The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-17
FACTS ABOUT GRANT
Personal RECoLLEcTroNs OF BIsH-
or JOHN p. NEWMAN.
The Generals Home Life, Conduct in
Adversely, and His Religious Ten
denotes and Opinions.

Northwestern Christian Advocate April IT.
As his friend and pastor through many
years, / had the privilege to observe Gen.
Grant in the quiet of his home where he
was the sweetest and happiest of men;
where mutual and reciprocal love of the
welded life was ever present. Husband
and wife were the happy supplement of
each other, their characters blending in the
sweetest harmony, like the blended colors
in the bow of promise. To his strength,
dignity and courage she added gentleness,
grace and purity. In their life OF deathless
love their happiness lay like an ocean OF
pearls and diamonds in the embrace of the
future. He, unhappy without her pres
ence; she, desolate without his society He
confided to her his Utmost soul, and blessed
her with his best and unfailing love- She
shared his trials and his triumphs, his
sorrow and his joys, his tolls and his re-
wards.
How tender was that scene in the early
dawn of an April day when all thought the
long expected end had come; when he gave
her his watch and, tenderly caressing her
hand, said, This is all 1 have to give
YOU" And the dying hero whispered: 'T
did not have you wait upon me because I
knew it would distress you, but now the
end draws nigh" 1t was this love for her
that lifted his intellect above the cease
less tortures of malignant disease and
threw oblivion over the scenes of excruci-
ating pain that he might write his per-
sonal memoirs that she should not want
when he was gone.
He thought not of himself but of her.
To his son he said: st hope mother will
bear up bravely." To quiet her anxiety
he said: DO as / do; take it quietly I
give myself not the least concern. If /
knew the end was tomorrow would try
just as hard to get rest in the meantime.
60 to sleep and feel happy; that is what /
want to do; am going to try for it. / am
happy you ought to be- Good night,
When she sought to divert his mind from
the past he Briefly repIied his is t of
anniversary of the battle of Vicksburg. /
hadn't thought of it before. 1t has been
One when our only daughter was born
and. subsequently, when we had a grandson
born on that day."
these scenes which I witnessed during his
long months of suffering was one night on
end had come. The pulse was gone; the
brow was cold; the eyes were closed when
suddenly he aroused himself and called for
he desire to communicate? What memora-
Bile victory to recall? Tt was an expression
of deathless love. '..Out from the swellings
OF Jordan he had rushed back to the
shores of life to write this tender message
to his son: Wherever am buried promise
me that your mother shall be buried by
my side" 1t is all a wife could ask; it is
all a husband could wish.
When he was dead there was found upon
his person letter addressed to his wife.
1t came to her as message from the
spirit world. 1t was found secreted in his
robe, enveloped, sealed and addre ssed to
his wife, IIe had written it by times; writ
ten it secretly and carried the secret mis-
sive day after day during fourteen days.
it he had poured forth his soul in love for
her, and also for their children.
Look after our dear children and direct
them in the paths of rectitude. 1t would
distress me far more to think that one of
them could depart from an honorable, up
right and virtuous life than it would to
of sickness from which they were never to
arise alive They have never given US any
pray they never will. With these
few injunctions and the knowledge that 1
9f y1ur of and o ana of sas
you final farewell until we meet in anoth-
er and, trust, better world You win
find this on my person after my demise"
DAYS OF ADVERSELY.
If from this brighter picture of the life
to those long and weary months of adj
versity and suffering, the better charac-
ter of this illustrious man will be revealed.
1t fell to my lot to pass behind the cur
tain of his domestic life, and often con-
verse with him in the privacy of his quiet
home. I was with him when the financial
crash came 1t seemed to crush his brave
SOUL which mighty armies could not daunt.
When, on the morning of May 6, 1884,
he left his home on Sixty-sixth street, New
York city, for his Office on Broadway and
Wall street, General Grant thought HIM
self millionaire, but in an hour thereafter
he found that his fortune had been. swept
turn from his tour around the globe he
his wealth at 100000, the in
come from which was just enough to pay
at the hotel where. they. lodged His habits
of life were simple, He had no extraor-
Finding that his income was inadequate
to a residence in New York, he turned his
attention to other portions of the country
where he could live at less expense.
His second son was banker in New
York, in company with Ward & Fish, and
and ci become me- a partner IN the same Arm.
This proved the blunder of his life. He
was nothing more than silent partner 1sr
business affairs of the company He loaned
his name. and invested his money, but
acted for the firm; made all investments,
drew all checks, received all deposits and
iisosed of them. The General was assured
that the investments were proper and, I'M
accustomed as he was to business, he in
uuired little further. The apparent returns
from the business were enormous, but not
larger than other bankers aud brokers
around him, and the rapidity of his for
tune did not surprise him. He had put all
available capital into the bank. One of
his sons was partner, another became
an agent of the firm, and a third had en-
trusted $4,000 to the company for invest
ment.
During all those years of his connection
with Ward he was buSlly occupied in great
measures. He had been appointed
by the government to prepare q commercial
tire atty with Mexico; he was in correspond
ence with China and Japan to adjust their
difficulties and prevent a war; and he ac-
cepted the presidency of the proposed
worlds fair in the city of New York. With
he was content to believe that the banking
house was prosperous, and that he was
growing rich
70 me the most contented man on earth.
At peace. with all the world, crowned with
honor and glory, surrounded with his happy
family he had no thought of the morrow.
When he arrived at his place of business
he found his fortune ruined. His son, the
banker approached him and said: Father,
return homo, the bank has failed" He
was silent and, after a moment, calmly
said to a friend: 1--WE are all ruined here;
the bank has failed. Ward cannot be
found The securities are locked up in the
safe; he has the key; no one knows where
he isl In a few moments the General en-
terd his carriage and was driven home. He
never returned to Wall street.
THE VANDERBILT LOAN.
One of the saddest features connected
with this financial failure was the loan he
obtained from Mr.. Vanderbilt of $150,000.