The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-07-09
GRANT AND WALES.

Court Etiquette Supreme at the Princes Re-
reception Of the Ex-President-Th Effect lof
His Letter.
Mr.. Pierrepont's views on etiquette met
an unexpected check on Monday night,
writes Mr.. Smalley to the New York Trt-
6une on the 21st inst. General Grant
dined on that evening with the Prince Of
Wales at Marlborough house, in company
with a number Of distinguished person
ages. / am grieved to have to say-or
whether am grieved or not, the fact is,
that the artificial precedence heretofore
conceded to the ex-president was not con-
ceded on this occasion. General Grant
went out to dinner among the last. Nearly
every person of rank who was present went
before him Mr.. Pierrepont himself, 1 am
told, had to march in front of his hero.
But hope the friendly relations between
the two countries may not be imperiled by
this unlucky incident. There is reason to
hope that the former order of things will
be restored tonight, when the Prince dimes
with Mr.. Pierrepont in Cavendish square.
A good deal mas been made or this ques-
ton of etiquette, as you cannot have failed
to perceive. Perhaps too much has been
made. Still, our minister has carried his
point in nearly every case, and in spite of
great difficulties. The result has been to
give an importance to General Grants Wis
It, which it would hardly have had other
wise, and to give him place in London
society which, it must be said, would never
have been yielded to him voluntarily.
There have been struggles and heartburn
ings but when people found they could on
ly have General Grant as a guest on condi-
tion of submitting to MIR. Pierrepont's con-
a,,hxx cod DAB OIL
house Is a place where conditions are i'm
posed, not accepted and the great men
who arrange the ceremonies of royalty
seem to have proved more than a match for
MIR. Pierrepont's perseverlng audacity. 1t
is whispered to-day that the arrangement
of Monday was a surprise. l know not
how that may be. But good many peo-
Pile who have endured, with some difficulty,
the stress of the new code which MIR. Pier
repent set up, are rejoicing over what they
call his discontinue. 1t must be admitted
that his previous successes produced some
ill feeling. Some of the very people who
asked General Grant to their houses went
about complaining of the republican AFRO
gance which insisted on so muchshonor be-
ing paid to an eX-magistrate, who has no
actual title to any other honor than that of
an American citizen and stranger. But
don't hear of anybody Lesser in degree than
royalty itself venturing to resist Mr.. Pier
repont's domination. All he asks has, as a
rule, been readily granted in many cases
it has been granted before it was asked.
The first precedent was that of the dinner
at the Duke of Welllngtons. The Duke
himself, believe, proposed that General
Grant shoul =, on that occasion, take in the
Duchess. A similar courtesy was offered
hin, LOT niObt of fhat Mornuio of Rinnn'Q
Most people who have anything to say
on the matter understand well enough that
all the urgency which has been shown pro-
ceeds from Mr.. Pier:epont, and not from
General Grant. But some Of the comment
reused by these proceedings has, neverthe-
less, fallen on General Grant himself. The
comment in such cases is ignorant, but may
also be, to some extent, mlschievous.
There were people who went the length of
asserting that Mr.. Pierrepont had asked for
invitations for General Grant. They were
probably people who are themselves in the
habit of asking for invitations, and know
all the humiliation it involves. But the
assertion is not true. took the liberty to
put the question to Mr.. Pierrepont, and l
have the authority for saying that it is not
true that in no case has be or any one
| else, so far as he knows, asked anybody,
directly or indirectly, to invite General
Grant to dinner, or to anything else. It's
not pleasant to have to contradict such a
tale but since it has been told by one or
two people who ought to know better, it is
well that it should be met with an explicit
| denial.
Meanwhile the general fulflls his round
| of social duties, which hope he finds, to
some extent, social epjoyments. The Gu
riosity to see him, and above all, to hear
him talk, is undiminshed. A crowd gath
ers wherever he is expected or known to be,
whether in the street or in drawing room.
The doorways of the houses he is to enter
are surrounded by circle of admirers, and
invitations OF every kind, and from all
classes of people continue to pour in. His
letter to Mr.. Childs, which, whether meant
for publication or not, was telegrapbed
back here, made an excellent impression
Nothing pleases the English more than the
modesty which receives the compliments
offered to the individual as due not to him
self, but to his country"