[Speech of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the eighth annual dinner of the New
York Press Club, January 6, 1881. John C. Hennessy, President of the
Press Club, was in the chair, and read the third toast: "The
Republic's Honored ex-President." General Grant, on being introduced
to respond to this toast, was received with a tumult of applause.]
MR. PRESIDENT, GENTLEMEN OF THE NEW YORK PRESS CLUB:--I confess
to a little embarrassment this evening in being called upon unexpectedly
to say a word to a set of such different men as compose not only the
Press Club, but those associated with the Press of the country. I
thought this was an evening that I was going to spend where all would be
quiet and good order [laughter]; where nobody would have anything to
say. We all know the characteristic modesty of the people associated
with the Press [laughter], they never want to inquire into anybody's
affairs, [laughter], to know where they are going, what they are going
to do, what they are going to say when they get there. [Uproarious
laughter.] I really thought that you would excuse me this evening, but I
suppose you will expect me to say something about the Press--the Press
of New York, the Press of the United States, the Press of the world. It
would take a good deal to tell what is possible for the Press to do. I
confess that, at some periods of my life when I have read what they had
to say about me, I have lost all faith and all hope. [Great laughter.]
But since a young editor has spoken of the Press, and has fixed the
lifetime, the generation of newspaper men at about twelve years
[laughter], I have a growing hope within me that in the future the Press
may be able to do some of the great good which we all admit is possible
for it to do. [Laughter.] I have been somewhat of a reader of the
newspapers for forty years--I could read very well when I was eight
years of age. [Laughter.] It has given me forty years of observation of
the Press; and there is one peculiarity that I have observed from
reading it, and that is, in all of the walks of life outside of the
Press, people have entirely mistaken their profession, their occupation.
[Laughter.] I never knew the Mayor of a city, or even a Councilman in
any city, any public officer, any government official--I never knew a
member of Congress, a Senator or a President of the United States, who
could not be enlightened in his duties by the youngest member of the
profession. [Great laughter and applause.] I never knew a general of the
Army to command a brigade, a division, a corps of the Army who could
begin to do it as well as men far away in their sanctums. [Renewed
laughter.] I was very glad to see that the newspaper fraternity were
ready to take with perfect confidence any office that might be tendered
to them, from President to Mayor [laughter], and I have often been
astonished that the citizens have not done so, because then all these
offices would have been well and properly filled. [Laughter and
applause.]
Well, gentlemen, I am very happy to have been here with you, and I hope
when a new generation, about twelve years hence, comes on, that I shall
again dine with the Press Club of New York City, and that I shall see
that those of this generation who were so well fitted to fill all of the
civil offices have all been chosen, and that there will be nothing left
for them to criticise. [Peals of laughter.] Thank you, gentlemen. [Great
applause, with "Three cheers" for General Grant.]
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