National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-24
GEN. GRANTS HIGH RESOLVE.
He Refuses MIR. VnndorbiIt's Offer and
Proceeds 10 Settle Gen. Buffers
Opinion OF the Old Man.

me Herdd.
A distinguished friend of tho Grant family
made statement of the whole affair yester.
day.
at is true" he said, "that Con. Grant bor-
rowed tho money, and that Mr.. Vanderbilt
very courteously offered to relieve him from
immediate payment. The general has re-
fused to listen to dny offers of ample security
for the debt, and he will not rest satisfied
until the obligation Is secured beyond all
doubt or question, to the utmost farthing.
This matter has caused him great deal Of
annoyance. He Is transferring all his prop
erty by mortgages to Vanderbilt, and his
determination does credit to his high sense Of
honor"
ibid Gen. Grant havo the right to transfer
his property whom he was bankrupt"
THAT ID very violent assumption, to say
tho least. Gen. Grant is not bankrupt,
and had perfect right to pay u debt by
transferring his own estate to his creditor.
l am satisfied from what l know that when
all the fictitious claims against tho firm Of
Grant & Ward have been eliminated and all
the real assets which undoubtedly belong to
it are recovered there will be enough money
to pay every proper creditor in full OF
course when the firm first failed the matter
was sealed book, and no one could tell how
things stood. | am sure that when all the
absurdities of the heavy claims against the
firm are sifted the assets will balance the
liabilities. You may rely upon what l say.
Gen. Grant is relieving tho firm of any re-
sponsibilty for his debt TO Mr.. Vanderbilt,
and is paying it in full himself. Within tho
four corners of what have said is contained,
in general way all that can be truthfully
asserted. Everything else degenerates into
mere detail"
A number of gentlemen have offered to lend
Gen. Grant money, but he refused to incur
any new debts. Ho has received scores of
sympathetic letters from prominent men
Tho widespread sympathy which is felt for
tho general has been alluded to by ut least
two score of public speakers in this city since
the failure, and was echoed by Gov. Ben
jamin f. Butler when no said to o reporter {:
IL most fully believe that Con. Grant knew
nothing whatever about tho workings of tho
firm of Grant & Ward, in which he was o
partner. While l agree that IL seems almost
impossible that he should not have known
yet still believe that he did not, and there
is one piece of evidence which is controlling
to my mind on that point. If he had
known about the workings of tho firm he
would have known pretty we'll its condition.
Now, on that Monday morning he went up
and borrowed Sl50,o00 from William III. Van
derbilt, and camo down and gave it to tho
| firm. If he had known the condition of
| things ho would have known that this amount
was only q drop in tho bucket, and that to
give it TO tho firm was to throw away his last
dollar because money borrowed uuder such
circumstances as this was must DO repaid at
whatever cost. If no had borrowed that
amount and put it in his pocket aud kept it,,
could have believed that no know all about
the concerns position, But as no absolutely
threw il away, it ConvlnCes mo that no had
no suspicion or knowledge and knew nothing
of the firms methods.