GENERAL GRANT.

‘Grant’s whole person bore the impress of tena-
cious will and courage. These qualities the whole
country soon came to know and the business men
counted on them when they had him for President.
“Property is timid,” but there were no alarms
while Grant held fast what the war had secured.

Because I was always met by friendly welcomes
and because I was sure of favorable hearing I
refused to be a channel of requests; it is a luxury
to a man in power to know persons who do not
wish to make use of him; but I made the excep-
tion for two very young men. The way in which
the President felt and granted their wishes will let
you see, as I did, into General Grant’s inner
nature.

One was a small request, but involved the influ-
ences that for some years would shape a young life.

The personal character of the commanding
officer of a man-of-war makes the tone of the ship.
It can be all for good as with the brave and good
Admiral Foote and the generous-natured Farragut,
and, almost universally it is a responsibility felt
and acted on by elder officers; but there are some,
very few, who use power as a weapon of offence.
To hope for courtesy or fairness from these would
be to lean on a broken reed, and constant injustice
develops the bad side, all the more in natures
that are open and generous.

A case came to me where a midshipman about
to make his first long cruise was warned that his
“ billet”? would be on a ship subject to the vexa-
tions and disadvantages from such a commander.
If he could be ordered to a certain other ship
everything would be the charming opposite. There
was no time to lose and I went to the Secretary of
the Navy to ask this transfer of orders. He was
out of town. Then I went to the President and
was taken at once into the Cabinet room — where
as achild I used to go with my father, and be with
another general the people remember, General
Jackson.

The President was quite alone ; I explained my
visit at once, telling him why I ventured to bring
so small a matter before him,and he went up high
in my esteem by his feeling that nothing that
influenced a young man’s character could be of
small account. As he spoke he drew paper to
him and began writing what was needed; sending
also for a messenger to take it over to the Navy
Department, with a verbal message that I was

251

waiting there with him, and he would be obliged if
the papers could be made out at once — “ It will
take about half an hour,” he said. Then he stopped
writing ‘to ask if it must be that ship more than
another— for it was to a flagship my youngster
wished his orders. “ You know,” said the President,
“T ought not to interfere in the personal surround-
ing of the admiral — it is like the staff of a general
and should be of his own choosing.” I liked this
complete grasp of the whole idea; not only the
chief consideration (to me) of several years of good
or of unfavorable influences but the quick remem-
bering of what was due to others also.

I showed him the letter asking this special mid-
shipman should be sent to that ship. Two of their
midshipmen had resigned and their Admiral had
given them the selection of those to fill the vacan-
cies (which shows his considerate amiable ways ).
The letter was from a young officer, a warm-hearted
Western lad who was a favorite with us. He said,
“the admiral told us to please ourselves as we had
to be so long together, and he wanted no rough-
joins but to have all work smooth among us. We
each put in our names and I put in Jack’s. Al-
though he is a class below ours nearly every vote
was for him and the Admiral agreed to both our
selections.”

“That settles it,” said the President, “ Jack shall
go,” and finishing his writing quickly sent it off.

His eye had caught the next words in the letter
and with a smile he asked, “‘ May I read this about
the pretty girl with the peaches and cream com-
pléxion?” and read it all—smiling: “it takes me
back to my cadet days. They have a happy time
over there,” and he spoke with real feeling of the
pleasure it was to see young people happy. “ My
little Nelly” (with such a tender tone in his voice),
was having her first visit to England. He was
gratified by the attentions given her and by her
manner of receiving them. She was like himself
for simplicity although more gay of nature than he
could ever have been; then with an entire change
of voice, “I can stand anything the papers say of
me, but my little Nelly!” and he stopped; then
after a long breath, “I cannot stand their saying
things against her.”

It was the week before his second election and
he talked with perfect openness of the chances;
there were chances against, and he did not under-
value them. Something was referred to which