Show i MET IN INTHE THE CAPITAl CAPITAli i First Time That That President Lincoln Lin coin coln and General Grant Greeted Each Other PHERE HERE Is IB a man in the public service servA servIce THERE A ice in Washington who saw tm tnt first meeting between President Lin LinColn coin Coln and General Grant in the WhitEHouse White Whitt WhiteHouse House nearly sixty years ago l' l Charles II H II Richards who for more than fifty years has worked in the stationery room room of the senate saw salt the meeting In an interview Mr Richards narrated the incidents con connected connected with the meeting and recalled the first words ever exchanged be between between between tween the two great figures on thE th Union s side de of the Civil war Mr Richards was w s ap appointed appointed S 'S pointed to his hh hi position in the senate stationer stationery room on the recommendation rec reo recommendation ol 01 olI Charles Sumner and Henry Wil wn Wilt son He is a ana natine na t live tive tine of Massachusetts a r and was ap appointed appointed pointed from that state t. t S Congress had hao just raised passed a sed the act creating the rank of lieutenant general of the army said Mr Rich ands ards While It was well understood at the time Ume that it was for the benefit of General Grant he was not named in n the bill It was the first time congress congress con con- gress had authorized the rank to be conferred in the army since General Washington held it IL President Lincoln summoned General General General Gen Gen- eral Grant to Washington from the field Beld to confer about the appointment Grant arrived at 8 p p. p m. m at the old Willard hotel M t 9 30 he showed shoved u up P Pat at the White House I was there It was a kind of reception as I 1 re re- re- re call The affair was proceeding in an Informal way the president some members of his cabinet and Mrs LIncoln Lincoln Lincoln Lin LIn- coln being in the red room where persons were being received The affair was suddenly interrupted ted by a cry Here comes General Grant President Lincoln immediately left his bis place in the receiving line and hurried to the door leading to the red room from the vestibule where he ho honet hemet hemet met net President Grant He promptly recognized the general although they had never met before My curiosity had led me to the center of interest I heard Mr Lincoln say General arant Brant I believe this is the first time we have ever metTo met To this General Grant replied Yes Mr President you are right You are right this is the first time we have ever met The IThe I rest of the conversation was lost to me as the two men men came closer loser together and moved away talking in lower ower tones 1 I recall that Seward and Stanton crow cro crowded ed forward and gre greeted ted the general and that Mrs MrS' Lincoln also greeted him cor cot General Grant firant Y soon was hustled ai into the east easl room roam and as he sat on ona ona a a. sofa ho hI was surrounded surrounded by a agre a great gre t crowd He HeI I f seemed modest and somewhat bored by the attention showered upon himI himI him I do not believe there Is another man alive who witnessed that affair and I surely doubt if there is another Mother alive vv who ho can recall the first words that ever passed between Lincoln and Grant It was understood in Washington at the time that there was some doubt about Grant accepting the commis commis- sion He took the ground that if it required him to relinquish active duty in the field and come to Washington he be ae would prefer not to accept It It was Nas finally arranged that he should continue in active duty in the field and take charge of the movement on ono onto onto to o Richmond which vas was much talked bout in n that d day Y |