Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17095
Date
1919 March 5
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
WEDNESDAY, . The GEORGE WASHINGTON backed out of her pier and headed down the North River seaward at exactly 8:15 o’clock in the morning. Despite the lateness of his retirement the President arose at 7:00 o’clock and had breakfast at 7:30. I had breakfast with him.
After breakfast the President, Mrs. Wilson and I went to the bridge to witness the departure. Thousands of people had gathered on the piers and waved good-bye.
Just as the GEORGE WASHINGTON was leaving the pier a telegram was received announcing the death of Mr., the son-in-law of William G. McAdoo. It also mentioned the grave illness of Mrs., Mr. McAdoo’s daughter. The President at once sent a message to Mr. McAdoo expressing his sympathy and his wish that it were possible for him to stay back and help him in some way.
While passing the Statue of Liberty the President told me the story of the negro, who had recently seen service in France and who was very home-sick and scared; he was recently returned to the States and while standing on the deck of the ship as he was passing the Statue of Liberty, he said: “Take a good look at me, old girl, take a good look, ’cause if you ever sees dis nigger again you sure has got to turn around.”
Proceeding down the harbor the President was escorted by destroyers, flying machines and dirigible balloons. The President got a glimpse of the first moving picture he has ever seen being taken from a flying-machine. He relaxed himself by playing Canfield in his cabin, alone, remarking to me that he wanted to do something trivial that would occupy his mind and make him forget all the big problems that confronted him during the past week. By this mental relaxation he secured a much-needed rest.
After lunch we had a little talk on reminiscences. He said that when he was teaching he found much stimulation of the mind in the questions propounded in the class-room; but he said this cycle continued only about ten years. After a period of ten years he found that the same questions were being asked. Then he realized that he was advancing in years but still dealing with boys of the same age and the same questions. Now and then, however, a genius would bob up and ask a question out of the usual cycle. At first it was difficult for him to account for the fact that the same questions were being asked. I named a man whom I knew to be rather successful in his profession, but about whom there was a variance of opinion as to his ability. I asked the President what he thought of him as a student, and he replied that “he was exposed to education but it did not take.”
In referring to the Irish meeting last night, at which an effort was made to get the President to promise that he would bring their cause before the Peace Conference, he said that the Irish as a race are very hard to deal with owing to their inconsiderateness, their unreasonable demands and their jealousies. He predicted that owing to the dissatisfaction among the Irish-Americans and the German-Americans with the Democratic administration, unless a decided change was brought about, it might defeat the Democratic party in .
The President showed me a flag which an American woman had sent him at New York with the request that it be adopted as the League of Nations flag for the use of the world.
The President attended the moving pictures in the dining-room of the GEORGE WASHINGTON and saw a Chaplin and Fairbanks movie. The crowd was much smaller than on either of the previous voyages. This caused the President to remark smilingly, as he entered the room: “This is a somewhat select gathering.”
While a transport was passing us this morning loaded with soldiers some one remarked that there were 15,000 aboard, whereupon the President asked me how my native town of Culpeper would look with 15,000 turned loose in it. I remarked that it would look like crowds on March Court day or when the circus came to town. I told him that although the Census showed but 2201 inhabitants in Culpeper, it was such a wonderful place that it could easily accommodate 15,000 additional people without embarrassment! He replied that my remarks were not very consistent, recalling that I had at one time attempted with great pride to show him my native town while passing through on a train, but he said: “To my chagrin a freight car was standing at the station and obstructed the view”, making it impossible for him to see the town. The fact is that on this occasion a long freight train was running parallel with our train and did obstruct the view. He has always taken the greatest delight in telling the joke that I tried to show my native town but that a freight car prevented my doing so. He loves to tease any one he knows well, but, as he admits, it is costly to him sometimes, as the temptation is so great that he at times indulges in it at the wrong time.
