Adam Badeau, Grant in peace: from Appomattox to Mount McGregor, a personal memoir

[198] influence prevailed, and Motley received the appointment to London. I had done my best to speak well of him to the President, and General Grant informed me of his decision immediately after it was made, and allowed me to announce it to Motley. This was a great gratification to me, and of course Motley was delighted. He at once, however, begged me to remember that despite our intimacy and my known relations with General Grant he had never mentioned the subject of his appointment to me, nor had one of his family. I took care to say this to the President, who was peculiarly sensitive on such points. He had never urged his own qualifications or claims for any promotion, and he liked better the men who followed the same course with himself.

A few days afterward I got a note from Motley asking me to call on him. During the interview he asked if I would be willing to take the position of Assistant Secretary of Legation under him. He said he thought me entitled to a much higher place and would not have dreamed of offering me this if it had not been suggested to him, but that it would be a great pleasure to have me accompany him. I thanked him, but said the proposition was entirely unexpected and I could make no answer without consulting the President. I was at that time, as I have before stated, on duty at the Executive Mansion, in charge of a portion of General Grant's unofficial correspondence, and also engaged on my History of his Campaigns. I went direct to the President, who said the suggestion had come from himself. He had already told me that he meant before long to appoint me to one of the smaller European missions, but he preferred not to do this at once; and he had thought as I was so warm a friend of Motley, it might be pleasant for me to accompany him and learn something of diplomatic duty in advance, as well as obtain an agreeable introduction to English society. At any rate I could pass the summer in Europe and return whenever I chose and resume my place at the White House. I was also