White Cloud Kansas Chief

General Grant and the Irish.

To the Editor of the Boston Pilot:

Dear Sir: - Last week a deputation from that aspiring village, New York, waited upon President Grant, to urge upon him the dismissal of a certain official connected with the Internal Revenue. They were a solemn looking set of men, and meant business. After going through the usual ceremony of introduction, and shaking hands with his Excellency, one of their number stepped a little in advance of the others, and explained the whys and wherefores of the case, to all of which General Grant listened with his usual imperturbable countenance, nor attempted to interrupt the harangue by word or sign. At last the eloquent spokesman, red in the face with his exertions, finished, quite out of breath, and never doubting but that the Executive decree would be in accordance with the petition as set forth.

'But, gentlemen,' remarked General Grant, 'after listening with attention to what you have to say, I can really see no just cause why the man in question should be removed.'

'Mr. President, have I failed to make it plain that the fellow is an Irishman and a Catholic Roman Catholic, Mr. President?' was the excited reply.

'I understand that,' said the President, after taking a few long draws at his cigar; 'but I don't see what a man's religion or nationality has to do with a faithful performance of his official duties! Gentlemen, had you been with me at Vicksburg, and in the battles of the Wilderness, where regiments and divisions, composed almost entirely of Irish Catholic soldiers, were fighting bravely, and falling dead and wounded by hundreds and thousands in defence of our cause, I won't suppose you would have urged their discharge on the ground that they were Irishmen and Catholics! Neither can I listen to a proposal to turn a faithful clerk out of office for such cause, particularly, gentlemen, when I know that this same clerk saved his colors from falling into the enemy's hands at the risk of his life, on our march to Richmond - in fact, I know all about him, for he was one of my soldiers, and deserves well of his country.'

It was a pretty long speech for President Grant to make - he hasn't time for speech making; but it is evident that he has some liberal ideas about the rights of conscience, and a soldierly appreciation of bravery. That deputation wore very solemn countenances when they emerged from the White House.