The President referred to our visit to Yorktown, Virginia. He and I arrived in Yorktown on the MAYFLOWER, unattended by any one at all except a Sergeant of Marines and Lieutenant Manley of the MAYFLOWER. When we left Washington we did not expect to leave the MAYFLOWER, so none of the secret service men accompanied us. Upon landing at Yorktown, which has only a few hundred inhabitants, we at once went to the old Court House. We entered one of the rooms -- it was in the month of -- and a man was sitting at a table writing in a deed book, with his coat off, with suspenders much in evidence, and smoking a corn-cob pipe. I inquired of him, while the President was standing by my side, if there were any old deed books or maps that we could see. He remarked that there were some in an adjoining building—which was a small one-story structure. The President asked him if we could go into his Court Room. He replied: “Yep, help yourself, walk right upstairs. The President inquired as to who the Judge was, and he said: “D. Gardner Tyler, son of the tenth President of the United States, brother to Lyon G. Tyler, President of William and Mary College, about twelve miles from here; he is not only a distinguished man but a fine gentleman.” All this talking was done while he was still writing; he did not stop smoking nor did he look up. The fellow never realized the presence of his distinguished visitor. Upon entering the Clerk’s Office we met a Mr. Hudgins, of whom the President often speaks as a real Virginia gentleman. We did not introduce ourselves. The President asked Mr. Hudgins whether he could see any old deeds or maps which he had in the Clerk’s Office. Mr. Hudgins replied: “Yes, and I shall be glad to show them to you.” Thereupon he got out a number of colonial surveys and deeds, which the President examined with the deepest interest. A large campaign poster of the President was pasted on the wall, and I thought how remarkable it was that this gentleman did not recognize the President, and there he was standing beside a large picture of himself. The President asked him a number of questions; the gentleman was most obliging and his replies were most courteous. When we left the Clerk’s Office I felt sure that the President had been unrecognized, but later I learned that Mr. Hudgins did recognize the President and made the statement: “I did not care to intrude by introducing myself, as the President and his friend had not introduced themselves to me.”
We walked around the little town -- it was a very hot afternoon -- visited the old custom-house - the first in America - and stopped in the shade of a tree near a little store, where there were two or three negroes lying on the benches half asleep. The merchant wanted to know if we did not want to buy some “pop” or ginger-ale, assuring us that he would “sell it to us right.” We conversed with him for a short while but did not take advantage of his offer. In addition to being the proprietor of the store, he was also the postmaster.
From here we walked down to what is known as the Nelson House, which was Cornwallis’ headquarters during the American Revolution. On our way we met a little girl about twelve years of age, and, as all children do, she recognized the President. She stopped and spoke to him: “Excuse me, sir, but you certainly do favor the pictures of President Wilson.” The President said: “Yes, I have often been told that”; whereupon she said: “Indeed, is not this President Wilson?” And the President smiled and said: “Yes, I am guilty.” She said: “Well, please wait right here until I can run and tell my mother.” The news soon spread that the President was in Yorktown.
We went through the old Nelson House, observing its colonial architecture, and the damage done by the artillery in the Revolutionary War. We were guided through the building by this little girl and her mother, and as we came out of the house, the little girl’s mother remarked: “Look at the crowd coming up the street to see the President.” I counted seven people. In this crowd that came to greet the President was the merchant and postmaster. He inquired of the President if he might speak to him privately. The President told him to go ahead. He wanted to know if the President would not raise his salary as Postmaster, as he was only getting $30 a month.
From Yorktown we went in a motor-boat down the river to Temple Farm, which was Washington’s headquarters. There was no landing at this place and we could only get the boat within ten or fifteen yards of the bank of the river, so we pulled off our shoes, rolled up our trousers, and waded ashore. We climbed up a steep embankment, through the briars and the bees. In walking across a field towards the Temple Farm, we were attracted by a vicious looking bull. He began to paw the earth and bellow. Realizing the responsibility of being alone with the President, I said: “I think we had better go around another way; that bull acts like he means business.” The President here told me the story of an Irishman who was chased by a bull, and just as he got partly over the fence, the bull hit him with his horns and knocked him completely on the other side of the fence; then the bull began to paw the earth and bellow, and the Irishman remarked: “You may bow and may scrape as much as you please but I’ll be damned if I don’t think you meant it.” And the President said: “I agree with you that this bull means it, so we will go around and be protected by this fence.”
