Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-05-26
HE OUGHT TO BE RICH.

ently from some new friend of the eX.
president-that Gen. Grant has not yet
decided where he will reside, aud may
yet select Washington instead of Gale
na; and it is added that seen Grant IL
stead of being wealthy, is poor man
II he is, the fact indicates that he is a
thriftlesS man. He has certainly had
money enough-or property enough
since his singular rise to public position.
TO have made him rich. He has had
presents enough to enrich any man,
even in houses alone. The house thai
was presented to him in Washington,
about the time of his election, by his
wealthy admirers, he not long after
ward sold TO his friend Bowen for S4o,-
600. Subsequently he, to use coarse
but expressive colloquial phrase, on
hearing of better offer, ''backed out
of that bargain, after it had all boen
made and legally completed, aud again
sold the property (now belonging 10 an
other) for 100000. Bowen began le-
gal proceedings against the President
OF the United States, and, 10 avoid such
a scandal, he was pacitied by giving
him the Washington Post Office, and
Grant pocleted the 100000.
Then came presents of valuable hons-
es and city lots in Philadelphia and Ga
lena, aud the valuable cottage ct Long
Branch also, We believe, house in
New York. Altogether his houses
must have been worth $40, 900 at least.
Of his endless presents of silks, car
riages, horses, stocks, etc, no dehnlte
market value can be stated he was the
only President Of the United States wh"
received presents, and he kept receiving
them, throughout HE entire double
term-even 10 1000 boxes of fancy ci-
gars, cases of costly wines and old bran
dies, aud rare and varied assortment
of dogs These be was pleased to re-
ceiye if the express charges for their
transportation had been paid, otherwise
they were refused. Precisely how much
money he received for his share Of The
BLACK Friday operation may never be
known. One gift" of $4,000 to "Mrs.
Grant came promptly to hand, aud an.
other of the same amount was prepared
10 follow it a few hours later, when tho
wicked combination fortunately cxplo-
ded, and put n sudden stop to these
hidden operations. While he was Pres
ident he was known 10 have held shares
in the Seneca Sandstone Quarry Com
pany," coEcern whose building stone,
it had been arranged, was TO be used in
all Government buildings. What his
gain was from the Boss Shepherd Ring,
or from the vast Whiskey Ring which
he protected, will probably never be-
known; but there can be little douLt
that he put money in his purse from
some, if not all, of the disreputable spec
ulatiye combinations with which the
name of his Administration is more or
less clouded, even TO the San Domingo
speculation.
Grant, We are glad to say, is the only
ex.President who ever increased his sal.
airy hy his own act. BY an cxtraordi-
nary subterfuge TO get around the Cop-
stitution, which prohibits such thing,
the bin was passed on the last day Of
his first term, and he signed it aL-thc
very close of bis first term, and thereby
doubled his salary and put 100000
more in his pocket during his second
term. 1t was a low trick, which would
not stand the test Of legal examina-
tion for one moment; but IL seems TO
have been worthy Of Grant, who is be-
lieved, aud with reason, 10 have enrich
ed himself 10 the extent of many huD.
dreds Of thousands of dollars during his
occupation Of that high Office which he
SO mis-used aud dishonored IN his per-
sonal as well as political ways. II, N
he now claims, he is ga poor man
(why this announcement of ilD he must
certainly be a very thrifiless one and
poor men would do better 10 stay at
home and husband their scanty means.
instead ot starting out on two years
tonr through Europe and around the
world. II his uncomplimcntary record
as President viii not give him honor IN
Europe, still less is be calculated 10
command honor or respect abroad by
his personal presence, aud this circum-
stance unites with that OF his alleged
poverty to suggest the propriety OF bis
st aging at home--H Hartford Times.