Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-02
GRANTS WASHINGTON HOUSE.
How tho Money was Raised 20 Pur.
chase If.

chase IL.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
WASHINGTON, March 80, IS69.-Ther,
has existed grave doubt as to who origi.
mated and carried out the idea to purchase
house here in 1866 for Gen. Grant. II
appears that Mr.. Stewart was not the
originator of the scheme, and at its com,
mencement did what he could to discour.
age it at a meeting of the gentlemen
composing what was known as the Grant
Reception Committee. Said meeting was
held in the Fifth Avenue Hotel in Octo-
Der or November, 1865, and Mr.. Stewart
was chairman of the meeting. The fol-
lowing is short account of the move,
and for the accuracy of the statements
refer to any of the gentlemen who were
present at the meeting. Among them
were Marshall 0. Roberts, A. B. OAR
ling, Mr.. Vermilye and George Opdyke {:
Mr. A. Z. Corbin Of West Twenty
seventh street, sold his house in Wash
ington to General Grant. Mr.. A. R.
Emo was one Of the witnesses to the ex>
ecution of the deed, and noticed the
whole amount Of the purchase money
(S3O,OO0) was left on mortgage for term
of years, but with the privilege of pay
ment at any time. A few days after the
execution of the deed the Grant recep-
ton committee met at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel. At this meeting Mr.. Emo mem
toned the circumstance of the purchase
Of the house and the mortgage given for
the whole amount of the purchase
money to several gentlemen then present.
Each one to whom he mentioned the cir
cumstance expressed a willingness to
pay 81, 200 or $500 toward the payment
of the mortgage. Mr.. Emo took down the
names Of the several gentlemen to whom
he spoke until the amount they ex~
pressed willingness to subscribe had
amounted to about $4,000. After the orr
ganization of the meeting, Mr.. Emo rose
and said that it had casually come to
his knowledge that Gen. Grant had re-
Gently purchased house for the sum of
$4,000, and that his means were so Inns
tied that he had found it necessary to
leave the whole amount of the purchase
money on bond and mortgage, and that
he thought that it would perhaps be
more substantial mark of gratitude to
zen. Grant to raise, by individual subs
scrlption, sufficient money to pay off this
mortgage; that he had already mentioned
the subject to several gentlemen, and
they all thought as he (Mr. Eno) did.
MIR. Stewart opposed the proposition, and
said that sit was not for individuals to
furnish the money, but for Congress-
that Congress should do for Gen.
Grant as the British Parliament had
done for the Duke of Wellington; TO
which it was replied that Congress
could not do such thing; that it could
not establish such precedent, and fur
Their, that putting the matter off on Cor
gress was but eyading the subject. Then
Mr.. Stewart said he would give us as
much as any other man for the object;
that he would pay ten thousand dollars
if any other man would. Mr.. Emo ac>
cepted; said he would give ten thousand
dollars; that he had the names of gentles
men who would give ten thousand more,
and that, with Mr.. Stewards ten thou
sand, the whole amount of thirty thou,
sand dollars was already subscribed. Mr..
Stewart then backed out squarely, and
said he would only subscribe ten thou
sand dollars on condition that one hun
dred thousand dollars was to be raised.o
1t was perhaps thought that so large
sum as one hundred thousand dollars
could not be raised, as the subscription
for Farragut had already failed. Mr..
Emo did not abandon the scheme to raise
this thirty thousand dollars; but as he
was about to sail for Europe handed the
names he had already secured 10
Gen. d. Butterfield, and as an induce
ment to him to undertake to obtain the
subscriptions promised to be responsible
for the difference between what subscrip~
tons were received and the sum of $780,
OOO, should Gen. Butterfield not succeed
in obtaining that amount. Mr.. Emo
sailed for Europe in November, 1865.
AT that time the subscription to the fund
amounted to only about $4,000, and
instructions were left from him to see
that sum sufficient to pay off the mort
gage on Grants house was subscribed,
and if such an amount was not SUBJ
sGribed, to make up the deficiency by
increasing his subscription to the required
amount. Gen. Butterfield succeeded in
Obtaining the $4,000 subscription, and
when this was done continued soliciting
subscriptions until 100000 or sos, 900
was raised, and the amount handed to
Gen. Grant.