The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18
BY GEN. CHARLES H. T. COILS.

During n quarter of q century OF eventful
American history ttore wero three occasions
upon which the entire people passed through
. period Of intenss suspense. awaiting the com
ing of the sad but the inevitable. IN April,
1885. tho nation utterly abandoned its daily
vacations. patiently awaiting for hours the
mournful summons to the grave OF the immor-
tai Lincoln. In 1881. from midsummer until
autumn, a Borrowing people. hoping against
hope, wept at the deathbed OF James A. Gar
field. And four years later, from waking till
sleeping. tle one item OF intelligence which
dulled all others was the slowly but surely
passing away of Ulysses $. Grant.
had served with Grant. near his hendauRr-
ters. fro = the Wilderness to A~ppomattox. In
she political campaign OF 1868 which made him
President, as Chairman OF the State
Of Soldiers and Sailors Of Pennsylvania, | had
confidential and ch 20 relations with him: as
President. | had occasion to meet him fre-
auently at the White House and at the homes
OF Mr.. Fish aud Mr.. Robson. two members of
his Cabinet, and | had been intrusted by him
with n delicate mission u3on ono Of my trips
Abrond. | therefore had exceptional opportuni.
ties to acounint m,srlf with his chara steris-
tics. and these naturally drew me to him. and
I grew fonl OF him.
1t was on the 9th of May. 1884. while en-
gagged upon the door Of the New York Stock
Exchange. Of wi ich l was then n member. that
the news reached us Of the failure of the Ma
rine Bank. Knowing, as we all did. that the
firm with which Gen. Grants name had been
associated was CLOSELY identified with this insti-
tuition. ] telegra"lied over my private wire to
the remarkable man who ii that moment con-
trolled the market these words:
To permit Gen. Grant to 40 down ia this crash
would be a national calamity. Yon can avert It.
To which | instantly received the cold and
unsentimental reply:
Gen. Grant wa no business man. The failure of
his nrm will have no Influence.
That evening, as was my duty . I spent at
the house OF Gen. Grant in East Sixty-slxth
street. He was en- crutches. suffering from the
result. l think. Of an accident. The afternoon
papers had announced with catching headlines
the failure OF his firm. Wall street wa, on the
verge OF panic. The paper boys were shouting
tho news through the streets. Everybody
seemed to appreciate the calamity which had
overtaken the successful leader of the Union
armies. excepting the man himself. l sat with
him and his family'for nearly two hours. We
talked OF his campaigns. Of the representatives
OF the King of Siam. who about that time had
arrived In New York harbor. and many other
topics. With much difidence / at last intro
duced the subject closest to my heart his un.
fortunate financial catastrophe-and to my
amazement he assured me IL would not have
--
uapPe"eu IL NC d oeen aoie 10 get doWn town
80 .A.' "'uu NC III straiEntehu out IN n
few days. Comforted by this statement. re-
ths thonah, ~, - s. ne u
ing any Of In. men who Quad 90 nn,h % IA.
Aid and p.tronag.
.t.r =, th...
with Gen Gran, simr,y ,hot =, waah.m-
80 10. -. - 80, ~ "~' " "huer-
"a wv, euoseaueh''S accept
w a.. 40 heinoer Oh the association
fee ne 'omo.
u s.orS Vi inc agony OF Mount McGreRor
10 100 well known. yes. and tou narrowing to be
repeated. The Grant of For: Donelson was a
surprise. The Grant Of Nicksburs was a reve-
lation. The Grant of the Wilderness was q
lasting lesson in strategy and logistics. The
Grant OF was absolutely unique.
Inc Grant OF the Geneva Arbitration was the
FOUNDER OF a new era. But the Grant Of Mount
b1CGreROr was the xrenteRt tTrant NJ all