The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-25
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
Seen at Close Range

With the leading politicians OF coth
p~arties. Soon afterward, was ap-
pointed aid t the Governor. VIZ
the rank Of colonel. a title ny ~nle C
was generally known uh.ll l Mvr
on the bench Of the Supreme Coult
Of the State.
In March, 1869, soon after genera
Grant was inaugurated, l called on
him at the White House, in benaiA
of a friend. Toward the end OF our
interview he said to me: what can
| do for you personality" | thanked
him. but said frankly that l ola
not think * would be advisable Tor
me to accept any office that he coulo
afford to give to a man of my age.
He hesitated for a moment, and
| then asked me If l would like to go
go abroad, and that moreover, pc
lieved that most young men VINO
were educated abroad, or who hved
/ long abroad, became unified Tor
American life. He semed mucn
amused, but 1 do not remember that
he made eny comment
That evening. as his family had
not yet moyed into the White House,
l called at his home. Mrs. Grant
greeted me cordially, and said h
was sorry thai I had declined the po-
sition Of Secretary to the President.
was aStOnished. Mrs. Grant then
said that the General had told her
that I had declined the position; they
both regretted it, since they had hop
ed to have me with them.
/ replied that the General had
mentioned no particular place. and
that I had never dreamed Of his Of
fering such an office to me. At once
she asked will you take it w
l answered yes-that I could not de-
cline a post ion that would bring me
into such intimate relations with the
general.
She said that she would tell him,
and Immediately she wen over and
spoke to him. The General turned
and held out his hand; he declared
that he was glad | had accepted, and
told me hat 1 might return to North
Carolina to close my office as private
secretary to the Governor. and report
for duty when it was convenient.
served as assistant secretary fol
. about seven months: then, when
t lacked three months Of being twenty
one years, l was promoted to b.
D private secretary.
When he became President, Gen
eral Grant took with him to the Elk
I ecutive Mansion, as it was then call
ed, three members of his staff. Gen
t eral Dent. Porter and BabcocE
s Since the house was crowded, l occu
s pied a room with General Dent, VIII
It was Mrs. Grants brother and VIII
had been a claSsmate and rOom
n mate Of General Grants at Yves
v DIN 1t was the beginning Of
le warm friendship between us that We
" never broken.
Re Various matters that grew out (
the war, or that came with the chang
Mt from n administration to anothe
SIS brought enormous crowds to tn
+ White House. 1t was impossible fl
the President to see more than"
n small proportion Of his callers, ar
it was one of my duties to find O,
r who those people were, and wheth,
or not they had any real busine
a with the President. At that time I
ed one, outside Of a few special class
k, of visitors, could see the Presidel
at without first submitting the obje
wv of his visit to one Of the secretarie
lily The result was that, except for tho
lie who merely wished to shake han
d. with him, three-fourths Of the Gale
r. never saw the President.
k The method af admitting lar
e crowds for the President to recei
Standing had not then been ador
ne ed. General Grant sat at the he;
ed Of his Cabinet table, with a chs
TO on each side. If you were admit
,as at all, the President asked you
~ take a seat, and gave you a pate
IN hearing.
.ng The President was a good list en-,
so so good, that at times he was exs
aw perating. He could listen to a 10
statement without showing bv VIC
I or look the slightest indication Of
ter effect. He. could look at you a
nat through you, or into absolute +,
ON cancy, as best suited his mood; a
ter yet he was never discOurteous.
\ l had a mind that reflected deep
and, although this was less appare
an alert mind. He caught everythi
lily that was said, and, no matter h
q obscurely a remark was worded, I'm
Ices the speaker meant.
my The change from military TO G
surroundings made President CIR;
old. at first more reserved in his spec
lain than he would have been if re I
of been familiar with the ways Of 20
the clans. But although he was reese