The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-27
RETURN OF GEN. GRANT
ARRIVES AT NEW YORK on THE
TRANSPORT MCPHERSON.
Speaks Well of the People of Porto
Rico, and Says He Will Sail for
Manila on May 3.

NEW YORK, April 26.-Brig. Gen. Fred
erick ID. Grant, who has been. for some
months. military governor of Porto Rico,
with his wife and his staff, arrived here to-
night on the United States army transport
Mcpherson. He is in the best of health.
Mrs. Grant, who has lived with her hus-
band in the southern camps and in the West
Indies. is not very rugged, still she had no
complaint to make about army life.
After landing at Pier 5, East river, from
the army tug Katherine Francesca, Gen.
Grant said: Porto Rico is a beautiful
island and will be a valuable acquisition TO
the United States. The natives there treated
me with extreme cordiality. They are nat
urally a peace-loving people and all chance
Of friction will vanish when they under
stand us better. The recommendations OF the
insular commission, the last member OF
which, General Kennedy, returned home
with me, will put an end TO complaints
about the taxation ana other civil matters
concerning the island. There was no trouble
in Porto Rico after l got there, and, in COIL
sequence, my mission was not what can be
considered an active one from the stand
point OF a fighting man. Instead OF finding
enemies, all the people 1 met were friends,
who treated me royalty everywhere l went
and when 1 was leaving gave me a grand
send-off.
Il am now under orders to proceed to
Manila, and expect TO leave for the Philip
pines from San Francisco on May ). l have
just heard the report that Gen. Guy V.
Henry, the governor general Of Porto Rico,
has asked TO be relieved on account OF Ill
health, and that dispatches from Washing
ton state that, in view Of the appointment
OF his successor. my assignment to Manila
has been held up and some of my friends
are urging my promotion to the vacancy.
Thus far my orders have not been counter
manded, and feel sure that l will not be
sent back to Porto Rico. / am delighted
at the prospects of going TO the Philippines,
where there is an active campaign in prog
le SIS, which bids fair to last Ior some time
to come. The rebels must be subdued be-
fore much good can result from our pos
sessions in the far East. 1t may take a lot
of men, but they must be put down.
General Grant said that tomorrow ne
would attend the unwilling of the monument
to his father at Philadelphia, and that pos
sibly he would go on TO Wasnington. He
would, however, return TO New YORK on Fiji
day and complete his arrangements and
proceed without delay TO the Paclnc coast,
so as to catch the army transport, which Is
scheduled to leave San francisco on May D.
General Kennedy, president OF the lnsulaI
commission, said that the complaints OIL tne
natives of Porto Rico were t~horoughly IN
CURED into by the commission, ana al mat
tiers of taxation, schools ana highways
which are at present subjects OIL discussion
will be remedieu by the recommendation
which will be submitted to the Washington
officials.
on the Mcpherson besides General Grant
his wife and staff and General Kennedy
were Major Ref and 800 soldiers, discharged
and furloughed members OF the Ele'enln
and Ninteenth United States infantry.