The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-04-10
Gen. Grant and His Presents.

The day before Gen. Grant was
inaugurated, he was waited upon
by his friends, the great million.
aire, Stewart, of New York, and
other gentlemen, renowned for
their immense financial resources.
The object of the visit was to
hand him a check for $1,000, and
a receipt in full, for the house in
which he was residing, with the
furniture thrown in. The said
house and furniture were then
presented to Gen. Sherman, who
accepted them, with warm thanks.
Gen. Grant said nothing, although
probably, he was almost as obliged
a party for the taking OF his house
off his hands in such a splendid
manner as Gen. Sherman was to
receive it as a gift. lrs
The President is very fortunate
in having such monetary friends
always at his back as A. T. Stew
art, VIM. B. Astor, Leonard Je-
rome, Hamilton Fish, Daniel But
terfeld and others. When it is
necessary for him to have a house,
they buy it. When it is neces-
sary far him to sell it, they buy it
back, and present it to somebody
else. tt al
When Andrew Johnson became
President, he received a present
of a magnificent carriage and span
Of horses from his friends in New
York. He declined to accept
them, or any other plesents, upon
some old-fogy notion that it was
indecorous for public officer so
to do; that it might cause his &C.
ton with the donars, If any Occa-
sion ever arose, to be suspected in
IFS disinterestedneSs. ##e8
Gen. Grant is more liberal. He
is not troubled with such eonsci-
entious scruples. He is perfectly
willing to accept all that may be
rendered him, whether it is a
house in New York, a house in
Philadelphia, or in Washington.
There is a good story told in con-
nection with the Philadelphia
mansion, which illustrates the fine
business capacity of the General:
The rich men of the Union League
presented him with a magnificent
residence in the City of Brotherly
Love. They fitted it up with the
finest furniture, selected with es-
pecial reference to what they sup
posed to be- the taste of the Gen
eral. They did not forget to
place in the SidebOard the finest
Havana cigars, the richest wines
and the best Bourbon. They then
presented him with the key, ex
peeting that in a short time he
would be comfortably domiciled
among them. But the General
did not purpose to live "on that
hne.7 In a few weeks, to the in
finite chagrin of the Union Lea
que, the ''red flag" was seen at
the newly-presented mansion: the
articles selected expressly for
Gen. Grant were sold to the high
est bidder, and the house itself
was rented by a gentleman, who,
we believe, converted it into an
excellent boarding house.
But to his New York friends,
who so kindly furnished him with
several hundred thousand dollars,
as compensation for his surren-
der Of his life Office of General, he
is more considerate. He will,
doubtless, remember them with
gratitude. They are large owners
of United States bonds. We ven-
ture to say that the General is
for their payment in gold. AS
large importers, they have a great
interest in the tariff !; and when it
is remodeled, wepresumet they viii
be consulted, and that, in fact, in
all financial matters, they will be
the very best authority going at
the White House. There is moth
ing like being grateful to ones
friends Cincinnati Enquirer.