my memories of eighty years-第13节

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and　his　frankness　most　attractive。　　After　a　long　and　full　discussion；　the　president　said　the　Times　had　been　his　most　unsparing　critic；　but　he　was　forced　to　agree　with　much　the　Times　said；　that　he　had　sent　for　me　to　make　a　request；　that　he　had　come　to　the　presidency　without　any　preparation　whatever　for　its　duties　or　for　civic　responsibilities；　that　he　was　compelled　to　take　the　best　advice　he　could　find　and　surround　himself　with　men；　many　of　whom　he　had　never　met　before；　and　they　were　his　guides　and　teachers；　that　he；　however；　assumed　the　entire　responsibility　for　everything　he　had　done。　　He　knew　perfectly　well；　in　the　retrospect　and　with　the　larger　experience　he　had　gained；　that　he　had　made　many　mistakes。　'And　now；　Mr。　Jones；'　he　continued；　'I　have　sent　for　you　as　the　most　powerful　as　well　as；　I　think；　the　fairest　of　my　critics；　to　ask　that　you　will　say　in　your　final　summing　up　of　my　eight　years　that；　however　many　my　errors　or　mistakes；　they　were　faults　of　judgment；　and　that　I　acted　conscientiously　and　in　any　way　I　thought　was　right　and　best。'

〃I　told　the　president　I　would　be　delighted　to　take　that　view　in　the　Times。　　Then　the　president　said　that　he　would　like　to　show　his　appreciation　in　some　way　which　would　be　gratifying　to　me。　I　told　him　that　I　wanted　nothing　for　myself；　nor　did　any　of　my　friends；　in　the　line　of　patronage。　　Then　he　said　he　wanted　my　assistance　because　he　was　looking　for　the　best　man　for　United　States　district　attorney　for　the　district　of　New　York。　　With　my　large　acquaintance　he　thought　that　I　should　be　able　to　tell　him　whom　among　the　lawyers　would　be　best　to　appoint。　　After　a　little　consideration　I　recommended　you。

〃The　president　then　said：　　'Mr。　Depew　supported　Greeley；　and　though　he　is　back　in　the　party　and　doing　good　service　in　the　campaigns；　I　do　not　like　those　men。　　Nevertheless；　you　can　tender　him　the　office　and　ask　for　his　immediate　acceptance。'〃

I　told　Mr。　Jones　what　my　determination　was　in　regard　to　a　career；　and　while　appreciating　most　highly　both　his　own　friendship　and　the　compliment　from　the　president；　I　must　decline。

General　Grant's　mistakes　in　his　presidency　arose　from　his　possession　of　one　of　the　greatest　of　virtues；　and　that　is　loyalty　to　one's　friends。　　He　had　unlimited　confidence　in　them　and　could　not　see；　or　be　made　to　see；　nor　listen　to　any　of　their　defects。　　He　was　himself　of　such　transparent　honesty　and　truthfulness　that　he　gauged　and　judged　others　by　his　own　standard。　　Scandals　among　a　few　of　the　officials　of　his　administration　were　entirely　due　to　this　great　quality。

His　intimacy　among　his　party　advisers　fell　among　the　most　extreme　of　organization　men　and　political　machinists。　　When；　under　the　advice　of　Senator　Conkling；　he　appointed　Thomas　Murphy　coIlector　of　the　port　of　New　York；　it　was　charged　in　the　press　that　the　collector　removed　employees　at　the　rate　of　several　hundred　per　day　and　filled　their　places　with　loyal　supporters　of　the　organization。　This　policy；　which　was　a　direct　reversal　of　the　ideas　of　civil…service　reform　which　were　then　rapidly　gaining　strength；　incurred　the　active　hostility　of　civil…service　reformers；　of　whom　George　William　Curtis　was　the　most　conspicuous。

When　General　Grant　came　to　reside　in　New　York；　after　his　tour　around　the　world；　he　was　overwhelmed　with　social　attentions。　I　met　him　at　dinners　several　times　a　week　and　was　the　victim　of　a　characteristic　coldness　of　manner　which　he　had　towards　many　people。

One　St。　Patrick's　Day；　while　in　Washington；　I　received　an　earnest　telegraphic　request　from　Judge　John　T。　Brady　and　his　brother…in…law；　Judge　Charles　P。　Daly；　president　of　the　Society　of　the　Friendly　Sons　of　St。　　Patrick；　saying：　　〃The　Sons　are　to　have　their　greatest　celebration　because　they　are　to　be　honored　by　the　presence　of　General　Grant；　who　will　also　speak；　and　it　is　imperative　that　you　come　and　help　us　welcome　him。〃

I　arrived　at　the　dinner　late　and　passed　in　front　of　the　dais　to　my　seat　at　the　other　end；　while　General　Grant　was　speaking。　　He　was　not　easy　on　his　feet　at　that　time；　though　afterwards　he　became　very　felicitous　in　public　speaking。　　He　paused　a　moment　until　I　was　seated　and　then　said：　　〃If　Chauncey　Depew　stood　in　my　shoes；　and　I　in　his；　I　would　be　a　much　happier　man。〃

I　immediately　threw　away　the　speech　I　had　prepared　during　the　six　hours'　trip　from　Washington；　and　proceeded　to　make　a　speech　on　〃Who　can　stand　now　or　in　the　future　in　the　shoes　of　General　Grant？〃　I　had　plenty　of　time　before　my　turn　came　to　elaborate　this　idea；　gradually　eliminating　contemporary　celebrities　until　in　the　future　the　outstanding　figure　representing　the　period　would　be　the　hero　of　our　Civil　War　and　the　restoration　of　the　Union。

