from under a broad, high
forehead. and his tread Is as firm and his
step as active as II was when he was a mem
DER OF Inc united States senate IN lSbD. Inc
Last Ina met hin WAS NJ Mee+t MeGresef,
where he had gone TO attend Grants fun
eral. He was an intimate friend OF Grant.
and was one OF tho generals most ardent ad-
mirers. After a few moments our CONVERSE
tion turned upon Grant, and he said:
"Grant was the greatest general ] have
ever known, and of all the great men of my
acquaintance L consider him the greatest. He
was great as a statesman when you judge
him by the soldier-statesman standard, and
some OF his acts ana sayings as president
are quoted today. He was a great writer,
and there are few works that will compare in
simplicity and beauty with his memoirs. His
state papers were equally well written and
he wrote all his messages with his own
hand excepting those parts which he got
from his cabinet officers. In preparing the
paragraphs relating to the post office and
other departments he would give directions
to his cabinet to condense their reports and
insert such condensation in his messages"
did he advise much with his cabinetl' l
asked.
"Yes. He had had his own opinion and
his own policy but he advised with his cab
met on all matters relating to the various de-
tine over which they are placed. |
was at the head OF the post office department
and | found hun always ready to change his
views whenever sufficient reasons could be
given for a change He was quick to take
advantage of the moment and he decided
upon matters usually as they came before
hlm. Speaking of his readiness in writing
his messages ( ana his qnickness
OF decision tag remarkable instance
occurred at 1.-THE time of the
opening of the Franco Prussian
war. IL was ythe last night OF the
congressional session and President
Grant with his cabinet was at
the capitol signing balls when the
news came. Now the great German steam
ship line feared that its ships would be cap
tured by the French and that it would not
be able to carry on Its voyages from Ger
many TO America. Its owners made u prop
position TO change the line TO an American
line, TO have II carry the American flag and
10 take our mails from America to TIA e con-
tinent. Under the American flag 1t would
be safe from seizure by France, and il would
give US one OF the greatest steamship lines
OF the world. This offer from the line came
President GRAFT at the capitol. The subject
was proposed To his cabinet and turning to
me be asked me what | thought of the prop
position from a social standpoint. i told him
and he asked me To put my views in writing.
He then turned to Hamilton Fish and
asked him to- write his views
on the subject FROM O diplomatic
standpoint, We both did so, aud we both
favored the taking of the line. General
Grant took the two statements and rapidly
wrote an introduction and a conclusion 70
them. He then seiiI this in TO the senate as
q message. In II he advised the taking OF
the line, and
HAD CONGRESS ACTED UPON AIS ADVICE
the American flag today would float over
some OF the hnest ships in the world. and the