Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-21

Grant Of large tract of land in Cook coun-
~, Illinois. That the land was given to
President Grant would seem probable from
the fact that It stands recorded as having
been conveyed "for the consideration of
one dollar" which can hardly be thought
an adequate purchase price for .eighty
acres, more or less, In the outskirts Of the
city of Chicago." That the high diplo-
matte position to which the person who
decided this land to President Grant was
appointed was conferred upon him in ex-
change for the gift, would also seem to be
probable from the facts that the appoint
ment followed almost Immediately upon the
execution Of the deed, and the person in
question is man not only thoroughly unfit
for the position thus conferred upon him,
but so utterly obscure that unless the deed
executed by him really was the price ofthis
appointment no rational account of the
transaction can be imagined. The follow
ing is the story as told by the Chicago 7ri-
bune:
"Some excitement has sprung up in the
Bishop Hill Colony of Swedes in Henry
county. H., over q discovery made by them
that certain lands, which they supposed
they owned, on the outskirts of the city Of
Chicago (eighty acres, more or less,) had
been conveyed by one of the trustees of
said Colony, without their authority, to j.
Russell Jones, United States Minister to
Belgium, for an. inadequate compensation.
The Colony q short time since, employed
lawyer to make an investigation, but, in.
consequence of the destruction Of the pub
lie records by fire, he made slow progress.
Finally, he ascertained (and this was an
accidental discovery that some time after
the conveyance OF the land by Olof John
son, the trustee, to Jones--Which was on
tie Goth of December, 186G-Jones
below, to Ulysses S. Grant, of Wash
ington, d. G., for the consideration
of 81, on the 20th of May, 1869, and was
Immediately thereafter appointed Minister
to Belgium. The description of the land
conveyed by Jones 70 Grant is as follows:
SAN undivided of the w. of the NV.
of the NE. I of section 10, town 80, range
Is, containing 20 acres, more or less; also,
an undivided J of the w. ] of the SW. of
the E. Z of said section 10, Containing 20
acres, more or less; also, an undivided OF
that part of the w. Of the W. (! ct the
Sc. of said section IL, which lies north
of the road known as the Barry Point
road, containing IA acres and fraction;
also, an undivided J of the S. AZ acres of
h. E. } ofthe SW. Of said section 10,
IN the county of Cook and State Of Hi
nois; consideration, 81" The deed recites
that this property had been held in trust by
Jones for Grant; but no such trust was
shown Of record, and it is noted that Mrs.
Jones relinquishes dover, whereas she
could have no dover in property held in
trust BY her husband. The Bishop Hill
Colony claim that this property belongs TO
them, and they have presented formal
request to President Grant to convey it
back to them, to which no response has yet
| been returned. A further Investigation
will probably show that this property be-
longs to the Bishop Hill Colony, and that
a court of equity will so decree. That
after Jones bought it he concluded to let
Grant into the speculation, and draw on
him for portion of the purchase money;
that be sold a part Of it short time before
he was appointed Minister to Belgium, and
RENTED to Grant 1900 as bis share Of
the proceeds of the sale, and made him a
deed for the remainder Of the land. If the
Bishop Hill Colony were swindled, we
| Judge that Grant was not knowing to that
fact. We judge, also, that the profits of the
speculation had considerable influence on
the Presidents mind when he designated
Jones as Minister to Belgium, for there has
not been more unfit appointment made
| since Columbus discovered America"