The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-28

srctted IT, since they had hoped to
have mo with them.
replied that the general had men
TONED no particular place. and that
] had never dreamed or his onering
such an ONCE TO me. At once she
! asked: "Will you take IT nowT' an
swered ycs-that / could not decline
a position that would bring me into
such intimate relations with the gen
erai
She said that She would tell him.
ana immediately She went over ana
spoke 10 him. The general turned
and held out his hand he declared
that he was glad / had accepted. and
told me that ] might return to North
Carolina TO close my office as priva &c
secretary to the Governor, and report
for duty when ii was convenient. /
served as assistant secretary FOR
about seven months. then. when
lacked three months OF being twenty
one years, was promoted 10 be pri-
vate secretary.
When he became President, General
Grant took with him TO the executive
mansion. as IL was then called, three
mcr.bers Of his staff, Generals Dent.
Porter and Babcock. Since the house
was crowded. ] occupied a room with
General Dent, who Was Mrs. Grants
brother. and who had been q ciassinate
and roommate OF General Grants at
West Point. 1t was the beginning or
d warm friendship between US that was
never broken.
Meeting the Visitors.
Various matters that grew out OF
the war, or that came with the change
from one administration 10 another,
brought enormous crowds to the
White House. II was impossible for
the President 10 Sc more thcn a small
proportion Of his callers. and II was
one OF my duties TO find out who those
people were. and whether or not they
had any real business with the Presi-
dent
a; that time no one outside OF a
few special classes OF visitors. could
see the President without first submit
ting the object or his visit TO one OF
tile secretaries. The result was that.
except for those who merely wished
10 shake hands with him, three fOurths
OF the callers never saw the President.
The method Of admitting large
crowds for the President TO receive
standing had not been adopted. Cen
eral Grant sat at the head Of his Cab
met table. with a chair each side.
II you were admitted AT all. the Presi-
dent asked YOU 10 take seat, and
gave you a patient hearing.
The President was Il good listener:
SO good that at times he was eXaspe-
rating. He could listen 10 n long state
ment without showing By word or look
the slightest indication OF its effect.
He could look at you and through you.
or INFO absolute vacancy, AS best suit
ed his mood; and yet lie was never dis
courteous. He had mind that reflect
ed deeply, and, although this was less
apparent, an alert mind He caught
everything that was said. and no mat
ter how obscurely "A remark was word
ed. knew what the speaker meant.
The change from military TO civil
surroundings made President Grant at
first more reserved in his speech than
he would have been ii he had been
familiar with the ways OF politicians
But although he was reserved. he could
talk easily and accurately; he always
knew what he wished to say, and made
IL clear 10 others. To those who APP
preached him frankly and directly. he
talked with the same frankneSS, as far
as circumstances would permit; but
any attempt to beat round the bush
at once put him on his guard.
Kept Tab on Callers.
In my Office / took down upon sep
arate slip of paper the name of each
caller and n note that would remind
me of his business; if there was any
chance OF his seeing the President, I
asked him to call on the next recep-
ton day. After the office was closed
l submitted the slips to the President
briefly explaining them to him, and
wrote his answer on the back of each
slip.
OF course. II the business was i'm
portant. | at once took the matter to
the President: moreover, there were
many men whose business | did not
ask: / merely announced their pres
encc. Senator's and members of Con-
sress walked into the Presidents Of
fra hatt. .
of o and II. Often. if they came after
hours. when the President was out or
was engaged. they left some message
for him.
Usually when | took my notes to
the President, | explained them In u
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
icrs. II was thus that | learned the
true nature OF the man.
In our personal intercourse l nearly
always called General Grant simply
General" and used the title "Mr.
President only on formal occasions.
For years he had called me by my first
name; after ] became his secretary, he
usually called me Mr.. Douglas" pos
ably out OF regard for my youth, for
ings of others. Occasionally he re-
lapsed into the familiar Robert" but
do not remember his ever calling me
Colonel" suspect that he did not
value my militia title MS highly as +
did; and he may have felt that 1t did
not accord with the fitness of things
that man as young as I should by
honorary appointment outrank so many
veterans.
characteristics of Grant.
The qualities that impressed me most
deeply we're the simplicity and direct
ness of his character. and his unvary-
ing courtesy and kindness TO those who
were under him. No employee had any
hesitation in speaking to him, and his
secretaries felt free to express their
opinion on any subject. He listened to
us patiently and then followed his own
Judgment. 1t was hard to change him
after he had once made up his mind
not hecauae he had pride OF opinion.
but because of the force of his con-
victions.
II he were convinced that he had