The National tribune., 1903-02-05


evening in Governor Burnside's -parlor,
when 1 was one of delegation who had
come from Hartford to Invite him to that
city. AS we were talking with him ia
miliarly, Mayor Doyle, of Providence,
came in to say that large delegation of
citizens was outside, having come to sere-
made the President. Governor Burnside at
once stepped to the front window, which
opened from the floor, and, throwing 1t
up. stood there with the President while
the band serenaded. Mayor Doyle pre-
scented the greetings of the assembled cit
liens to the President, who bowed his
Acknowledgements. The crowd then clam
ored for a speech. Governor Burnside
said, in response, as the President stood
silent by his side:
. you know, fellow-citiZens, that the
President doesn't make speeches"
80, Gen. Grant, do just say two words
to u.s." cried an enthusiastic voice.
: 81 won't" responded Gen. Grant, in a
quiet, firm tone, without moving muscle
Of his face. The mans request for lust
two words was granted, and the Presi-
dent had not made speech.
=. The Hon. Z. A. Rollins. who was Com
missioner of Internal Revenue at Wash
eingt0n while Gen. Grant was Acting Sec
rotary of War, gave me another lllustra-
ton Of this power of Gen. Grant. A man
In New York had been urged on Mr.. Rol-
Inns, by a distinguished statesman of the
day, for an important position in his De-
partment. Wanting to know about the
man, he went to Gen. Grant and asked
him if he knew him. The General said
he did
q. I'm urged to appoint MIN to a respon-
sible position in the Revenue Department,
General. What do you think of his fit
for MI ~ aSEo1 Mr. Rnl,
Inns.
well" said Gen. Grant, eff had to
choose between taking hin or making at
a venture into Sing Sing-Fd try the
SCOOP
Although he was not accustomed to
show emotion, and was supposed by many
to be regardless of adverse criticism, Gen.
Grant was sensitive to the opinion of
others, and felt deeply the misjudgment
of his spirit and motives by those who
ought to have understood him better.
Being with him in a private car, on
one occasion, during the second term of
his Administration, | sat near him while
nc one else was by, and ventured to speak
of the love which l, in common with his
old soldiers generally, bore him, in view
of what he had been to US and to our
country when he was all the world to US
all. My words seemed to touch his heart,
and to start him on a train of thought
about the popular judgments of his course.
As he thanked me for my grateful words,
he continued, in kind of personal solilo-
Quizing:
Il don't wonder that people differ from
me, and that they think j am not doing
the best that could be done. l can I'M
derstand how they may blame me for a
lack of knowledge or judgment. But what
hurts me is to have them talk as if l
didn't love my country, and wasn't doing
the best / knew how"
: Then his thoughts seemed to go back to
former days, as he continued his solilo-
Quy:4
> TT was just that way in war time. I
didn't do as well as might have been done.
"A great many times / didn't do as well
as / was trying to do. Often l didn't
do as well as 1 expected to do. But I
had my plans, and l was trying to carry
them out. They called me Fool and
Butcher they said l didn't know any
thing, and hadn't any plans. But l kept
on, and they kept on, and by and by
Richmond was taken, and l was at Ap-
pomattox Court House, and then they
couldn't find words enough to praise me"
Then he returned to present days, in
his quiet soliloquy:
Il suppose it will be so now. In spite
of mistakes and failures, shall Keep at
it. By and by We'll have specie 2 'yments
resumed: reconstruction will be complete;
good feeling will be restored between the
North and the South we shall be at Ap-
pomattoS again-and then l suppose
they'll praise me-"
That soliloquy of Gen. Grant gave me
glimpse into his great heart. l knew
better than before how he felt, how he
endured, how he trusted, and how he
hoped; and loved him more than ever.
PRESIDENT GRANTS MESSAGE TO THE
CHILDREN OF THE UNITED STATES.
In a message to the people Of the United
States, in the early days of cur Centennial
scar, President Grant invited the churches
Of all denominations to make some special
recognition of the occasion in their public
services on the Sunday nearest to July 4
1876, with q view to impressing its les.
sons on the community. At this l ven.
tured to write to the President suggesting
that the lessons of our Centennial year
would have practical value, in proportion
as they were impressed on the minds and
hearts OF the children Of the country, who
could do most in making them effective in
the first third of our second century In
view of this, l asked him if he would not
send message to that effect to the chill
dren of our country through the columns
of the principal undenomination weekly
Sunday school paper in this country, which
! edited. Promptly he acceded to my re
quest, and sent a message as follows:
Washington, June 6, 1876.
To the Editor of The Sunday Schoo
Times, Philadelphia:
Your favor of yesterday, asking a mes
sage from me to the children and youth Of
the United States, to accompany your Cen
tennial number, is this moment received.
My advice to Sunday-schools, no mat
ter what their denomination, is: Hold fas
10 the Bible as the sheet-anchor of you
liberties; write its precepts in your hearts
and practice them in your lives.
To the influence Of this Book are W,
indebted for all the progress made in tru,
civilization, and to this we must look a
our guide in the future.
righteousness exaiteth nation; bu
Bin is reproach to any people"
Yours, respectfully,
U. s. GRANT.
The influence of this unique message O
q President of the United States was YER
great, copied as it was into well-nigl
every paper, religious and secular, in tn
United States. The appropriateness O
the Bible text quoted by him at the clos
of his message was recognized by al
Twenty years later the same text wa
quoted by Gen. James Longstreet, in
public letter, with reference to a grea
political issue then before the country. o.
the reading of that letter, Gen. o. @
Howard, being present, remarked:
81 know how that text suggested itsel
to Gen. Longstreet; it is written on til
walls of our chapel at West Point, owe
the desk. Every cadet remembers that"
So it seems that Gen. Grant recalled
out of his early memories when he CON
vnandad II nc a lesson IN the Young naonl