The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
A GRANT STORY.
Told by Judge McGraw OF Fitzgerald,
Gu.

Told by Judge McGraw of Fitzg gerald,
On.
From the Chicago Tines Herald.
Judge MeGraw, as they call the pastor
of the Christian church at Fitzgerald, the
new town started by a Grand Army colo
ny down in Georgia, tells a good story
about Gen. Grant which shows that the
great commander had a tender heart.
The judge is a southerner, and he sided
with the confederates, but when the war
ended he quit fighting and accepted the
new order of things in good faith.
In point of fact, he joined the republican
party, and became a man of considerable
influence in local political circles.
one of his neighbors was a preacher who
boasted that he was an unreconstructed
rebel. He was on very friendly terms
with McGraw, but was always lecturing
him for abandoning the cause of the south,
and he seemed to regard 1t as his special
mission to make it hot for the new con-
vert.
The judge stood a good deal, for old ac-
quaintance sake, and because he really
liked his friend who was at heart a clever
man with many admirable qualities.
Andrew johnson went out, and Gen.
Grant was alected President, receiving dur
ing the campaign the active support of Nc
GraW.
Shortly after the election the secession
preacher visited his neighbor and had an
earnest talk with him.
Il am not willing" he said, ito live in
this country under a government with Gen.
Grant at its head
What do you propose TO dor" asked mis-
friend.
Il shall take my family was the reply,
land settle in Brazil. 1t is a fine country
and slavery is still in existence there 1
shall buy coffee plantation and become a
citizen of that country. An, emperor like
Don Pedro is better than Gen. Grant"
McGraw argued with him long and ear
nestly, but he could not persuade the con-
federate sympathizer to change his mind.
The bitter southerner carried out his res
olution He sold his property, and with
his wife and children went to Brazil after
strongly advising his associates to follow
his example.
This voluntary exile seemed to think that
he was doing a very patriotic and com
mendable thing, and he went off in proud
and even happy mood,
Judge McGraw at that time had not Ell
tered the ministry. He remained al home
engaged in business and politics, and in
course of time became well acquainted
with President Grant, and "a strong friend
ship grew up between the two.
AT the end of three or four years bad
news came from Brazil. The preacher
had been The victim of various mlsfortunes
He and his family We're made 20 feel that
they were strangers in a strange land
and the Braziiians did not treat them we'll
The new settlers We're swindled and on
pressed, and in their ignorance of the Ian
guage laws and customs of the country
they had no redress. Slavery was abolished
soon after their arrival, and they had to
utilize free negro labor.
The exile worked manfully, but he LOST
money on every hand, contracted debts
and finally he was Mortified to find he
was utterly helpless.
His creditors had no pity. They persa-
cuted the unfortunate man; sold his prop
erty, and under the law sold him and his
wife and children into penal servitude for
a term of years, or until their indebted
ness was settled.
This was the sad story which came IN
McGraw in a letter stained with tears
with the help of God and Gen. Grant
l will save those peopler exclaimed the
judge when he read the letter: and ne
kept his word.
He went to Washington and called al
the white house.
Without eoneealing a single fact, he