We went through the Temple Farm house and saw many old portraits and pictures and prints of General Washington; old minnie balls and rifles and swords that were collected on the farm.
After breakfast the President, Mrs. Wilson and I went to the bridge to witness the departure. Thousands of people had gathered on the piers and waved good-bye.
Just as the GEORGE WASHINGTON was leaving the pier a telegram was received announcing the death of Mr., the son-in-law of William G. McAdoo. It also mentioned the grave illness of Mrs., Mr. McAdoo’s daughter. The President at once sent a message to Mr. McAdoo expressing his sympathy and his wish that it were possible for him to stay back and help him in some way.
While passing the Statue of Liberty the President told me the story of the negro, who had recently seen service in France and who was very home-sick and scared; he was recently returned to the States and while standing on the deck of the ship as he was passing the Statue of Liberty, he said: “Take a good look at me, old girl, take a good look, ’cause if you ever sees dis nigger again you sure has got to turn around.”
Proceeding down the harbor the President was escorted by destroyers, flying machines and dirigible balloons. The President got a glimpse of the first moving picture he has ever seen being taken from a flying-machine. He relaxed himself by playing Canfield in his cabin, alone, remarking to me that he wanted to do something trivial that would occupy his mind and make him forget all the big problems that confronted him during the past week. By this mental relaxation he secured a much-needed rest.
After lunch we had a little talk on reminiscences. He said that when he was teaching he found much stimulation of the mind in the questions propounded in the class-room; but he said this cycle continued only about ten years. After a period of ten years he found that the same questions were being asked. Then he realized that he was advancing in years but still dealing with boys of the same age and the same questions. Now and then, however, a genius would bob up and ask a question out of the usual cycle. At first it was difficult for him to account for the fact that the same questions were being asked. I named a man whom I knew to be rather successful in his profession, but about whom there was a variance of opinion as to his ability. I asked the President what he thought of him as a student, and he replied that “he was exposed to education but it did not take.”
In referring to the Irish meeting last night, at which an effort was made to get the President to promise that he would bring their cause before the Peace Conference, he said that the Irish as a race are very hard to deal with owing to their inconsiderateness, their unreasonable demands and their jealousies. He predicted that owing to the dissatisfaction among the Irish-Americans and the German-Americans with the Democratic administration, unless a decided change was brought about, it might defeat the Democratic party in .
The President showed me a flag which an American woman had sent him at New York with the request that it be adopted as the League of Nations flag for the use of the world.
The President attended the moving pictures in the dining-room of the GEORGE WASHINGTON and saw a Chaplin and Fairbanks movie. The crowd was much smaller than on either of the previous voyages. This caused the President to remark smilingly, as he entered the room: “This is a somewhat select gathering.”
While a transport was passing us this morning loaded with soldiers some one remarked that there were 15,000 aboard, whereupon the President asked me how my native town of Culpeper would look with 15,000 turned loose in it. I remarked that it would look like crowds on March Court day or when the circus came to town. I told him that although the Census showed but 2201 inhabitants in Culpeper, it was such a wonderful place that it could easily accommodate 15,000 additional people without embarrassment! He replied that my remarks were not very consistent, recalling that I had at one time attempted with great pride to show him my native town while passing through on a train, but he said: “To my chagrin a freight car was standing at the station and obstructed the view”, making it impossible for him to see the town. The fact is that on this occasion a long freight train was running parallel with our train and did obstruct the view. He has always taken the greatest delight in telling the joke that I tried to show my native town but that a freight car prevented my doing so. He loves to tease any one he knows well, but, as he admits, it is costly to him sometimes, as the temptation is so great that he at times indulges in it at the wrong time.
