Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-01
ION AND AMERICAS
OF GRANTS FAILURES.

lis for ''the upper ten" of Gotham, and not,
withstanding its founders have passed
away, the paper is still regarded as the jour
nalistic sIglass Of fashion," This paper has
been reviewing the fashionable watering
and summering places, showing wherein
one has been a pecuniary success and an
other has not, and why of Long Branch, it
says 1.-THE landlords have made no money
there" though "Grant and Fisk, both
mighty men in their way, were permanent
guests. THE reasons for this decadence, y
the Home Journal goes on to say, Nare OBJ
vious." It declares that with ''races and
gambling houses, and the like, society is too
promiScuous, and includes too many adyen-
turers, in contact with whom mothers
prefer not to trust their daughters" II
is, therefore, probable that this years
experience has satisfied those who donated
to General Grant the cottage he occupied
there, in the hope of making Long Branch
the great resort of the elite of the whole
country, that they made zone grand mis-
take" This season has demonstrated that
one low-bred man in high position. cannot
make a summer resort any more than one
swallow can make a summer.
Just how Grant came to get his cottage
at Long Branch, is explained by New
York correspondent of the Chicago Times,
who writes:
"a cottage worth $4,000 was prepared
for Gen. Porter, the Presidents confidential
private secretary, at Long Branch, by Muir
ply. Large supplies of liquors and cigars
were at the same time forwarded 10 the
White House at Washington by different
members of the Murphy Ring, but paid for
mostly by Murphy himself. These luXuries
were sent TO Grant and Porter and Babcock.
Just now a plan was hit upon by Murphy,
in consultation with two real estate specu-
lators in Long Branch prOperty-bOth
DemOcTats-which proved a fortune. 1t
was to buy lot and build a cottage for
Grant at a point adjoining their property. If
he accepted it, and they knew that he would,
two things would be accomplished. The fact
that the national executive mansion would
be established at this place during the sum
mers would greatly enhance the value of
ally that surrounding the Presidents resi-
dence. The other point to be gained, if
Grant accepted the house and lot, and they
knew that he would, was that it would
place him under special obligation to Muir
phv, who was to be known for the time
being as the sole donor. This would settle
the matter of the CustOmhOuse and secure
y it to Murphy. The cottage was not long in
making lis appearance. Ii cost Thomas
Murphy $1,000, John Hoey $4,000, and
John Chamberlain $4,000. Murphy was
then a Tammany ofiiceholder and owner
of a cottage and a large amount of real
estate at Long Branch. He was ali An
drew johnson Democrat, member of the
arnl-in-aTm Convention in Philadelphia
in 1866, and voted for Hoffman
against FentOn for Governor. Mr..
Hoey is the well known Superin-
tendent Of the Adams Express Company, 4
large operator in and owner of real estate,
especially at Long Branch, where he sup
IOrts the most magnificent country seat,
with spacious parks, and lawns, and herds,
and drive-ways, and tunouts, that were
ever witnessed. He has always been a
Democrat, is a thorough business man, a
genial gentleman. who made the invest
ment referred to as a speculation, and to
Vlease his neighbOr and friend Tom Muir
ply. Mr.. Chamberlain keeps the fashion,
able gentleman's club at the Branch where
tle game of chance often involves in single
night the sum of one hundred thousand
dollars. Chamberlain is shrewdman. He ar
-ucdthus: "Grant is foud of horses andraces.
twill invest in his cottage, and build race
course at the Branch My property there
will increase in value if Grant goes there,
L. I
him. Besides. the class who follows him.
such as ingalls,, Nesmith, and others, like
to fight the tiger, play poker, etc" John
invested, and proceeded at once to lay out
ami construct the Monmouth Park, now
one of the finest race courses in the country.
Suffice it to say that Grant accepted the
cottage, as everybody knows, and has Occu-
pied it in some shape ever since. Porter
occupies his house when he is at the
Branch. Both cottages are kept well sup
piled with the choicest of wines, liquors,
and cigar from New York"
One of the purposes for which the cottage
was presented to Grant was to obtain for
Mr.. Murphy the Office of Collector Of the
port Of New York, and this purpose was
accomplished. Grant recognized the value
of Tie consideration by giving Mr.. Murphy
the office, in opposition TO the decided pro
test Of Of many of his Radical supporters.
Another object ofthe donors was to increase
the value of their real estate at Long Branch
by establishing there the Presidents resi-
dence during the summer. 1t may have
resulted in a temporary appreciation Of the
price of property there, but the hotel keep
ers found to their sorrow that Grant is net
the man to draw around him a class Of
people who would make Long Branch
popular resort for intelligent and refined
men and women.