Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-17

President was ever more abused and none
less deserved it, but IN spite of his imufedi-
ate associates-men hostile to the Or ess-
any correspondent could obtain access to
the General, and WHARF his trust Was not
abused he was always faithful and loyal to
the newspaper press. This was conspicuously
shown in his treatment of Rudolph Kelm
and John Russell Young. Mr.. Keim, who
made General Grants acquaintance as a war
correspondent, always observed every con-
fdence placed in him by the General, and
always could obtain an interview with him
under any and all circumstances
Two Newspaper Men Rewarded.
As proof of his friendship to Mr.. Keim
to inspect the Consulates of the United
States in all parts of the world. Mr. Young,
who made the circle of the world with Gen.
eral Grant and who shared his confidence as
an intimate friend, was afterward appointed
Minister to China In these two acts Gen.
eral Grant recognized the corps of special
correspondents more than any other Presi-
dent has ever done. The political gifts of
the average high official are given gen.
orally to the proprietors or editors of the
newspapers.
Ny first introduction to General Grant
was at the hands of Senator John A. Logan.
General Logan was an advocate of Grants
nomination for third term. I wished to
ask General Grant his views concerning the
various candidates General Logan did not
know whether the ex-President would care
to talk or not but he gave me very warm
letter of commendation to him, in which he
was kind enough to say the General could
talk to me without fear of misrepresenta-
tion. found the General in his sitting
room OF a suite of rooms in the Arlington
Hotel at Washington. He was then re-
covering from the effects OF a broken leg,
caused by fall on an icy sidewalk several
weeks previous 1t was q narrow escape.
This visit to Washington was just before
the great Grant & Ward failure, which
eliminated Grant from the field as politi-
cal figure, and afterward, as everyone be-
lieves, hastened the development of the
nalady which took his life the following
year
Jumped Into Sherman Unceremoniously.
The General was with Mrs Grant He
was seated in an easy chair with his injured
leg resting upon another chair. He was
dressed in black. Mrs. Grant was seated in
the window near him. The General after
reading the letter of introduction carefully
presented me to Mrs. Grant, and then turn
ing asked me what wanted to talk to him
about l said at once that wished to ask
him some questions concerning the coming
convention and the candidates. The
General replied without the slight
est hesitation, giving his opinion
on the rival candidates With un-.
usual frankness he expressed the greatest
possible hostility to Senator John Sher-
man. So vigorous was his language con-
cerning this gentleman that 1 hesitated
when came to write out what he had said
The General talked with great rapidity
and freedom for about Is minutes and then
he stopped suddenly, his face assumed an
expression of stolidity like that of a craven
image, and not another word would he say
upon any other political subject Still
what he had said was quite enough to make
q great sensation.
When / came to write the interview
was so doubtful about the expressions of
opinion with regard to Senator Sherman
that modified them considerably. I have
invariably made it q rule to submit the
interview to the person giving it for re-
vision. NY visit to the General upon the
occasion mentioned was in the morning.
Insisted on Denouncing sherman.
That afternoon after had written out the
interview l sent note to General Grant
and asked him if he would like to see it
written out. He wrote back a very polite
letter, saying he would be much pleased to
see it. L called upon General Grant that
same evening after he had finished his din
ner. He took up the manuscript, and In
true newspaper fashion borrowed pencil,
keeping within the mysterious rule that
those who write never by any chance have
a pencil, and proceeded to deliberately 60
over the manuscript He made no change
or correction until he reached the portion
which had tenderly modified, that which
related to Hon. John Sherman.
The General adjusted his glasses when