Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-24
The Grant Mausoleum.

came a war horse, shone like silk, and
there was a rapid, rhythmic beat of his
hoofs-the general, gloved and smoking,
saluting easily, in quiet, composed response
to universal admiring attention The man
on horseback was most striking figure,
and thought of that Belmont picture with
the billy goat beard, that had perverted
the American Imagination, contrasted with
this commanding horseman, with his close
cropped beard, and face like cast steel
whose lucky days" had lasted to this
more than imperial triumph. When next
saw Grant he was on the way from St.
Louis 10 Cincinnati, and it had been ar
ranged that he was to leave the cars at
Lawrenceburg and take a steamer that the
people might see him on the hurricane deck
and welcome him In the old way on
the river front. AS the general got out of
the car, wearing long duster he looked
surprisingly slight and as. we progressed
Up the river, after he had been given time
to put on clean shirt and get breakfast.
there was reception on deck and many
presentations. He was not apparently the
man l had seen on horseback, but there
was keen spark, like a bit Of bright met
al, In his eye when he was interested; and
tens of thousands of people blac kened both
shores OF the river on which he was born
in the city of his boyhood's dreams-and he
bowed impassively as the roar of the pop
ular reclamation swelled from side to side
and the steam whistles andcaliiopes sound
ed above the storm of multitudifio,ls
voices until the arch of the sky seemed TO
echo the applause.
Gen. Grant did not want to be Presi-
dent when the Office was first urged upon
him. He preferred to be the head of the
army, and his first contact with rough
politics while President Johnson was at
war with Secretary Stanton was so un-
pleasant that his repugnance to politicians
was augmented and almost embittered
For time Grant was very much in the
attitude toward the great office that Gen.
Sherman held afterward-that of one who
would not have the Dresidency-and there
We're many radical republicans who en-
Outraged the idea that Grants true place
was as the military not the civil head of
the army, because they had feeling that
he would not be subordinated, and might
take the big things into his own head
and hand. There was a curious dispute
about Grants politics, and doubts were
encouraged by some of those very near
him. Hints that Grant was a democrat
took many forms. He never had voted ex-
cept as a democrat. Those who thought
republican radicals wanted to go too far
thought perhaps the better way to head
them off was to push Grant into the presi-
dency; and strong current was estab-
lished for him, no matter what his party
was. There were democrats quite cocky
about him.
Gen. Frederick Dent put the question in
the course of an earnest conversation at
the Ebbitt House as to whether Grant
should be President: DO you think you
know what Gen. Grants politics are?"
eS, L am quite sure, was the reply
Dent was staggered a bit by the conf
dence of the response, and asked, sharp
ly: We'll, what do you say about it?"
II understand him to have always been in
favor of the United states"' Dent. who
had been seated, jumped up and ex-
tended his hand to this practical poll
tician and Journalist. saying. with warmth
Il never before heard the fact stated so
well and so briefly" OF course it did
not require much more than a mild &C
quaintance with the American people to
give knowledge that when Gen Grant
came out of the war the victorious com
handing general, and added to that the
supreme good sense with which he was
gifted at Appomattox, he must be Presi-
dent: and as the average American saw it,
the idea grew pleasant.
There were many who thought 1t pub
lie misfortune that while the country
needed, above all things, craftsmanship. it
was put into the hands of soldier whose
politics, SO far as the fine lines of public
policy were concerned, were vague: but
may be. after all. the best thing hap
pened. We had still Chase and Seward with
US, and Ben Wade and Sumner. But there
are times when 1t is good thing to have