The Indianapolis journal., 1896-10-25
WHEN GRANT MET LINCOLN.
The Memorable Event Occurred at q
White House Public Reception.


Gen. Horace Porter, in the Century.
On the evening of March the President
and Mrs Lincoln gave public reception
at the White House. which L attended The
known as the blue room, with several Cab
met officers near him, and shook hands cor
daily with everybody as the vast process
sion of men and women passed in front OF
him. He in evening dress and wore
a turned-down collar a size too large. The
necktie was rather broad and aWkwardly
tied He was more of a Hercules than an
Adonis. His height of six feet four inches
enabled him to look over the heads OF most
of his visitors. His form was ungainly and
the movements of his long, angular arms
and legs bordered at times upon the gro
tionately small. His face wore a general
expression Of sadness, the deep lines 1ndi-
eating the sense of responsibility which
weighed upon him; but at times his fea,
lures lighted up with a broad smile, and
there a merry twinkle in his eyes as
he greeted an old acquaintance and ex-
changed a few words with him in a tone of
familiarity. He had sprung from the COM
mon people to become one of the most un-
position on his right. For time sne
stood on line with him and took part in
the reception, but afterwards stepped back
and conversed with some of the wives OF
the Cabinet officers and other personal ac-
Quantances who were in the room. At
about half past nine O'Clock d sudden COM
motion near the entrance to the room at
tracted general attention, and, upon look
ing in that direction / was surprised to
with the rest of the crowd toward Mr..
Lincoln. He had arrived from the West
that evening, and had come to the White
House to pay. his respects to the Presi-
dent. He had been in Washington but once
before, when he visited it for day soon
after he had left West Point. Although
these two historical characters had never
met before, Mr.. Lincoln recognized the
General at once from the pictures he had
seen of him. With a face radiant with de-
light he advanced rapidly two or three
steps, toward his distinguished visitor and
Well, this is a great pleasure, | assure
you at the same time seizing him by the
hand and shaking it for several minutes
with vigor which showed the extreme
Cordiality of the welcome.
The scene now presented was deeply i'm
pressive. Standing face to face for the flrst
time were the two illustrious men whose
names will always be inseparably assoc1-
ated in connection with the war of the re-
bellion. Grants right hand grasped the
lapel of his coat; his head was bent slightly
forward and his eyes upturned toward
Lincoins face. The President, who was
eight inches taller, looked down with BEAM
ing countenance upon his guest. Although
their appearance, their training, and their
characteristics. We're in striking contrast,
h yet the two men had many traits in COM
mon and there were numerous points of
resemblance in their remarkable careers.
Each was of humble origin, and had been
compelled to learn the first lessons of life
in the severe school of adversely. Each
had risen from the people, possessed an
abiding confidence in them, and always re-
tanned a deep hold upon their affections.
Each might have said to those who were
inclined to sneer at his plain origin what a
marshal of France who had risen from the
ranks to dukedOn1, SAID to the hereditary
mobiles who attempted to snub him in Vien-
ma: Il ancestor; you are only de-
scendants' In a great crisis of their coun-
tryS history both had entered the public
service from the same State Both were
conspicuous for the possession of that most
uncommon OF all virtues, common sense.
Both despised the arts of the demagogue,
and shrank from posing for effect. or in
n rifDrr in O
chara cteristics differed, they only served
to supplement each other, and to add still
greater strength to the cause for which
they strove. With hearts toe great for riv-
airy, with souls untouched by Jealousy,
they lived to teach the world that it is time
to abandon the path of ambition when it
becomes SO narrow that two cannot walk
it abreast.
The statesman and the soldier conversed
for few minutes. and then the President
presented his distinguished guest to Mr..
Seward. The Secretary of State was very
demonstrative in his welcome, and after
exchanging few words led the general to
where Mrs. Lincoln was standing and pre-
much surprise and pleasure at the meet
ing, and she and the general chatted to-
gether very pleasantly for some minutes.
curious to catch a sight of the general that
their eagerness knew no bounds, and they
became altogether unnanageable. Mr.. Sc
wards consummate knowledge of the wiles
OF diplomacy now came to the rescue and
saved the situation. He succeeded in
general until they reached the large East
room, where the people could circulate
more freely This however, was only a
temporary relief. The people by this time
had worked themselves up to a state of
surged. and swayed, and crowded until
alarm felt for the safety of the ladies'.
Cries now arose of Grant! Grant! Grant,
Then came cheer after cheer. Seward,
after some persuasion. induced the general
to stand upon a sofa, thinking the Wis
itors would be satisfied with view of him
and retire: but soon as they caught
sight of him their shouts were renewed,
and a rush was made to shake his hand.
The President sent word that he and the
Secretary of War would await the gen.
erals return in one of the small drawing
rooms. but it was fully an hour before he
was able to make his way there, and then
only with the aid of several officers and
ushers
The story has been circulated that at the
conference which then took place, or at the
in terview the next day. the President and
the Secretary of War urged General Grant
to make his campaign toward Richmond
by the overland route. and finally persuad-
ed him 70 do so. although he had set forth
the superior advantages of the water route.
There is not the slightest foundation for
this rumor. General Grant some time aft
er repeated to members of his staff just
what had taken place. and no reference
whatever made to the choice of these
two routes.