The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-25

mind me OF his u tneIe VOC
anv chance OF his seeing the Preaoent
dent. I asked him to- a on the nex
~recention day. After the ONCE was
hosea r e,hmitte ed the slips to the
president. briefly explained them 10
him and wrote his answer On the
back Of each slip.
OF course, II the business was I'M
pcrtant, I al once took the matteF ~
the PRESIDENT; moreover. there were
many men whose business l ola not
ask: I merely their pres
ence Senators n members OF con
gress walked into h Presidents OF
fee ~unannounced between the hours
OF ten and twelve. OFTEN, II they
came after hours, when the President
was out or was engaged, they LETT
some message for him.
Usually, when I took my notes TO
the President, I explained them in a
few words, and he quickly DECIDED
which callers he would see; but that
did not always end our interview;
Frequently the subjects suggested
| ideas to him, and if he felt in the
mood, he would talk on general mat
| tiers, It was thus that I learned the
true nature of the man.
In our personal intercourse I neaN-
IL always called General Grant SIM
ply General" and used the title
"Mr. President" only on formal oc-
c~asions. Fol years he had called me
by my first name; after I became his
secretary he usually called me Mr..
Douglas" possibly out Of regard for
my youth, for he was very cOnsid-
crate of the feelings Of others Oc-
~casionally he relapsed into the famil-
lar Robert" but / do not remember
his ever calling me Colonel" l
suspect that he did not value my
| ~o;1i{;o %;f1N n q hi~h1, q q T 1id. md ho
may ave felt that it did not accord
with the fitness of things that a man
as young as I should by honorary ap-
pointment outrank SO many veter-
ans.
characteristics of Grant.
The qualities that impressed me
most deeply were the simplicity and
directness Of his character, and his
unvarying courtesy and kindness to
those who were under him. No en-
ployee had any hesitat ion in speak
ing to him, and his secretaries felt
free to express their opinion on any
subject. He listened to us patient
ly and then followed his own judg-
ment 1t was hare to change his
after he had once made up his mind,
not because re had pride of opinion,
but because of the force Of his con
victionS.
IF he were convinced that he haG
| made a mistake, especially if it in
: volved an injustice to Others. hi
l promptly corrected it as far as lay
within his power. A United State:
. marshal who had been removed from
office and who had afterward beer
indicted was prompt ~ acquitted wheI
his case came to trial. The Presiden
thought that some reparation SHOULD
be made to the mar because he ha(
been indicted unjustly, and since hi
position haG been filed, the Presiden
. gave him another important position
. II he had merely been removed from
office that probably would have bee,
On one occasion I carried in In,
names OF two men whose bushes
- seemed important. AS soon as thei
- names were mentioned the Presiden
said, Eyes, I know what they want
n | cannot see them" He the
- said that these two men and some O
- their friends had persuaded him t
d remove two prominent officials i
their State, and to appoint them t
the vacancies; that the ones who ha
been turned out had convinced hir
that he had made a mistake, where
upon he had promptly reappointe
NJ them; and that the men who had no,
ct come to see him wanted the occu
- pants turned out again Il NAV hav
60 done wrong" he added, but I hay
done the best I could, and l canne
80 reopen the matter"
Once a Senator called just befo1
pc ; o'clock and remained with til
20 President for more than an hour. q
- was an able man. but he was ono
I'D those Senators who, Senator Nanf
~ said could be counted on to emp1
cd the Senate in two minutes and a ha
- in case Of fire.
mt After he had left. the President =
marked with an air OF resignatie
er, such as he sometimes showed, tn;
u.s. ne mad q pad and hs
ng wanted 70 take q ride, but that Il
I'd senator was a good man whose fee
its ings he did not like to hurt By lea
nd ing him abruptly. Since the Sen
va tors business was SOon done. II
nd President expected him to leave
any minute.