The　enthusiasm　of　the　audience；　as　the　speech　went　on；　surpassed　anything　I　ever　saw。　　They　rushed　over　tables　and　tried　to　carry　the　general　around　the　room。　　When　the　enthusiasm　had　subsided　he　came　to　me　and　with　much　feeling　said：　　〃Thank　you　for　that　speech；　it　is　the　greatest　and　most　eloquent　that　I　ever　heard。〃　He　insisted　upon　my　standing　beside　him　when　he　received　the　families　of　the　members；　and　took　me　home　in　his　carriage。

From　that　time　until　his　death　he　was　most　cordial；　and　at　many　dinners　would　insist　upon　my　being　assigned　to　a　chair　next　to　him。

Among　strangers　and　in　general　conversation　General　Grant　was　the　most　reticent　of　men；　but　among　those　whom　he　knew　a　most　entertaining　conversationalist。　　He　went　over　a　wide　field　on　such　occasions　and　was　interesting　on　all　subjects；　and　especially　instructive　on　military　campaigns　and　commanders。　　He　gave　me　as　his　judgment　that　among　all　the　military　geniuses　of　the　world　the　greatest　was　General　Philip　Sheridan；　and　that　Sheridan's　grasp　of　a　situation　had　no　parallel　in　any　great　general　of　whom　he　knew。

I　was　with　General　Grant　at　his　home　the　day　before　he　went　from　New　York　to　Mount　McGregor；　near　Saratoga；　where　he　died。　I　learned　of　the　trip　and　went　immediately　to　see　him；　and　was　met　by　his　son；　General　Frederick　D。　Grant。　　I　said　to　him：　〃I　learn　that　your　father　is　going　to　Mount　McGregor　to…morrow；　and　I　have　come　to　tender　him　a　special　train。〃

After　all　the　necessary　arrangements　had　been　made　he　asked　me　to　go　in　and　see　the　general。　　Before　doing　this　I　asked：　　〃How　is　he？〃　　〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃he　is　dying；　but　it　is　of　infinite　relief　to　him　to　see　people　whom　he　knows　and　likes；　and　I　know　he　wants　to　see　you。　　Our　effort　is　to　keep　his　mind　off　from　himself　and　interest　him　with　anything　which　we　think　will　be　of　relief　to　him；　and　if　you　have　any　new　incidents　do　not　fail　to　tell　him。〃

When　I　entered　the　room　the　general　was　busy　writing　his　〃Memoirs。〃　He　greeted　me　very　cordially；　said　he　was　glad　to　see　me；　and　then　remarked：　　〃I　see　by　the　papers　that　you　have　been　recently　up　at　Hartford　delivering　a　lecture。　　Tell　me　about　it。〃

In　reply　I　told　him　about　a　very　interesting　journey　there；　the　lecture　and　supper　afterwards；　with　Mark　Twain　as　the　presiding　genius；　concerning　all　of　which　he　asked　questions；　wanting　more　particulars；　and　the　whole　story　seemed　to　interest　him。　　What　seemed　to　specially　please　him　was　the　incident　when　I　arrived　at　the　hotel；　after　the　supper　given　me　at　the　close　of　my　lecture。　It　was　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　I　went　immediately　to　bed；　leaving　a　call　for　the　early　train　to　New　York。　　At　five　o'clock　there　was　violent　rapping　on　the　door　and；　upon　opening　it；　an　Irish　waiter　stood　there　with　a　tray　on　which　were　a　bottle　of　champagne　and　a　goblet　of　ice。

〃You　have　made　a　mistake；〃　I　said　to　the　waiter。

〃No；　sir；〃　he　answered；　〃I　could　not　make　a　mistake　about　you。〃

〃Who　sent　this？〃　I　asked。

〃The　committee；　sir；　with　positive　instructions　that　you　should　have　it　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；〃　he　answered。

〃Well；　my　friend；　I　said；　is　it　the　habit　of　the　good　people　of　Hartford；　when　they　have　decided　to　go　to　New　York　on　an　early　train　to　drink　a　bottle　of　champagne　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning？〃

He　answered：　　〃Most　of　them　do；　sir。〃

（Nobody　at　that　time　had　dreamed　of　the　Eighteenth　Amendment　and　the　Volstead　law。）

With　a　smile　General　Grant　then　said：　　〃Well；　there　are　some　places　in　Connecticut　where　that　could　not　be　done；　as　local　option　prevails　and　the　towns　have　gone　dry。　　For　instance；　my　friend；　Senator　Nye；　of　Nevada；　spoke　through　Connecticut　in　my　interest　in　the　last　campaign。　　Nye　was　a　free　liver；　though　not　a　dissipated　man；　and；　as　you　know；　a　very　excellent　speaker。　He　told　me　that　when　he　arrived　at　one　of　the　principal　manufacturing　towns　he　was　entertained　by　the　leading　manufacturer　at　his　big　house　and　in　magnificent　style。　　The　dinner　was　everything　that　could　be　desired；　except　that　the　only　fluid　was　ice…water。　　After　a　long　speech　Nye；　on　returning　to　the　house；　had　a　reception；　and　the　supper　was　still　dry；　except　plenty　of　ice…water。

〃Nye；　completely　exhausted；　went　to　bed　but　could　not　sleep；　nor　could　he　find　any　stimulants。　　So；　about　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　dressed　and　wandered　down　to　the　dining…room。　　The　head　of　the　house　came　in　and；　seeing　him；　exclaimed：　　'Why；　senator；　you　are　up　early。'　　Nye　replied：　　'Yes；　you　know；　out　in　Nevada　we　have　a　great　deal　of　malaria；　and　I　could　not　sleep。'　　'Well