Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-29
GRANT ON THE CHEsS-BOARD.
The Manner in Which His Backers Are
Moving Him All Over the World.
Wa.hineton speeial to the World.l

Washington Special to the World
The methods by which the hackers
of Grant have contrived to use the
power and prestige Of the government
of the United States in order to put
foreign nations and foreign municipal
tiles in a position in which it would
be next to impossible for them with
out inciyility to the United States to
refuse TO extend unusual and elaborate
hospitality to General Grant, are like
ly soon to come to the front in the form
of official correspondence. 1t will be
remembered that President Hayes.
out of a complaisance towards his
predecessor in office, for which no one
can blame him, directed Secretary
Evarts to issue a circular letter on the
subject of the attention proper to be
paid to General Grant, to our minis
tiers, consuls, consular agents and
naval officers all over the world. The
cue for the Interpretation of the
circular-lette was given by Mr..
PierrepOnt and Consul General
Badeau in London, and out of the
doings in England it came to pass
that there was established in
London, under Consul General Ba-
deau, a sort Of Grant "nincompoop
bureau from which instructions were
issued to the Americon legation or
consulate in every place through
which it might be arranged that the
ex president should 90. If the place
was a political capital the American
legation 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 govern
ment. as the case might be, if especial
official and popular consideration
could be bestowed upon the coming
ex-President when he arrived. If it
was only a commercial center which
vas to be visited the American consul
there was directed to say the same sort
Of things to the municipal authorities
and to the leading manufacturer and
merchants whose invoices might re-
qlire consular certificates and indorse-
ments. All these official applications
70 foreigners for ciyilities and expend-
ltures to be lavished on General
Grant we're as a mere matter of fact 50.
many drafts drawn by the government
at v ashingtOn upon foreign countries.
or their officials or citizens and sub
jeets, and similar drafts must of
course in time be hOnored at Wash
ingtOn when they are drawn in favor
OF any parsonage in Europe or Asia
against us. With European or civil
lied Asiatic governments such direct
applications made by a nation Of the
rank Of the United States arc of
course equivalent TO those several let
ters Of introduction which are some
times disrespectfully described as
soup tickets" If the power and
credit Of the United States were to be
exerted in a similar manner in his
favor there is not a prominent military
officer or civilian in the United States
who might not be put before foreign.
ers all over the world in a way TO
elicit the most distinguished atten-
tons. The upshot Of the whole
matter is that General Grant has
been kept wandering about Europe
and Asia since 1877 as the GOV
eminent candidate for re-elec-
ton; How the private expense
OF his wanderings. may have been
betrayed concerns no one but himself
and his friends. Whether it is to the
honor and advantage of the country,
however, that all these obligations to
foreign powers should have been in
CURED 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 matter 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 a 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.