New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-27
STATEMENT FROM GEN. GRANT.
HISTORY OF THE LETTERS QUOTED BY MR..
FISH

| PoRTANT ONE.
| Mr. Amos F. Larnod of the Associated Press called
the counsel of General Grant yesterday to learn
if they knew what letters James D. referred 10
! in his pubshedstatemeut, when he SAID he had TWO
| letters from the General referring to Government
contracts and the profits thereon. He went hrst 10
Mr. onkling and at his suggestion to Seward. MI
| Seward had heard that intimations had been given
/ of such letters. and had taken steps to run them
| down and get copies. 1t learned that
prior TO July l. 1852, Mr.. Fish had sent
! paper of Grant & Ward to the Lincoln Bank with a
note asking that the. paper be discounted. Mr.
James being called on by Mr.. Seward, SAID that he
answered the note of Fish, as follows;
LINCOLN NATIONAL BANK, }
NFw-YORK, July l, 1882.
NJ Dear Mt President: will submit your favor 20 lne
board OF directors Wednesday next M yon kindly hII
inform me whether you are general partner III ' ou
of MessIs. Grant Ward Very truly, r 1,,vs
JAMES d. FISH. esq
Mr. James further said Mr.. Fish promptly
answered the above note but that he was unable
to find the answer. He, however, stated that IL
was substantially in these words:
M Dear Sir: In answer your inquiry, have 70 Sy
that both General Grant and myself are now geneI %
special partners only but by arrangement we nave
both become general partners Yours truly, D FISH.
On the 5th of July Mr. Fish wrote a letter to Cen
eral Grant in these words:
PRvArE 1000
NJ dcay General: You and do not often meet TO talk
over business matters, o for any other purpose,
but trust that Won are wei aware that the failure to do
so is not for any want Of respect, esteem or
Me dFcup S r9ynea R5r Mich are eS SP L
I think however, It would not be amtss
for you and me to counsel n cro9, Ward. as
acial would do them harm as ,,-..i they
have often been asked by trends and bus men men
whether you and general or special plfingrs Wo
were for time advertised as special ou, .nA h,nE
virtually and actually general parners ana In,nS
LEGALLY We would hnd thaI 10 o., We ,Uos of thc
Lincoln Bank, TO whom @. 4 W. note 20 ne us
counted "d received ny ne ana ssn ~ S,yrs MAI
reply 70 his letter. N0u may DS ~ ybicb
am on the notes OF c. X ", as ndoIseI VIM ot
negotiated 10 extent OF 100000 in aggregate al me
same time. at which Is not tuhing amount
sbord de.errediv stand very high These notes. a.
understand IT, given for no otAer pul posi- 'l
20 nm the Government contract. Under the crcum
stances nay dear General You win see mat II "a OF ne
of the firm shall always be uutami-led and uumpaired
viii IN, Laprv 10 meet Won al almost any you may
name to IA these matters over. Please return NE Mr.
suggestions YOU may have 10 make nm resprc' ~"
esteem 1 am. sincerely yours, JAMES ID. FISH.
GENERAL GRANTS REPLY
To the above letter General Grant answered as
follows:
NEw-YoRK CITY. July 8, 1882
rb NT pf4R Nh nd your T letter Of yesterday
with a letter from Thos L. James, Pres. Of Lincoln y
standing in regard to our liabilities in the nrm Of
| Grant ward IS the same az nm ad'.r,isa a.
mcnt firm shall be changed as to express Jls'
Not having been III the en- Tor more tn"n " 1oG
| | have a large accumulated mali 70 ~, io'4
over and some business p0inments 10 meet so Ihal
may not be able 70 get down TO see YOU Guny, nut Il
'"D' 1 wiz ~ ''-'-' T. 5. GRANT
now WARD OBTAINED HIS SIGNATURE
This was the Generals sole response, and was IN
his own handwriting throughout After the
above letter OF Mr. Fish, marked private
had been answered and the correspondence
had been closed Mr.. Ward prepared graft ora let
ter and handed ii 20 Mr. Spencer who was IL the
employ of the hrn) to copy MI Spencer
says cd he dlf 'SPy Ward anu who 1'v vent
TO General Grant and obtained his signature 70 IT,
This letter and the signature was wholly
discongnected with the Ga geeGa0s cE gGIc
knew, and nothing was told HIM from when Iloh
he could suspect that the two things had
any relation to each other nor dld tne
General scrutinize the letter, but signed 1t
on the assurance that 1t was only an
ordinary letter in course Of business The mel
don't made no impression. and the following copy
OF he letter now obtained is all the evidence OF lts
contents the General has ~ x,o,,, 1890
Ny dro, Mr. Fish: In relation to the mater o.
Grant & ward 1 would say that think
tbr investments are safe aud am
Wiling fnat Mr. Ward should derive what profit he can
for the firm that the Of name and u'nce may
bring. yours very truly T. % "N''i'
The foregoing copy-etter and the facts men
toned comprise everything known TO General
Grant or his counsel 10 which the statement OF
Dir. Fish may rsA.te.