Part 14 (2/2)

”Well,” Williams continued, ”you killed hi I was beaten, I rode back, his head was split wide open I did not tell you at the tireaser more or less made no difference”

Later on General Grant took desk room in Victor Newcomb's private office in New York There I saw ood friends He was theof men Soldierlike--s he threw aside all forhtfully reminiscential, indeed a capital story teller I do not wonder that he had constant and disinterested friends who loved him sincerely

IV

It has always been my opinion that if Chester A Arthur had been named by the Republicans as their candidate in 1884 they would have carried the election, spite of what Mr Blaine, who defeated Arthur in the convention, had said and thought about the noed to the category of lovable allant captain in the army who had slapped his colonel in the face on parade Morally, as ht of it But military law is inexorable The verdict was dismissal from the service

I ith the poor felloife and her sister to see General Hancock at Governor's Island It was adown his cheeks, taking the: ”I can do nothing but hold up the action of the court till Monday Your recourse is the President and a pardon; I will reco his hand upon et the pardon if the President can be brought to see the case as ton, taking Stephen French with me When we entered the President's apartreet us, saying: ”I knohat you boys are after; you mean--”

”Yes, Mr President,” I answered, ”we do, and if ever--”

”I have thought over it, sworn over it, and prayed over it,” he said, ”and I a to pardon him!”

V

Another illustrative incident happened during the Arthur Administration

The dismissal of Gen Fitz-John Porter from the army had been the subject ofnearly two decades this had raged in arth the friends of Porter, led by Curtin and Slocuress They were in ecstasies That there ht be a presidential objection had not crossed their minds

Senator McDonald, of Indiana, a near friend of General Porter, and athem he came to me

”You are personally close to the President,” said he, ”and you ets to the White House he will veto it With the Republican National Convention directly ahead he is bound to veto it It et to him; and you are the man to stop it They will listen to you and will not listen to me”

First of all, I went to the White House

”Mr President,” I said, ”I want you to authorize me to tell Curtin and Slocum not to send the Fitz-John Porter bill to you”

”Why?” he answered

”Because,” said I, ”you will have to veto it; and, with the Frelinghuysens wild for it, as well as others of your nearest friends, I aed to do that With your word to me I can stop it, and have it for the present at least held up”

His ansas, ”Go ahead”

Then I went to the Capitol Curtin and Slocum were in a state of mind

It was hard to make them understand or believe what I told them