The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-03-29
THE WATCH or MRS. GRANT.
rpr GIFT THAT SECURED INGALLS, HIS
FAT PLACE.

u GOES to show that costly present
worth Four Thousand Eight Hun
ared Dollars-was privately given to
Mrs. Grant, wife of the President of
Ia. United States, aud that the giver
was subsequently made Acting Quar-
fcrmaster General of the United
States by tie President. ,W1I !
The present consisted Of unique
goIa watch, originally intended for
ot,een Victoria. It was purchased
o,f;the maker in Paris and brought to
this city, where a very expensive
chain was added to it by Messrs. Tiff
fay Co. the well.known eashiona-
TIE jewellers, and then the whole thing
sa 4, given to Mrs. Grant by General
Rufus ingalls,, who was at the time
al Assistant Qnartermaster General,
stationed, in this city, and was after
ward appointed Acting Quartermas-
ter General Of the United States at
Washington. p, 'jr.a hna
aAt lifetime the present was made,
General Meigs was Quarterma ter
General. After a good dea. Of delay.
and difficulty in getting Gen. Meigs
oat 81 the way, that faithful and in
corrup,ible public officer was finally
ordered abroad, on a tour Of inspec
ton in Europe, and General Ingalls,
was transferred from this city to
Washington, larger field of opera
tons rs with great power over contrac-
tors, and larger opportunities than he
enjoyed here. ''' MI.
The value of the present was alto
getber,too large for it to have been
made BIZ man Of General Ingalls,
then limited means, from any such
motive asl pure and DISTINGUISHED
friehasbip. An English Judge, Sir
William Thorpe, Chief Justice Of the
Kings Bench in the time of Edward
I'LL, was impeached, convicted and
hanged for receiving five brides,
amounting, altogether in the aggre'
gate to only ECO, or $500. This
present to Mrs. Grant was estimated
TO be worth more than nine times as
much-$47S0., .,.. o...
General Grant must have known OF
this present. The watch strikes the
hours and quarters, and heBust have
heard it strike many times. lJt-
This present to Mrs. Grant, though
not technically present to Genera
Grant,. was in substance the same
thing; and while She. acceptance of i
might not subject him to an inaict
ment for bribery, yet his conpivanc'
at il would constitute a suificien
ground for impeachment.
tis true that General Iugalls di'
net yet his reward Until several year
after he made tlie present. But sup
pose, a Judge does.bots decide a cas-
unti. four years after he receives
bribc in it, does that diminish hi
erin@s General Ingalls, was appoint
ed to this position out of order, an
at the time of his transfer to Wash
ington there were two Assistan
Quartermaster Generals above him o
tLe Army Register. 4, 81 - -
The evidence In our possessio
consists Of piece Of beautiful whit
satin, the size of a half sheet of larg
letter paper, on which the followin
monogram and words, describing th
watch and indicating the giver, al
printed: T,.lsni 1.'..' ri lii' H'',
- =. [Monogram.I ~, ,ue
v7ir MEMoRAIN DUN xa13
This watch was manufactured fc
presentation to Her Majesty Quee
Victoria, of England by Charles o.
din, Paris, France. Itrepresents til
coat Of arms Of Great Britain. Th
stem indicates the Crown of Ems
land. 3 Instead Of figures on the dia
twelve letters aDieu mon Droit" al
substituted. The letter d, next tt
stem represents -. Each letter !
made Of oayx and diamonds, set
crystal. iss., "a 7'r1 .!ia SnH .i4h'
On She reverse Is shown the Ord'
Of the Garter, with the Rose, Thist
and Shamrock in diamonds. be-' 90
The watch is a stem winder, chr
nometer and repeater striking Il
hours aud quarters. InIorder to he'
hstrike, push with the thumb nail
small catch pn the side of, the waite
toward the stem..r The setting of Il
hands'is done'by pressing on the o
pOsite side a small projecting pi
and while the pin isidepressed reg
late by moving stem. The cryst
on each side is cut out of solid Br
lillian stone. Y! a'i 9da.g @, mts ?