Evening journal., 1910-08-06
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
One Of General Grants
Ways

BY "HOlIand."

When General Grant became Presi-
dent, one oI the countly's most famous
war governors" William A. suck
ingnam, OF Connecticut, became a
United States Senator, and almost at
once there sprang up between the two
men cordial relation tnat lasted until
Governor Buckingham death in 1875.
About a year after this friendship
had been formed, the President be-
came the guest of the Senator at his
home In Norwich. whose mayor he had
once been for four successive terms,
and that the people OF the town might
meet the head OF the nation Senator
buckingham gave large reception in
his honor.
Among the citizens introduced to
General Grant was a DR.. c. d. Web
ster. No sooner had the President
heard the name that he detained its
possessor. "On my staff, DR.. WeD-
ster," explained the President. was
Colonel John Webster. He was one
OF the best STAFF officers / ever had,
and I always think OF him when
hear the name of Webster spoken"
"He was my brother" said Dr. Web
ster.
"Then I am more than ever pleased
TO meet you, Or. Webster" replied the
President, 'and, now that / come to
think OF IL, you must be the brother Of
whom / have heard Colonel Webster
speak as having served without remu-
neration I'm the hospital service OF the
Sanitary Commission"
Yes, Mrs. Webster and / were with
the Sanitary Commission throughout
the war" Dr. Webster answered. And
then. because the line behind was
pressing, the brief interview came to
an end.
Late that evening the President told
his host OF the pleasure he had
received from meeting Or. Webster
81 know something Of the very great
service he gave as a member of the
hospital staff Of the Sanitary Com
mission. whose work was of inesti-
mable value to the Union army" said
the President; and then he asked. rs
DR.. Webster practicing medicine here?"
In reply the President was told that
DR.. Webster was now bookkeeper on
small salary; that the prosperous
school he had founded and conducted
before the war had broken up when
he went with the Sanitary Commits
sion, and that, returning from the field,
he had been glad to get work as q
bookkeeper. "Ah," said the President,
meditatiyely, there have been many
such cases" And then the subject was
dropped
A few weeks later the President
returned to Washington. He had not
been there more than a week or ten
days when official announcement was
made that President Grant had ap-
pointed DR.. c. d. Webster, of Con-
necticut, United States consul at Shelf
field, England, at that time one of the
country's best-paying consulates. II
came as perfect surprise to all OF
Norwich, Senator Buckingham and
Or. Webster included. It was an ap-
pointment made entirely on the Presi-
dents own volition, and made. un-
doubtedly, that DR.. Webster might be
recompensed in some measure for the
loss of his school through his devo-
tion TO the cause Of the care of the
| Union soldier.
For fifteen years DR.. Webster served
as consul at Sheffield, and in all that
time he was not once on vacation.
When Grover Cleveland became Presi-
| dent he was disposed to continue the
doctor I'm that post, but political pres
sure against this policy was too great
for Mr.. Cleveland not to heed II and
regretfully he named a new man as
consul.
Copyright, 1910. by E. J. Edwards.
! All rights reserved.)