The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-27
THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER .;
THE NICARAGuAN CANAL.
zen. Grant offered the Presidency Of the
Company.

NOhHuhSs
WAsHNoroS, November 26.-.M. De
Francho reached Washington last night
for the purpose Of ConSultingwith Admiral
Ammen and others, concerning the con-
templRted Nicaraguan canal project. De
Francho represents the European stock
holders, and about SSO,OOO,OOO Of money,
which he says can DO increased to double
that amount, II necessary. Hesaid to-day
that the offer Of the Presidency Of the
contemplated Nicaraguan Canal Company
had been made to Gen. Grant, and would
probably bo accepted by him.
Upon being asked what bearing this nc.
ton would have on Gen. Grants political
future, NJ. De Francho replied substan.
tiallv as follows: "ltwill take Con. Grant
permanently out OF politics. He has been
offered the Presidency OF our company with
The understanding that he will hold the
Office until the object OF the company is
attained. II, tn the meantime, no is oiier'
ed the nomination by any political party
for the Presidency he will decline 1t, be.
cause otherwise he would be acting In
bad faith to those who have invested their
money in the enterprise on the under.
standing that he would be its head and
influence"
Being asked II Gen. Grant understood
this, Mr.. De FranCho said lie did, and said
that It was under these conditions that he
would accept the Office. Gen. Grant had
written them that he would accept the
Presidency Of the canal company provided
ho could be satisfied that It was establish
ed on a business basis, and would be able
to finish satisfactorily the work under
taken.
He would meet representatives Of the
company and other friends Of the project
in Philadelphia in the middle OF Decem.
per, and then the final arrangements would
be made.
This expression on the part OF De Fran
cho will possibly be regarded as having d
very important bearing on the question Of
Gen. Grants Candidature.
IfDe Francho and those whom lie rep.
resents are not deceived, it means that il
the French company can shOY that they
ere in earnest, that General Grant is no
longer Presidential candidate, because
lie has already written them TO the effect,
rs DC HThllCIlO uulVTsluHuS lli luhI vi tIle
conditions named and with the under.
standing that he will continue as Presi.
dent Of the company he would identify
himself with the fortunes Of the company,
In the course OF the conversation NJ. De
Francho said that this was the only sensi-
bic thing for General Grant to do. "He
could, Said De Francho, gain no further
prestige by runninga third time for Pres.
ident. He could probably say tina! he
could have had the nomination, had he
desired 1t and worked for it, and whatever
glory attaches to that will be his. Now,
then, tho position VIC offer him. Contin.
ued De Francho, sis one Of vast response.
bility, Of care, distinction, and OF great
wealth, and will probably last him all his
lifetime, or fora long series Of years. He
will make rs much money for many
years as he would for four years in the
Presidency. He would be constantly be-
fore the world in Il very honorable and
influential character, and he would go
down to posterity with double imm0r-
tnlity-frst, his political fame 40 President
and General, and, second, us the inspiring
principal and director Of great interna-
tiOnal project"