Evening journal., 1913-06-04
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Evidence That General Grant
Wrote His Own Messages
BY Holland

The late jeremiah Wilson, who for
some years Immediately after the
Civil War represented one of the In
diana districts in Congress, was es-
teemed by his colleagues as worthy
TO rank with the ablest members of
the lower house After Mr.. Wilson's
retirement from Congress he began
the practice of law at Washington.
in partnership with the late Samuel
Shellabarger, who served many years
in Congress during and after the
Civil War and was numbered among
the ablest members of that body.
Mr. Shelabarger was one of the
members of the house committee
chosen to represent that body in the
impeachment trial of President
Andrew Johnson before the Senate.
General Grant, when President, was
brought constantly into intimate re
lations with Mr.. Shellabarger and
learned TO esteem the congressman
highly both for his personal and for
his Intellectual qualifications.
Some time in June. 1896. ] spent an
hour or two with Judge Wilson in
his Office at Washington and he told
me many things of interest about his
old colleague and law partner
"Shellabarger was very fond Of
General Grant" he said He be-
lieved that General Grant was not
fully appreciated while serving III
the presidency. He often told me
that i'm private conservation General
Grant was as interesting a man as
he had ever conversed with
81 remember once hearing Shella-
barger say that he had on one occa-
sion abundant opportunity for learn
ing that the various stories then in
circulation that General Grant always
/ had to depend upon somebody else
| than himself TO write his messages,
or. at least, so to give them good
literary form, were absolutely incor-
rect.
Il do not now recall" said Judge
| Wilson, what the practice measure
before Congress was, the considera-
ton of which gave to Shellabarger
the opportunity to learn that Gen
eral Grant was abundantly able to
write his own messages. The sub
! iect had something 10 do with the re-
construction troubles In the South
! I do recall that Congress- proposed
to give the President power to sus-
| pend the writ Of habeas corpus II in
/ his judgment there we're occasion for
this action. I'm some Of the Southern
States where disorders we're report
ed
"Shellabarger told me that he was
one day asked to go and see Gen
eral Grant and TO urge him TO senC
a message to Congress recommend
ing this legislation with respect t
disorders In the South.
no, ..fI ~ l,r i,
call upon the President at the Whit
House that evening He was as
tonished to learn that General Gran
was then In the Presidents room a
the capitol. He thereupon went 4
the Presidents room and he foun
several Senators and two or tire
members OF the lower House I'm earn
est conversation with Grant. The
we're all seated around the Presl
dents table.
"Shellabarger heard General Gran
say that he was greatly opposed :
aending message of that kind
Congress. He was afraid that sue
action would tend TO increase rathe
than lessen political disorders In th
South He wanted peace He absc
lutely declined to write a messag
of this kind.
"Then some one said 10 the Pres
dent that it might happen that h
would be called upon 10 use his g,
ecutive authority IN dealing with pC
litical troubles In the South. and fc
that reason Il would be a great de;
better II he were authorized by Cor
gress to act in this way than b
OBLIGED TO act Independently of Cor
gress.
"Shellabarger told me that II wa
easy to see that this argument hs
made a profound impression upo
General Grant He sat for a fe
moments IN absolute silence eviden
~ intently absorbed with his ov
thoughts.
AT last the President ssid that m
argument had put the matter hefol
him In a new ligh. and for that rel
son he was ready TO prepare a me
sage TO Congress recommending u
legislation After a moments thoug
the President added that he might
well write the message then al
there as TO wait until he got ba,
TO the White House.
"Shellabarger told me that they 2
stood around watching General Ora
as he wrote rapidly. apparently n
conscious OF their presence.
filed three or four sheets of lett
paper Then. having finished q
] draft he read II over He did n
r change a word or scratch out a lin
He said he would Immediately send
to Congress. and he did so.
Z "Shellabarger said that as soon
! the message was printed he obtain
n copy He read II carefully. al
found IL TO be an admirable spccim
Of clear thinking and OF pure. luC
English. From that day Sheilabarg
e never doubted that Grant really DC
sessed the literary gift which W
afterWard so splendidly exemplih
in his personal memoirs"
e Copyright 1913. by r. J Edwarl
: All rights reservedl
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards vill =
3 .r-lt,s- ~ -----, NJ. 4