The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-28
THE OLD COMMANDER.
Attempt to Bring Gen. Grants Name
Into Disrepuss.
Letters That, Ii rs Alleged, Hmpiis
cate Him In Wards opera
CONGRATULATIONS on
Roth Sides.

NEW YORK, May 2S.-The statement that
Gen. Grant had been fully posted of the
operation of Ward, and that it was through
his assurances to Fish that the business was
all right that the latter was induced to put
money into it, has been the cause of a de-
cided sensation, the exact facts of which
have been difficult to reach. Mr. Fish do
clared in an interview that he had documen-
tary evidence, i'll the shape of letters in Gen.
Grants handwriting, and signed personally,
that the general was fully informed OF
the government contract" business that
WarI professed to be carrying on, and had
agreed to permit his name to be used to fur
Their Wards schemes in that direction. The
letters held by Fish have not been given to
the public but Gen. Grant has been in con-
suitation with Mr.. Conkling. and has given
for publication certain letters on the subject
the most important of which are one from
Mr.. Fish to Gen. Grant and two from Gen.
Grant to Mr.. Fish. The former after asking
Gen. Grant what position he and Fish held
il the firm, as he Gen Grant understood it,
and referring to certain notes which had been
discounted, says: These noses, as under
stand it, are given for no other purpose than
TO raise money for the payment of grain
etc, purchased to FIJI the government con-
tracts. Under the circumstances, my dear
general, you will see that it is of the most
vital Importance, to NE particularly, mat
the credit of the firm shall always be I'M
furnished and unimpaired."
To this Gen. Grant, in his own handwrit-
ing, and signing his own name, answered:
"Your understanding in regard TO our
liabilities in the firm of Grant & Ward are
the same as mine. If you desire it, am en-
tirely willing that the advertisement of the
firm shall be so changed as to express this
Not having been in the city for more than a
week, ! have a large accumulated mail to
look over and some business appointments to
meet, so that may not be down to see you
to-day But if can, will"
The second letter from Gen. Grant to Fish
is as follows:
New YORK, July 6, 1SS2--MY DEAR Mr..
FISH: In relation to the matter of discounts
kindly made by you for account of Grant &
Ward, would say that | think the invest
ments are safe, and am willing that Mr..
Ward should derive what profit he can for
the firm that the use of my name and infiu-
ence may bring. Yours very truly,
The following explanation IS made by
Gen. Grants friends of the origin of this let
ter: After the letter of Mr.. Fish had been
answered and the correspondence had been
closed, Ward prepared draft of letter
and handed it to Mr.. Spencer (who was III
the employ of the firm to copy. Mrs. Spen-
Ger says he did copy it and delivered copy
| to Ward, who went to Gen. Grant and OBJ
tanned his signature to it. This letter and
| signature was wholly disconnected with tht
| preceding correspondence, so far as Gen
Grant knew, and nothing was told him from
which he could suspect that the two thing
had any relation to each other; nor did thu
general scrutinige the letter, but signed it OF
| the assurance that it was only an ordinary
| letter in the course of business. The Incl
| dent made no impression, and the above copI
| of the letter is all the evidence of its con
| tents the general has.
DIDN'T MEAN IT THAT WAY.
| LATER.-President Fish now say
he did not mean to charge tina
Gen. Grant had any guilty knowledge o
the frauds in governm ent contracts, but sim
| ply intended to say that the letters receives
from Gen. Grant were of such teno
as to warrant any one having confidence il
| the representations made by Ward. John d
| Fish says his father regards Gen. Grants pc
sition in regard to Wards transactions a
similar to his own. Both of them were mis-
| led to the extent of trusting entirely to wha
| was said by Ward