The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-09-15
From General John McDonald's Forthcoming
Book

Book.
con the first Monday ia October 1874. the
| St. Louis Fair opened with President Grant.
! Secretary Borie and Gen Babcock Ira attend
! auce. Grant ana Babcock were my guests &C.
! the Lindell Hotel. Soon after his arrival in
| ST. Louis, and while engaged in conversation
J with him at the Lindell, / reminded the Presi-
dent that on his previous visits he always had
the use of Col. Ford team to drive while iu
the city, but, added, since our friend is dead,
presume that you have been at n loss for the
use of such horse flesh as You have been &C.
customed TO driving. / then informed him
that had "A team which, while IL was not the
fastest in the world was fair to drive. Re
responded Well, Mack, l never knew you
TO own bad horse, and il you have pair of
serviceable roadsters IN use them Tomorrow
by driving them down to my farm, and II they
have speed will gladly accept the use of them
while here On the following day had the
team hitched up and drove them around 90
the hotel for the President. Before he got into
the buggy, l said, You may find them httlc
slow at first, but can touch them mp with the
whip, and when you get well out an the Grn-
vols road, tighten the reins, and don't think
you will have any trouble getting four minutes
out of them
He then stepped into the buggy, with Sec
retarie borie beside him. They drove out to
the farm, twelve miles from St, Louis, and re-
manned absent till evening". / received the
| team after his return and taking them To "a
stable, short while afterwards, In company
with my wife, called socially at the LudclI
and mes there Col Joyce and his wife Mrs
Grant, Mrs Borie, and number OF others
Secretary Borie came up TO me, and placing
his hand familiarity upon my shoulder, re-
marked General, ! never had finer ride I'm
my life than to-day behind your horses. and
the President is in an ecstaey over them
Just then President Grant greesed me and
said Mack, | never saw better horses Whv
when got out the road they wouIdn't
take the whip, for when Grew the lines they
went like ahot out OF a gun. You should
have seen Mr., Borie he draw his feet under
a - LaF ia
while he clinched the buggy bow with one
hand and the seat with the other he would
every moment ask me If 1 didn't think the
horses were running away. In "a moment
afterward he added i would like 90 own
those horses, and il you will sell them / will
give you $1,000 for them. l replied, General
don want to swindle you in thar way. But
used 'sWindle IN an lrOnical manner, for
5000 wouldn't have bought them. We
JOked about the horses some time but before
leaving him that evening, l told The President
the team was at his service during his stay
and hoped he would have much pleasure i'm
them. His delight was manifested by their
almost constant use FOR several moruipvs
going to the stables himsef after them Seeing
that the team was the source Of so much pleas
ure TO the President, | at length told him thaa
he should have those horses, and f0S him 30
think no more Of h0ying team. Lascertain-
I'd that he lad no handsome buggy 30 took IL
upon myself, az told him, TO procure "a rig
such as would buy for my own ornamental
use well as for effective service.
"He thanked me, and declared THAI nothing
would please him so much as suck tribute Of
my friendship.
The President and bis party returned 10
Washington on the last daY of the fair and
shortly after their departure Col. Joyce ana
myself went 10 HOblitzelle a. Ceuslaud. q and
purchased from them "a complete outfit. con-
sisting Of harness, two bhnkets for each
horse, and buggy whip, the cost of the latter
being $Z2. We had a gold Dreastplate made
for each horse, on which the Presidents name
was engraved. The buggy vas purchased
from James A. Wright, and was the finest To- DE
had in stock. All the bills for the harness,
buggy, etc, paid in President Grants name
La few weeks alter his arrival in Washing
ton l chartered special in which sent
the horses and the handsome outfit 90 Wash
ngton with the compliments Of Col. joyce
and myself. While en- route the horses were
in the special charge Of Nat Carlin who was
At the time superintendent of the Presidents
farm. Gen. babcock, the Presidents private
sent very hatteriug letter ac-
the receipt Of ttU team and rig
which letter either gave to Judge krum the
who defended Gen. BabcOck and
nave never been able TO recover D., burned
T. among many others.
Col. joyce had collected tho sum Of $500
from the distillers and rectihers. which BE re-
iuested me 10 delivcr 10 Geu Elbcock.i in accOr-
lance with the upders landing he had between
hem when the latter was in attendance al the
st. Louis fair This money rs saw DO count
ID, was in hills Of the denomination Of $1,000
and 500. l reached Washington on the morn
3
hours | went 10 the White House. The first
person met there was Gen. Bubcock whom
ound seated at his desk in the Secretary
room. and after passing the usual greeting
took the money from my pocket and handed
/ to him, with the remark, Here is 5000
<hich Joyce collected from the boys for YOUR
benefit before left 81. Louis. lie tosk the
package and placed IL in his pocket withouh
counting the money, with many expressions
# gratitude, remarking that he understood
he source from which the money came.
During this tlme a committee from the two
branches Of Congress were waiting upon the
President to inform him Of the opening Of
Congress and their readiness - receive his
,fficial communications. When the committee
eft the Executive Chamber, the Pre- sideut fol-
owed one Of the Senators 20 the head Of the
stairs and then took leave % she committee.
was standing in the Ante-r0Om awaiting an
10 speak 10 him, when he turned
.bout and, seeing me, extended me cordial
,reetiBg. He asked me how long would re-
main in the city, and 10 call upon him each
lay while in Washington. replied that my
tay would be but few days. lie then spoke
RELY concerning the team and rig had sent
i'm, saying that his gratitude was unbound
d, and prOnouncing the horses tae Hnest by
ar in Washington.
said /: General, | have some papers in
onnectiOn with the team which, with my e1-
lahati0n. wish to give you. he asked me
q come on the following day al noon, saying
e would be at leisure ihen. told the Presl-
ent that had the papers with me, and that
{ be could apare me few moments ! would
i've them 70 him then. He assented, and 30
ether with me walked into the Executive
Dom, where l handed him ali the bills which
'ere in his name for evefy article Col. Joyce
nd had purchased in completing the buggy
nd outft each bill being receipted in f1ii.
{ the same time asked him 20 give one
mall amount Of money, so as 10 enable me %
" IL the question were asked, that 4 had
I'D the team TO him. He handed me fifty
oIIar bill which declined, assuring him THAI
much smaller sum WGuld answer nay puF-
ose He next handed me ten dollar note.
nd returned him seven dollars in chang
aving me with the SUM Of three dollars for 8
< thousand dollars outfit. One-half Of the
.tual expense Of the team, buggy and baF-
sss, and the cost Of transportation, was paiG
me by Col. Joyce. who united With ne ia
akinR the present"