hibiting an importer in active business from holding the position of Secretary of the Treasury. A newspaper correspondent obtained the law bearing on the case and carried it to General Butterfield, who conveyed it to Mr. Stewart and his legal adviser, Judge Hilton. They consulted Chief Justice Chase, and he confirmed the view which had been taken of the law by those who first brought it to Mr. Stewart's attention. Mr. Stewart then proposed to retire from business and to devote the entire profits that might accrue during the time that he should hold the office of Secretary of the Treasury to charitable objects. But this was decided to be something which would not be proper either for him to carry out or for the Government to accept. Immediately after seeing Chief Justice Chase, Mr. Stewart and Judge Hilton drove to the White House and laid the facts and opinions before the President, who on the next day wrote a message to the Senate asking that the law of 1788 be set aside, so as to enable the candidate to hold the office. This the Senate declined to do. It was a very natural ambition for a man of Mr. Stewart's tastes and training to desire to be at the head of the Treasury, and it is not unlikely that the disappointment was a severe one. This was the beginning of the "unpleasantness" between President Grant and Senator Sumner, which finally resulted in an open rupture.

The remaining members of the Cabinet, who were promptly confirmed, were: General John A. Rawlins, who had been General Grant's Chief of Staff and Military Adviser during the war, Secretary of War; Adolph E. Borie, a retired Philadelphia merchant and ship-owner, Secretary of the Navy; J. D. Cox, an Ohio lawyer and an ex-Governor, with a good military record, Secretary of the Interior; John A. J. Creswell, an ex-Senator

from Maryland, Postmaster-General; and Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar, a gifted Massachusetts lawyer with ready wit but unpopular manners, Attorney-General. The subsequent appointment of George Sewell Boutwell, who had been Governor of Massachusetts, and who had had great legislative experience in the State and Federal legislatures, as Secretary of the Treasury, made the new Cabinet complete. It was regarded as a strong one.

General Grant subsequently stated that on his assuming the responsible duties of President of the United States, it was with the conviction that three things were essential to its peace, prosperity, and fullest development. "First among these is strict integrity in fulfilling all our obligations. Second, to secure protection to the person and property of the citizen of the United States. in each and every portion of our common country, wherever he may choose to move, without reference to original nationality, religion, color, or politics, demanding of him only obedience to the laws and proper respect for the rights of others. Third, union of all the Stateswith equal rights-indestructible by any constitutional means."

General Grant, when established at the White House, rose about seven o'clock, read the Washington morning papers, and breakfasted with his family at half-past eight. He then lit a cigar and took a short stroll, walking slowly, with his left hand behind him and sometimes holding his cigar in his right hand. At ten o'clock he went to his office to transact executive business and to receive visitors. The Cabinet at one o'clock on Thursdays and Fridays, and members of Congress had precedence over other visitors. He listened to all that was said to him by those who called, but was silent or non-committal in his replies. As the day advanced his secretaries would

bring him letters which required answers, and receive his instructions as to what replies were to be made.

At three o'clock the official business of the day was ended, and General Grant, generally accompanied by his sons, visited the stable. He kept eleven horses and colts "Cincinnatus," his dark bay war-horse; "St. Louis" and "Egypt," two day carriage horses of fine action; a buggy horse, named "Julia;" Master Jesse's Shetland ponies, "Billy Button" and "Reb;" "Mary," a saddle horse; "Jeff Davis," a natural pacer; "Jennie," a brood mare, and three Hambletonian colts. In the carriage-house were five vehicles-a landau, a barouche, a light road-wagon, a top buggy, and a basket phaeton for the children.

Having patted the neck of old "Cincinnatus," who appeared to feel a pride in his master's love, General Grant used to enjoy a solitary stroll, smoking as he walked. He would occasionally stop to exchange a few words with an old comrade or a friend, and always lifted his hat as he bowed to lady acquaintances.

Dinner was promptly served at five o'clock, and every one was expected to be punctual. General Grant's fav orite dishes were rare roast beef, boiled hominy, and wheaten bread, but he was always a light eater. The meal was enlivened with pleasant chat, and Master Jesse was the humorist of the family circle, while Grandpa Dent would occasionally indulge in some conservative growls against the advancement of the colored race. After coffee, the General would light another cigar, and smoke while he read the morning's New York papers. In the evening a few chosen friends would call, but business and appointments were generally forbidden topics, General Grant displaying a genial frankness not exhibited before the public. The children retired at nine and their parents retired between ten and eleven.

CHAPTER VI.

GENERAL GRANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE-HOW HE WAS IMPOSED UPON-BROTHER-INLAW CORBIN-A GIGANTIC GOLD SPECULATION—“ BLACK FRIDAY"-GENERAL GRANT EXONERATED-AN INTEROCEANIC CANAL-THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES-OPENING OF A DAILY SESSION-CHIEF JUSTICE CHASE AND HIS ASSOCIATES-SUMMER LIFE-SOUTHERN POLITICS-PRACTICAL PHILANTHROPISTS -CONTRABANDS AT WASHINGTON—general grRANT'S OPINIONS-THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION.

G

ENERAL GRANT carried into the White House his military habits, and while he was disposed to allow his subordinates a wide latitude, so long as they followed his general instructions, he expected implicit obedience, and was not fond of long conversational conferences upon matters which required executive action. Possessing inflexible integrity of character, he regarded every one as honest as himself, nor could he at first understand the crooked paths of politics or the desperate intrigues of speculators. He was always willing to give offices or to grant favors to his numerous kinfolk by blood and by marriage, and to advance the interest of his personal staff.

One of those who profited by this desire on the part of General Grant to benefit his connections was Abel R. Corbin, who had once figured in Washington as a lobbyist, a committee-clerk, and a correspondent, but who had removed to New York, where he had added to his means by successful speculation. He made the acquaintance of General Grant near the close of the war, and soon afterward, being then a widower, he married

the General's sister, who was somewhat advanced in years. Soon after Grant's inauguration, Corbin entered into a partnership with Jay Gould and James Fisk, Jr., for a gigantic "operation" in gold, which he hoped to make a success with the co-operation of his brother-inlaw's Administration.

When General Grant was nominated for the Presidency gold was quoted in Wall Street at one hundred

and forty-five, and when he was inaugurated it had fallen to one hundred and thirty. The clique of speculators then ran gold up in May to one hundred and forty-four, and by an adroit management they held on the 1st of September "calls" for more than one hundred million of dollars of the precious metal. As there were not more than fifteen millions of actual gold in New 'York outside of the subtreasury, they were masters of the situation. Every man that had bought or loaned gold must buy it of them, or settle at such enormous rates as they might dictate. The only obstacle in the way of their success would be the sale of gold from the SubTreasury at a moderate price by direction of General Grant, and this Corbin asserted that he could prevent. To encourage his co-conspirators, he undertook to write a letter to the President urging him not to order or permit sales from the Sub-Treasury and pretended that he

JAY GOULD.