Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-05-04
GRANTS TOUR.
How the Receptions We're Set Up and Who
Pays the Bills.

Washington Special to the NY. World. !
The methods by which the back
ers of Grant have contrived to use
the power and prestige of the gov.
ernment of the United States in
order to put foreign nations and
foreign municipalities In position
ia which it would be next to i'm
possible for them without inciyility
to the United States to refuse to
extend unusual and elaborate hos
pitality to General Grant, are
likely soon to come to the front in
the form of official correspondence
It will be remembered that Presi-
dent Hayes. out Of complaisance
towards his predecessor in office
for which no one can blame him,
directed Secretary Evarts to issue
u circular-letter on the subject of
the attention proper to be paid to
General Grant, to our Ministers,
Consuls, consular agents and naval
officers all over the world. The
cue for the Interpretation of the
circular-letter was given to Mr..
Pierrepont and Consul. General Ba-
dsau In London, and out of the
dOiugs In England 1t came to pass
that there was established in Lon.
don, under Consul-General Badeau,
sort of Grant "nincompoop bu-
reau," from which instructions
were issued to the American lega-
tiOn or consuIates In every place
through which it might be ar
ranged that the ex President
should go. II the place was a po-
titical capital. the American Lega.
tion was told to say at the Foreign
Office that "the government" Of
the United States would consider
itself to be under much obligation
to the French or Italian or Turkish
government, as the case might be,
Il especial official and popular con-
sideration could be bestowed upon
the coming ex President when he
arrived. II 1t was only CONNER
cial centre which was to be visited,
the American Consul there was
directed to say the same sort of
things to the municipal authorities
and to the manufacturer
and merchants whose in.
voices might require consul
lar certificates and indorse meDts.
All these official applications TO
foreigners for civilities and expend-
,tures to be lavlshed on General
Grant were as mere matter of
fact so many drafts drawn by the
government at Washington upon
foreign countries, or other officials
or citizens and subjects, and simi.
lar drafts must of course in time
be honored at Washington when
hey are drawn in favor Of any per-
sonage In Europe or Asia against
US. With European or civilized
Asiatic governments such direct
applications made by nation of
the rank of the United States are OF
course equivalent to those several
letters Of introduction which are
sometimes dlsrespectfuliy described
as "soup tickets" IF the power and
credit of the United States were to
be exerted in similar manner in
his favor there Is not q prominent
military officer or civilian In the
United States who might not be
put before foreigners all over the
world in way to elicit the most
distinguished attention. Ths un.
shot of the whole matter Is that
General Grant has been kept wan
dering about Europe and Asia
since 1877 as "the Government"
candidate for reelection. How the
private expenses of his wander
ings may have been betrayed con.
Germs no one but himself and his
friends. Whether il is to the honor
and advantage of the country, how
ever, that all these obligations to
foreign powers should have been
incurred by the people of the
United States through their public
servants in order to promote the
candidacy Of a particular citizen for
the Presidency is, however, a mat.
ter both proper and important to be
considered by the public. 1t may
be added, by the way, that in one
Instance, at st. Petersburg, the bill
of the expenses of grand picnic
and reception rendered General
Grant by the Russian authorities,
at the request and solicitation OF
the American Minister, is believed,
ON good authority, to have been
sent In by them to the American
Legation and there paid.