The age-herald., 1900-10-24
COL. JOHNS. .MOSBY'S
 POLITICAL CHANGES
His Change to RepubIicanism At- tributed to Gen. Grants Kind
 ness to Mrs. MoSby.

From the Augusta (Ga.) Herald.
 Mir. P. J. Sullivan spent his spinner va cation in the section of Virginia where the famous Confederate John Mosby, lived and achieved fame. It has always been a mat ter of conjecture why Mosby, whose every pulse-beat was inspired by devotion to the South should have abandoned the Demo- cratic party and gone over to the Republi- cans. In many quarters it has been a matter of chagrin. Those who knew the real cause of Mosby's defection, however, not only condone, but applaud, his course, and point to the fact that his conduct was in keeping with the whole tenor of his life.
 When Lee was at last compelled to lay down his arms, Mosby for a long time re- fused to surrender He ceased hostilities but still carried his pistols To all venture some inquiries on the part of the Federals he calmly replied that he would surrender when he was personally informed by Lee that the was indeed over
 His was but a half-hearted surrender, after all He always wore his Confederate uniform. Once while he and his old fol- lower Frank Carter-then a mere strip Gng-were in a barbers shop, a sergeant and his guard entered and informed Mosby that he had orders from his superior officer
  coat The colonel arose and quietly re- quested permission to wash the father from his face, which was given He put his coat but when his hands came forward there was pistol in each one.
 'Gentlemen, he said, T attach no blame to you. l understand that you are merely bere to execute the orders of your superior officer. Proceed. gentlemen, to do your duty"
 It was a grim urbanity, indeed, with his two pistols and those of Carter pointing in the faces of the frightened detachment, so they chose the better part of valor with a quiekstep alacrity. Alosby and Carter mounted their horses, rode rapidly through Leesburg and into safety.
 This was but one illustration of the petty annoyances to which he was continually | subjected. It was claimed that he had been | a guerrilla and was not entitled to the gen. eral amnesty. He specifically excepted and his former enemies, whom he had so often humiliated and made ridiculous, which was worse than defeating them, were anxious for his punishment The lust for office and patronage had raised up a horde of scallawags and carpet-baggers in the community where he lived. They did everything in their power to harass and an- noy him, thinking that thereby they would ingratiate themselves with the authorities at Washington.
 This state of affairs became uncomfortable. The wife of Mosby, a noble specimen of Virginia womanhood, determined to go to Washington and intercede with President Johnson. But the Tennessee Republican was then trembling with the threat of inn peaehment and was by no means inclined to prejudice his cause by act of kindness to a Confederate officer whom the Union lsts detested so cordially. What was worse, he treated the fair ambassador with cour- tesy so scant that it was almost insulting. When Mosby heard of this, all the blood in lis chivalric veins grew hot and he swore would the government.
 Nominally, he was under the protection of certain Federal officers who were de- tailed for that purpose. While he and Car ter were at Alexandria he said to the off, cers: Gentlemen, don't trouble any fur ther about us. Give horses, and we will take care of ourselves"
 The request was granted. The two borsemen rode out of town. Even their enemies knew that they were, indeed, able to take care of themselvs. They passed out of the town unmolested, and Mosby went to his home.
 Time went on, but matters did not i'm prove. There was always danger in the air. The good wife lived high tension of apprehension all the time. One day she announced her intention of going to Wash ington to see Grant. The proud and high strung old war-horse swore that she should not. He repeated his determination to ask no more favors of the government. But Mrs Mosby was made out of some of the same stern stuff as her husband She was resolute Quietly she was driven to the station, and she went to Washing ton, where she was promptly given an audience with Grant. He received her with | marked courtesy, and spoke of her husband 1 in generous terms such one brave man l so naturally uses toward another He | heard her pathetic story, and immediately l issued a general order extending to Colonel l Mosby the benefits of the amnesty. He 1 went further, and asked her if there was | anything more he could do
 When she returned home and informed her husband of what she had done and de- tailed to him the gentle and courteous man ner in which she had been received, the old warriors heart melted with gratitude It was not for the benefits accorded him that he felt so much gratitude. But his manly gallantry compared the manner m which his wife had been received with the coldness of Johnson, and this touched his very soul.
 He went to Washington in person and thanked General Grant From that day forward they were fast friends. When Grant was a candidate for election and was opposed by Horace Greeley Colone9 Mosby frankly said between soldier and a Democrat who had become 9 repub- hean and an Abolitionist Democrat such as Greeley was, he would go with the Sol dier.
 Grant made him consul genera. to Hong Kong, and afterward apointed him general counsel for the Union Pacific Railroad. a position he now holds out in San FrancIs- CO
 Such is the story hitherto. unwrfttH.. of Mosby's conversion to the Republican par