The President referred to our visit to Yorktown, Virginia. He and I arrived in Yorktown on the MAYFLOWER, unattended by any one at all except a Sergeant of Marines and Lieutenant Manley of the MAYFLOWER. When we left Washington we did not expect to leave the MAYFLOWER, so none of the secret service men accompanied us. Upon landing at Yorktown, which has only a few hundred inhabitants, we at once went to the old Court House. We entered one of the rooms -- it was in the month of -- and a man was sitting at a table writing in a deed book, with his coat off, with suspenders much in evidence, and smoking a corn-cob pipe. I inquired of him, while the President was standing by my side, if there were any old deed books or maps that we could see. He remarked that there were some in an adjoining building—which was a small one-story structure. The President asked him if we could go into his Court Room. He replied: “Yep, help yourself, walk right upstairs. The President inquired as to who the Judge was, and he said: “D. Gardner Tyler, son of the tenth President of the United States, brother to Lyon G. Tyler, President of William and Mary College, about twelve miles from here; he is not only a distinguished man but a fine gentleman.” All this talking was done while he was still writing; he did not stop smoking nor did he look up. The fellow never realized the presence of his distinguished visitor. Upon entering the Clerk’s Office we met a Mr. Hudgins, of whom the President often speaks as a real Virginia gentleman. We did not introduce ourselves. The President asked Mr. Hudgins whether he could see any old deeds or maps which he had in the Clerk’s Office. Mr. Hudgins replied: “Yes, and I shall be glad to show them to you.” Thereupon he got out a number of colonial surveys and deeds, which the President examined with the deepest interest. A large campaign poster of the President was pasted on the wall, and I thought how remarkable it was that this gentleman did not recognize the President, and there he was standing beside a large picture of himself. The President asked him a number of questions; the gentleman was most obliging and his replies were most courteous. When we left the Clerk’s Office I felt sure that the President had been unrecognized, but later I learned that Mr. Hudgins did recognize the President and made the statement: “I did not care to intrude by introducing myself, as the President and his friend had not introduced themselves to me.”
We walked around the little town -- it was a very hot afternoon -- visited the old custom-house - the first in America - and stopped in the shade of a tree near a little store, where there were two or three negroes lying on the benches half asleep. The merchant wanted to know if we did not want to buy some “pop” or ginger-ale, assuring us that he would “sell it to us right.” We conversed with him for a short while but did not take advantage of his offer. In addition to being the proprietor of the store, he was also the postmaster.
From here we walked down to what is known as the Nelson House, which was Cornwallis’ headquarters during the American Revolution. On our way we met a little girl about twelve years of age, and, as all children do, she recognized the President. She stopped and spoke to him: “Excuse me, sir, but you certainly do favor the pictures of President Wilson.” The President said: “Yes, I have often been told that”; whereupon she said: “Indeed, is not this President Wilson?” And the President smiled and said: “Yes, I am guilty.” She said: “Well, please wait right here until I can run and tell my mother.” The news soon spread that the President was in Yorktown.
We went through the old Nelson House, observing its colonial architecture, and the damage done by the artillery in the Revolutionary War. We were guided through the building by this little girl and her mother, and as we came out of the house, the little girl’s mother remarked: “Look at the crowd coming up the street to see the President.” I counted seven people. In this crowd that came to greet the President was the merchant and postmaster. He inquired of the President if he might speak to him privately. The President told him to go ahead. He wanted to know if the President would not raise his salary as Postmaster, as he was only getting $30 a month.
From Yorktown we went in a motor-boat down the river to Temple Farm, which was Washington’s headquarters. There was no landing at this place and we could only get the boat within ten or fifteen yards of the bank of the river, so we pulled off our shoes, rolled up our trousers, and waded ashore. We climbed up a steep embankment, through the briars and the bees. In walking across a field towards the Temple Farm, we were attracted by a vicious looking bull. He began to paw the earth and bellow. Realizing the responsibility of being alone with the President, I said: “I think we had better go around another way; that bull acts like he means business.” The President here told me the story of an Irishman who was chased by a bull, and just as he got partly over the fence, the bull hit him with his horns and knocked him completely on the other side of the fence; then the bull began to paw the earth and bellow, and the Irishman remarked: “You may bow and may scrape as much as you please but I’ll be damned if I don’t think you meant it.” And the President said: “I agree with you that this bull means it, so we will go around and be protected by this fence.”
We went through the Temple Farm house and saw many old portraits and pictures and prints of General Washington; old minnie balls and rifles and swords that were collected on the farm.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1919 March 5, WWP17095, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.