I was much interested in a bill in aid of national education.

I called on the President when the last State needed had ratified the Fifteenth Amendment, and suggested to him that it might be well to send a special message to Congress congratulating them on the result, and urging the policy of promoting education for the new citizens.
I told him of General Washington's interest in a national university, and what he had said about the importance of education in his writings.

I said I supposed he had them in his library.

He said he believed he had, but he wished I would get the books and bring them to him.

I accordingly got the books, carried them up to the White House, showed him the passages, and Grant sat down and wrote in a few minutes, and quite rapidly, the message that was sent to Congress the next day.