MR. ULYSSES S. GRANT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1857, 17 September 1913, Page 8

MR. ULYSSES S. GRANT.

HIS STAY HERE. SON OF THE GREAT PRESIDENT. LIKES THIS COUNTRY. "Pardon me, are you Mr. Grant?" inquired tho pressman who called at tho Royal Oak Hotel yesterday. "Yas—l'm U. S.. Grant, junior I Come over and sit down here for a bit!" Tho speaker was a rather stockilybuilt, deep-chested man of medium height, with a sturdy neck supporting a strong-looking head, iron grey hair, a brief moustacho to match, a full, florid complcxioned face, and pleasant, oyes. Such was the reporter's sketchy impression of Ulysses S. Grant, son of tho .world-famous Ulysses S. Grant, who was the eighteenth president of tho United States, holding the reins of offico from 1868 until 1877, when he was - succeeded by President Garfield. His Father's War Career. It was this same Grant—father of the present visitor to Wellington— who began his career as a general iu tho bloody American Civil War by reducing Forts Henry and Donelson on the Tennessee River and opening the passage of the river to Union troop transports. Afterwards he fought the Confederate Army under General Albert Sydney Johnston in a particularly seiere battle at Sliiloh, reduced Yicksburg on the Mississippi River, and raised tho Confederate siege of Chattanooga, winning a hard-fought battle on Lookout and Missionary ridges just south of that town. So far he had been operating in what was known as tho western theatre of war, but, about the end of 1863, he was ap2)ointed by President- Lincoln to tako charge of tho whole of the Union armies (then numbering nearly 1,000,000 men), and composed of a liumbor of very strong armies operating at widely-sep-arated points. While directing all theso in a general way, Grant personally accompanied tho Army of tho Potomac, wliicli; operated directly against tho famous Confederate commander, Robert E. Lee. Grant crossed tho Rapidan ltiver in May, 1864, and after fighting exceedingly heavy battles in the Wilderness, at Spottsywania, and at Cold H&rbour, finally invested Lee's forces in tho Virginian tobacco town—Petersburg. Lee s surrender to Grant at Appommatox came later. At the conclusion of the war Grant was hailed as the Saviour of tho Union. He died on July A 1885. Mr. U. s. Crant, Junior. U. S. Grant, junior, was born in 1852, and though only sixteen years of age when his father was elected President, acted,for somo time as his secretary in Washington. He was educated at Harvard and Colombia (LL.B.), was admitted to the Bar in 1876, and practised at tho Ear in San Diego for somo little time. Ho is a staunch Republican, and has been a delegate to several national conventions of the party. United States and Mexico.' When seen yesterday, 31 r. Grant was just about to leave the hot-el to view some of the local sights. He stated that ho still lived at San Diego when at homo, hut had not practised law for quite a time. San Diego was about 700- miles from San Francisco, near tho Mexican border. The civil war that was raging in that country had "not made them sit up all night." There was one battle fought on tho border between the rebels and Government troops and a lot of San Diego folk went along to see tho gun-play, but tlicro was not a great deal to it. Questioned as to the United States' attitude towards Mexico, Mr. Grant said that it was unquestionably one of "hands off!" Tho United .States Gov-' ernment had no desire to force war in that direction. It would mean an extremely long and ard-uous war at tho best. "I'd Rather Talk About Your Own Little Country." "But look here," said Mr. Graiit, "I would sooner talk about your great little country than these old things at home. I think it's a fine place. We'vo dono pretty well all tho North Island. At Auckland, we took on all the expeditions going, and wero.'at Rotorua for ten days—so wo know our Rotorua, and can spell quite a number of tho Maori names. It was very interesting indeed there. Then wo came down tho Wanganui River, and found the scenery elegant, though I confess the cold was penetrating. / "This is going to be a great country. You seem to have enormous tracts of good country, and your mode of life is simple and honest-, and that makes for a good people. I have found tho people of New Zealand truthful and unpretontions, and I like tlieni!" Mr. Grant is accompanied by his wife, a young and charming woman, wlio is thoroughly enjoying herself in Now Zealand. A Chance for Maoris. "Oh, say," said Mr. Grant, in leaving, "wo are going to liavo a great exposition in Sail Diego. Wo aro spending about 8.000,000 dollars on buildings. It will be largely ethnological in character, ancl it would be fine if we could get some of your Maoris oveMhere. It is to open oil January 1, 1915, and will close on December 31, and there won't he one dav of the whole year that won't he delightful in San Diego. Besides tliis exposition is going to pay, which will in itself bo a distinct novelty.' Mr. and Mrs. U. S. Grant.intend to call at Nelson, Christchurch. and Dunedin, cn routo to Hobart and Melbourne.