. Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson . he saw each of them, but he did notsee what the interview with either had to do with givingback into his hands the place agreeably to the understand-ing. Why did you give up the keys to Mr. Stanton andleave the Department? General Grant said he gave the key to the Adjutant-General and sent word to the President by GeneralComstock. Yes, said the President, but that, you know, wasnot our understanding. Grant attempted some further apologies about beingvery busy, stammered, hesitated, said Sherman had takenup a great deal
. Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson . he saw each of them, but he did notsee what the interview with either had to do with givingback into his hands the place agreeably to the understand-ing. Why did you give up the keys to Mr. Stanton andleave the Department? General Grant said he gave the key to the Adjutant-General and sent word to the President by GeneralComstock. Yes, said the President, but that, you know, wasnot our understanding. Grant attempted some further apologies about beingvery busy, stammered, hesitated, said Sherman had takenup a great deal of his time, but he had intended to call onthe President on Monday; asked to be excused, and left. This is, as near as I recollect, the substance of the con-versation as it occurred. I do not claim to give the pre-cise words, though in many instances I probably have doneso. My intention and wish is to do injustice to neither,but fairly present what took place and the remarks ofboth. I write this on the evening of Tuesday, the 14th,while the subject is fresh in my ULYSSES S. GRANT THF yoRK| PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR, LENOX 1868] GRANTS DEFENSE OF HIS COURSE 261 The President was calm and dignified, though manifestly-disappointed and displeased. General Grant was humble,hesitating, and he evidently felt that his position wasequivocal and not to his credit. There was, I think, animpression on the minds of all present (there certainlywas on mine) that a consciousness that he had acted withduplicity — not been faithful and true to the man whohad confided in and trusted him — oppressed GeneralGrant. His manner, never very commanding, was almostabject, and he left the room with less respect, I apprehend,from those present than ever before. The President,though disturbed and not wholly able to conceal hischagrin from those familiar with him, used no harsh ex-pression, nor committed anything approaching incivility,yet Grant felt the few words put to him, and the cold andsur
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