The morning call., 1893-12-24

able being when his own troops were re-
treating and the enemy were on the run.
ne was never afraid to take chances and
ne never shirked responsibility. There
never was finer exhibition of greatness
then when he vetoed the greenback infla-
tion bill Of 1874. That act saved the
finances Of the nation. And yet no one
knows what pressure was brought TO bear
on him TO sign the bill. Delegation
after delegation called on him; Sena-
tors, Congressmen, former companions
In arms. merchants and manufacturers,
politicians from all parts of the country
particularly from the West and the South
begging, Heading, beseeching. They said
that the country would be ruined, that the
republican party must go 10 pieces, that
business would be paralyZed and universal
nkruptcy would result. Their lmpor-
tunites would have driven an ordinary
man to desperation. They assailed him
with arguments and appeals. he listened
attenuvely, but his mind after due deliber-
alton had been made up. aud no power ID
the world could move him.
His second distinguished quality was
his knowledge Of topography. 1t was al
most intuitive. He made a trip through
Colorado once and knew more about the
topography of that State from mere
glance, as IL were than men who had
spent wears trayersipg 1t. He OWNED the
lay of the land perfectly and this intuitive
in the field.
Grant was great in great things and
small IN small things. If friend came to
him for favor he would grant it in his
eaSy-golng way without stopping to con
slider whether he was doing il for the best
or not; but let question come uD which
affected the country, some deep question,
and he never was deceived. de took the
trouble TO find out all about it and he
made no mistakes which involved the tub
lie welfare. he was man of great COM
moD-sense-a leVel-headed man.
"In his personal finances he was per-
feet child. He seemed utterly Indifferent
In the matter of his own money, and, /
think, incompetent. He could not see
through a business proposition.
Grant was tender man and his sym
patty for suffering was easily aroused.
Here is an instance, one out of many l
could relate. A man from Baltimore was
convicted of embeZZling public money.
He was one of the four hundred of that
fashionable city, intelligent, had been
we'll reared, and there was no excuse for
the crime, which had been clearly proven.
Grant had issued orders at the White
House to allow no women seeking pardonS
into bis presence, but to send them
to the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The wife
of this embeZZler came to me. She
fell on her knees and begged and
cried for a pardon for her hus-
several times during the painful interview
l was tempted to yield. but | could not see
my way clear TO granting the request with
out violation 10 my sense of justice and 90
duty so l dismissed her. She went to the
White house and IN some way managed TO
see Grant. In about an hour she returned
with penciled note from Grant asking
NE TO prepare papers for a pardon. |
went to the President and said: You've
made mistake here. You ought not To
have grained pardon He ans wered
quickly: L know that as we'll as you do,
tut | couldn't withstand the woman's ap-
peal
in matters affecting the nation Grant
very Seldom overruled his Cabinet Minis
terS There was an important case from
Arkansas which came under the Depart
ment of Justice. Two governments had been
chosen-One Democratic. one Republican.
Both applied to tha President for arbitra-
ment. He referred them to me- After
examination Of the law and the facts |
found that the Democrats were right
and that the Republican government
was Irregular. The entire Arkansas
delegation was Republican. They
protested and pleaded and threatened,
, but Grant declined to interfere and
the Democratic government was estab-
hshed. l had several State govern
ments to settle in the same manner, and
when matters came under the jurisdiction
findings without question, as rule |
know that was the case in the Department
Of Justice.
AT Cabinet meetings when it happened
that little routine business was to he
transacted. that finished, Grant would
invite those who smoked to join him in a
cigar, and hour after hour he would en-
terrain us with a recital of the events of
the war He WAS the most interesting
talker l ever heard. He spoke easily
with a steady flow of words. His style
was clear, simple and straightforward and
his voice pleasant. a stranger listening
10 him would not suspect that the narrator
was the chief actor in the events described.
He never spoke of himself. He would
say that General SO-and-so did this and
General Thus-and-so did that, but never
once mentioned that he gave the order for
General S0-and-so to do as he was bid He
spoke generously of his officers-mag-
unanimously. He spoke most beautifully
of Sherman ana always delighted
IN praising him. He did not omit
mention of himself for effect, but out
of innate modesty | used to feel some
tentious. that he never tried to make him
self popular. but he was clearly a plain
and simple man.
Il never heard him say a bitter thing
against the South OF against Confederate
officer, and / never heard him say ali I'M
KIM worn dDnul anyDnuy except once.
The man was Benjamin Ii. Bristow. lie
was indebted to Grant for everything.
Grant app onted i'm from obscurity to be
District Attorney for the Northern District
of Kentucky. then Solicitor General and
then Secretary of the Treasury. In prose-
cutting the ST. Louis whisky ring Brist0w
played the role of patriot and worked the
Ire sury Department to lift himself into
the Presidency. and part of the scheme
was to make showing that the Grant
administration was corrupt He tried to
throw 2 stigma on the man who made
him, and is now where Grant found him
in 0bscnrity.
Grant became a candidate for third
term contrary TO mia own judgment.
Through his good nature he yielded to
the solicitations of his friends, chief If
whom were Conkling, Logan and Came
ron. lie allowed them TO present him as a
candidate because he trusted them. j
know 1T was his own Judgment that he
ought not to be a candidate. IL is my
judgment now, and was then. that he
wond have been defeated.
- es, Grant was disappointed ard dis
pleased over the failure of the San
Domingo treaty. The action of Congress
wounded his feelings"
IF San Domingo had been annexed,