Grant maintained a quiet determination, and replied:
"I shall need the men there, and you can not order them back."
"Why not? Why not?" cried the Secretary.
"I believe I rank the Secretary of War in this matter," remarked Grant.
"Very well, we will see the President," sharply responded the Secretary.
"That's right; he ranks us both."
Going to the President, Secretary Stanton, turning to Grant, said:
"General, state your case."
But the General calmly replied:
"I have no case to state. I am satisfied as it is."
When Stanton had given his view of the matter, Lincoln crossed his legs, leaned back in his chair, and like the wise philosopher that he was, said:
"Now, Mr. Secretary, you know we have been trying to manage this army for nearly three years, and you know we haven't done much with it. We sent over the mountains and brought Mr. Grant, as Mrs. Grant calls him, to manage it for us, and now I guess we'd better let Mr. Grant have his own way."
The winter of 1863 was a trying time for General Grant. It was a winter of floods in the South, and a winter of discontent among the people of the North. He could not move his army, and many began the old cry after Donelson, "idle, incompetent, and unfit to command in an emergency," and again arose a clamor for his removal. It was a season of false alarm and sensational rumors.
But there were two men in the land from whence came words of cheer. One was listening quietly in a store in Cincinnati to a great deal of rambling and grumbling talk about the way General Grant was trying to take Vicksburg. When all others present had given vent to their feelings, this man said in a moderate tone: "I think he'll take it. Yes, I know he'll take it. 'Lis' always did what he set out to do. 'Lis' is my boy, and he won't fail."
The other man who believed in General Grant was in the White House. He was too good to be unkind, and too wise and prudent to err. While men of large political influence were urging General Grant's removal for the good of the country, the philosopher at the White House said: "I rather like the man; I think we'll try him a little longer." By these thirteen words the fate of Vicksburg was sealed.—Col. Nicholas Smith, "Grant, the Man of Mystery."
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When Alexander once was about to engage in battle with Darius, having completed his arrangements, he lay down to sleep. Next morning Tarmenio exprest surprize that he could sleep so soundly when such vast issues were impending. "You seem as calm," said he, "as if you had had the battle and gained the victory." "I have done so," replied Alexander, "for I consider the whole work done when we have gained access to Darius and his forces, and find him ready to give us battle." (Text.)
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See Essentials; Versatility.
Confidence in His Own Ability—See
Versatility.
CONFIDENCE IN MEN
If a man can invest his hundreds of
thousands of dollars on the ocean or in distant
countries, where men can not understand
the documents we write, it shows that
there is trust between man and man, buyers
and sellers; and if there is trust between
them it is because experience has created the
probabilities of truthfulness in the actions of
men and all the concordant circumstances.
If men did not believe in the truth of men,
they never would send to China, Japan or
Mexico their great properties and interests,
with no other guarantee than that the men
are trustworthy. The shipmaster must be
trustworthy, the officers of the government
must be trustworthy, and that business goes
on and increases the world over is a silent
testimony that, bad as men do lie, they do not
lie bad enough to separate man from man.—Henry
Ward Beecher.
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CONFIDENCE, INSPIRING
In his reminiscences concerning his career, Mr. John D. Rockefeller says this in regard to a critical epoch in his fortunes:
I went to a bank president whom I knew,
and who knew me. I remember perfectly
how anxious I was to get that loan and to
establish myself favorably with the banker.
This gentleman was T. P. Handy, a sweet
and gentle old man, well known as a high-*grade,
beautiful character. For fifty years
he was interested in young men. He knew
me as a boy in the Cleveland schools. I gave
him all the particulars of our business, tell-
