Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-19
THAT MISSING seOO.OOO.
Grant Does Not Know Where Ii
Is-NObOdy Else viii Tell. .


There are rumors current in New
York that the $250,000 Presidential
Retiring Fund, subscribed for Genera
Grant, has not been judiciously in
vested, and that in the receLt stool
furries its dimensions have shrunl
materially. This may explain the re
vival of the proposition that Grant b
put on the retired army list at Sl4,00
a year. Come what will the sturd
beggar must be provided for; and as b
has a penchant for stock speculation
it may be necessary for the Congress
to make provision that he may EMO,
its excitement. 1t would be a tolora
bly, good joke if the thousands sub
scribed to the Retiring Fund b,
Gould, Mackey, Vanderbilt, Sage
Dillon and other noted sharks o.
Wall street, had found their way back
to the Golfers and donors. Nor is il
unlikely, for the hero of Appomattox
is the veriest OF lambs" on the street
The New York Mail, the kindly and
good Mr.. Fields paper, sent out a re-
porter the other day to find out what
had become of the $3.50, 900, and his
investigations were not particularly
successful. Mr.. Gould said he had
never been told what had been done
with the money, and he gave $25, 900,
Mr.. Russell Sage, who gave $1,000, had
heard some ugly stories about the
fund, but would tell nothing, and ad-
vised the young man to see ex Cover
nor Morgan, one Of the committee To
place the ducats. The young man did
so, and was treated to u slice Of frigid-
ly cold shoulder:
Governor Morgan, wish to in
quire how the General Grant fund of
S250,0O0 was invested
Il consider that an impudent ques
ton, said the venerable man, while
his face famed so that his cheeks, en-
circled by his luxurisnt white beard
and hair, looked almost purple red.
Its none Of your business"
Whatever affects the welfare of
General Grant is everybedy's business,
is it not? was the conciliatory reply,
designed to placate the wrath of
benevolent old gentleman who seemed
to have been touched in sore spot.
Rumor has it that he made the invest
ment of the fund in securities held by
himself.
"YOu didn't contribute anything to
the fund, did your" replied the ex-
Governor.
NO, sir"
"YOur paper didn't, did it,"
mo, sir"
Then what have you got to do with
it? Is it any ones business what be-
comes Of q present which few gen.
tlemen make to General Grant,"
Il think it is the business of the
men | have seen to-day who say they
contributed to the fund but never
knew what was done with their money.
They have heard the rumor
that the fund has shrunk bad
ly, ana very naturally they would like
to know what foundation it has. But
will you not tell me in what securities
the $3.50 600 was placed?"
mo, sir, | won't; it's none of your
business. and l hope you will print that
say so.
A treble plated, steel-mounted, fire.
brick interviewer c9uld not persist
after this. The scribe then went to
the Vanderbilt palace. He gave
SO, 900, but had never been told what
was done with the money. Mr.. George
Jones, of the Times, who set the $780,
900 ball rolling, was short and
crusiy," and thought the inquiry an
impertinence. Then General Grant
was sought out, with this result.
The General was too busy 10 be
seen. In reply to written inquiry as
to whether there has been shrinksge
in the securities in which the fund Of
$3.50 1000 was invested, be sent down
word, I do not know. An inquiry as
to whether he could tell in what Sc
curities the fund was invested was
then sent to him, and his reply was:
i know nothing about it. Asked
whether he was sure that was what
the General said, the Ethiopian mental
replied: Dat am just what he said,
'zaetly."
We fear the $25O,OOO has gone
where the woodbine twincth, and is
now only sweet and tender recollec-
ton to the man of silence. Certainly
$4,000 a year would dwell fragrantly
on the memory Of most men. Aud we
hold, Of course on the theory of the
Grant clique that "the old man" can
never be sufficiently paid, even if the
hopper of the mint was set up in his
Darkroom, that it is the bounded
duty OF Congress to vote him $4,000
year as retired pay. This seems as
clear as mud, if the nation, with biz
N, has gratitude. 1t will recoup the
General for his recent losses. And
more, as he has expensive tastes, and
enjoys a tussle with the Wall street
tiger, let Congress put aside perma-
nent fund that he may enjoy the noble
sport in comfort. General Grant must
be taken care of.